Nuke then capture City?

[CedricTheAwesom]

So I want to go to war with this guy because I want more cities, so I want his cities and to be as intact as possible when I capture them. Could I nuke one of his cities and then, like clean the fallout or something? Does nuking a city cause irrevocable damage or not?

 

[ringwraith18]

Yes, you can scrub fallout. Typically though if I want to take over another civ I won't nuke the cities I want to take, I'll nuke his economic/productive cities, and take the cities with my conventional forces. That way they'll rebuild quicker and your enemy will have to clean up the mess.

 

[Lennier]

Nukes will destroy flood plains and forests as well. Nukes will help you quickly capitulate or conquer an enemy, but nuked cities will take a lot longer to become productive than cities captured solely by conventional forces.

Fallout can be scrubbed if you have the proper technology.

 

[Tatran]

Nukes will also destroy buildings.
A meltdown by a nuclear plant causes 50% population loss + some buildings will be destroyed, including National Wonders.

 

[Major Tom]

I don't catch your scenario, Cedric. What do you need intact cities for? If you got the upper hand with nukes the game is won in near future. Keep on nuking whatever threat victory. Vassal him (and if needed, one more AI) and call the UN for the win. At least that is my modus operandi, the nuke-assisted diplomatic victory.

 

[twansalem]

I only nuke cities I plan to raze, such as taking out a near-legendary city that would otherwise give the AI a culture victory a few turns before I can reach my own victory, or you're at war with a civ on another continent and it makes more sense to vassalize/wipe out completely than conquer and keep. Scrubbing fallout requires lot of workers. It's usually not worth it, unless you're playing a mod with a more extensive future era.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

I only nuke cities I plan to raze, such as taking out a near-legendary city that would otherwise give the AI a culture victory a few turns before I can reach my own victory, or you're at war with a civ on another continent and it makes more sense to vassalize/wipe out completely than conquer and keep. Scrubbing fallout requires lot of workers. It's usually not worth it, unless you're playing a mod with a more extensive future era.

What else are you going to use your workers for by this point? Every tree has been chopped, every cottage built, ever track laid. You have more workers than you know what to do with. Have a group of 3 or 4 workers scrub each tile and soon its good as new

 

[Lexicus]

Have to be careful with nukes as they destroy floodplains, which is irrevocable. That base 3 will become a totally unproductive desert tile.
Of course, this doesn't usually deter me from using them in large numbers if need be Besides, global warming does this anyway.

Oh and, since no one else has said it, Ecology is the tech you need to scrub fallout.

EDIT: On a slightly related note, I don't think I've ever seen a nuclear meltdown in Civ IV. What exactly causes it to happen? I build nuclear plants in just about any city that can't have a hydro plant, so you'd think I would've seen a meltdown by now, no?