Nuclear Strategy

[DesertPlah]

I'd like some commentary (and advice, if you'd please) on the possiblities for Nuclear Missiles with regard to 100% modern games, against an enemy that almost surely has all cities within SDI protection, excluding naval applications.

Geez, that looks Greek. In other words, the Japanese, the only other superpower in the world, have used a nuke on one of my cities, (I had just taken it from them, but still…) and earned my revenge. I want to hear what's been said in the past here about nuclear strategy against an enemy that almost surely has SDI for all cities. (Don't mention the naval possiblities, I've learned that myself.)

Thanks.

 

[funxus]

Use spies and plant a nuclear device. SDI is useless against them.

 

[Andu Indorin]

Or use the spies to destroy the SDI installations ...

As for the naval possibilities, I assume your referring to using Nukes against AI armadas. Always kind of fun to see all that AI production of BBs, etc. go down with one quick strike!

 

[Specialist290]

Or use the spies to destroy the SDI installations ...

Actually, I think that if you try to sabotage an up-and-running SDI, you get a message saying that it's impossible due to heavy security.

 

[DesertPlah]

Planting kinda ruins your reputation, and I'm the kind of guy who's mindful of that, even though there's only 4 total civs left, and only two of them have more than 10 cities. I just don't like a tarnished reputation, every time I see it, I think "I feel so guilty now, I'm such a traitor!" even though it may be necessary to end the game quicker. I'm talking missiles, specifically.

 

[Specialist290]

In that case, you can use vast waves of cruise missiles/bombers/stealth fighters. Most of the time that works just as well, and there's no pollution to clean up either

Another method that can be used instead of (or in conjunction with) the one I just mentioned is to use a staggeringly huge number of Spies and Partisans to infiltrate, then pillage and blow up almost everything in sight (sabotage, tech theft, tainting water supplies--the possibilities are almost endless and can be quite fun sometimes, from what I've heard ). Of course, I've never tried the second method myself, but I've heard (read?) stories...

 

[funxus]

Planting kinda ruins your reputation, and I'm the kind of guy who's mindful of that, even though there's only 4 total civs left, and only two of them have more than 10 cities. I just don't like a tarnished reputation, every time I see it, I think "I feel so guilty now, I'm such a traitor!" even though it may be necessary to end the game quicker. I'm talking missiles, specifically.

If you care about rep, don't use nukes at all... It's a lot easier taking someone over with conventional methods anyway. I usually put every effort into making sure Manhattan Proj is never built by anyone, and usually I'm so far ahead tech wise that they're not even close to it...

 

[Ace]

If the AI has SDI in its cities and you do not want to tarnish your rep with spies planting nukes, you are left with two options: 1: use spies to subvert those cities, or 2: use conventional forces to capture them. In any case, you will have to use conventional forces to take the capitals, because they cannot be subverted.

You can try changing your gov to fundy. The AI realizes you are than a crazy SOB and it does not hurt your rep when you do nasty things with spies....also, when you are at war, your rep is safe. (unless you started it)

 

[Dark Ascendant]

Use your spies to track down where the AI keeps his nukes and send in whatever you have. Sabotage any nuke construction. You can't nuke him, he can't nuke you. Let the howitzers and stealth fighteres settle the thing.

 

[temurleng]

I focus on my reputation alot too. A strategy I've used several times: subverting cities, with the intent of losing them. I spy into the cities to select which ones. When I capture the city, I start selling off the improvements: Mfg plant, city walls, SAM, aqueduct, factory, depending on what's left. I'll send/bribe/buy hordes of cannon fodder (paratroopers, partisans, fanatics) to defend the city, hoping they'll get blown away by the AI's counterattack. By the time the AI gets them back, the city's lost over half its population, the nearby terrain improvements have been pillaged (both by me and them) and the main city improvements have been sold. This strategy allows me to strike back with only a few spies while freeing my core cities to form a more conventional invasion force. Also, since I usually do this to a few of their core cities that are close to one another, the imact is staggering.

 

[DesertPlah]

Stealth fighters are worth about as much as a cat, when it comes to offensive such and such, if you ask me. My entire offensive air force consists of bombers and nukes, w/a few cruise msls.

And I like the last idea, but that's rather against my nature…

 

[TemporalAnomaly]

Stealth fighter are great at chewing up barbarian hoards.

As for Rep. if you plant during war (with your target) you will not take a hit.

All is fair in love and B M.

~120 S in Vet spies + ~20 Engineer turns >> Anything!

 

[The Person]

I use the production used for nukes on spaceship parts instead. I'm not a warmonger. I don't use nukes because of the pollution, too.

 

[Andu Indorin]

If you care about rep, don't use nukes at all... It's a lot easier taking someone over with conventional methods anyway. I usually put every effort into making sure Manhattan Proj is never built by anyone, and usually I'm so far ahead tech wise that they're not even close to it...

In the same situation (i.e., massive tech lead), I usually take a different approach to the Manhatten project. I build it in the expectation of increasing the number of cities that supply Uranium. Just have to monitor the AI civs to make sure that they do not steal Espionage or Rocketry.

 

[DesertPlah]

to Temp:

Your rep doesn't suffer?!

…

I love you Temporal…


Anyway, does anyone else ever beat the game techwise and then attempt to play politics and war and take over the world? I like fighting modern wars like that so I usually wait til after the alpha c mission til I take on the world. Unless war is forced, necessary, or would be easily (well, simply anyway, not exactly easy) executed without a gov change or slowing research, I usually stay away from it.

 

[TemporalAnomaly]

Looks like DesertPlah could become the new .

 

[funxus]

In the same situation (i.e., massive tech lead), I usually take a different approach to the Manhatten project. I build it in the expectation of increasing the number of cities that supply Uranium. Just have to monitor the AI civs to make sure that they do not steal Espionage or Rocketry.

Yeah, that sounds a bit smarter.

The only thing is if I'm going for SS, then I like to keep a wonder to be able use caravans to build parts. And of all the wonders, I dislike MP most...

I'm sure you have some other good reason though. The trade-offs from the extra uranium is enough to weigh up for that maybe?

 

[Prof. Garfield]

Quite possibly, it is. If your caravan will diliver for more than 200g it is better to diliver it and buy the parts directly. Uranium can be very lucrative.

 

[sethos]

The best nuclear strat is not to let the AI build nuclear weapons.
Conclusions:
You must be the #1 civ in technology, so
- build an SSC (Colossus, Cope's, Newton's) with library and university
- you must only trade with yourself (all caravans must go to your SSC)
- don't trade too much techs with other civs
- get demo early, raise your science rate, hire scientists
- build the "happy making" wonders (Michelangelo's, Bachs, Cure for Cancer)

In most of my games, I arrive at AC before the AI civs have discovered flight ...

 

[DesertPlah]

Looks like DesertPlah could become the new .

*looks at screen for a few seconds*

Should I be scared? I'm afraid it's over my head…