How to Nuke Enemy so It Hurts Most?

[MonsterZero]

I noticed that nuking frontline enemy units is counterproductive, at least with 400Kt weapons.

How should I nuke 'em to inflict maximum damage to their war effort? I don't want to waste time evaporating individual tank brigades, I want their entire war effort to feel the effect.

[John Paul]

Hmm tricky question,First off depending on the time period nuking armored forces is not gonna do any good anyways as most equipment is NBC protected.The real value of nuclear attacks is that they degrade the effectiveness of the units that are in the contaminated areas,just make sure you don`t plan on making a push where ever you decide to drop them.I`ve never used them myself but when the computer has it seems to like targeting them at airfields with large aircraft concentrations.Anyone care to add or subtract from this statement?

[MonsterZero]

Thanks for all replies, J.P.

BTW, what's the largest nuke yield anyone has ever seen in the game? In Middle East scanarios it's about 400 k.

[Don Maddox]

Originally posted by John paul
Hmm tricky question,First off depending on the time period nuking armored forces is not gonna do any good anyways as most equipment is NBC protected. The real value of nuclear attacks is that they degrade the effectiveness of the units that are in the contaminated areas,just make sure you don`t plan on making a push where ever you decide to drop them.I

This is probably true in TOAW although I have serious doubts about this in real life. The after effects of a nuclear attack would be nothing short of catastrophic to any unit, armored or otherwise, caught in its footprint. NBC filtration systems and armor offer some degree of protection, but these types of weapons of mass destruction have a well-earned reputation.

At the very least a military unit would be degraded to the point of combat ineffectivess. I have serious doubts that even EMI hardened electronic systems could survive the initial blast.

[John Paul]

I`m always suprised by just how ineffective nukes are in the game.While playing Libya-Egypt2000,can`t remember which side i`ve played it so often,had my frontline armored units nuked by PO.I expected complete devestation but lo and behold even the units in the epicenter of the blast came out relatively intact.I have yet to see any units,including air,vaporized in an atomic attack.Kinda makes them not worth using in some scenarios considering the repercussions.

[Major Banned]

About the only effect that I've noticed with nukes is to slow down movement through contaminated areas and effect supply levels. Even the best NBC equipped troops would expect at least 50 percent casualty rate at ground zero.

[John Paul]

My fault the scenario was Middle East2000,not Libya-Egypt.I was playing as the Arabs when the Israelis started nuking my forces in
the Nile Delta.I don`t know what made me use the latter as an example,as theres no nuclear forces involved in that one.

[Don Maddox]

Originally posted by John Paul
I`m always suprised by just how ineffective nukes are in the game.

Would it be possible to use the event editor to simulate nuclear effects?

[Major Banned]

Originally posted by Maddog


Would it be possible to use the event editor to simulate nuclear effects?

This would be one area where I could agree with a change in the game system. Casualty rates at ground zero should begin at 50% and could climb as high as 100%. Dependent on the nuclear yield, adjacent hexes should start at a lower percentage but not climb as high as 100%. All of this would altered by weather, terrain, or the the defending unit's NBC capability.
Also it would be nice to be able to specify a chemical attack as another option of attack type. Chemical attacks would not create the same level of casualties, but could have an adverse effect on movement, supply, or defensive posture.