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DarkAdder
Clan Star Adder
Star Commander
Joined: 10-Jan-2004 00:00
Posts: 604
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 Posted: 04-Mar-2007 07:03 Post subject: Nuke the site from orbit? |
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I had a question come to mind, and thought it could make an interesting discussion.
Everyone seems to know that the Houses, as well as perhaps some of the Periphery realms, and maybe even ComSar and the WoBies, have a small supply of nuclear weapons....'just in case'.
I also know that the Ares Conventions and comon sense have proclaimed a ban on the used of nuclear weapons, tactical or otherwise. Heres the questions:
1. Under what circumstances would a House, group, organization or other soveriegn body consider the use of nuclear strikes?
Yeah, I know everyone says 'Oh, we would NEVER use them". Well, then why do you still HAVE them, Chester?
2. Do you think a group, realm, organization, or Other, would use a nuclear weapon 'Because they can'?
Here it is, we have it, we aint afraid to use it... *MUSHROOM CLOUD*...see?
If my memory serves, theres only been two 'recorded' uses of nuclear weapons. The first was the strike that wiped out the Royal Black Watch during the Amaris Coup. The second was the Not Named Clans strike on the genetic repository of Clan Snow Raven at Dhera Dun, I belive it was.
Ive heard that nuclear strikes were used during the First and Second Succession wars, but all Ive really been able to find was passages about 'nuclear weapons being used'...but specifics where kind of vague.....
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CO_17thRecon
Kell Hounds
Major
Joined: 10-Sep-2002 00:00
Posts: 1297
Location: United States
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| Posted: 04-Mar-2007 12:15 Post subject: |
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I would imagine they are generally saved for:
A) Use against warships in space. Which is not as far reaching in consequences as using them on the ground.
B) Doomsday scenario. We've lost. We cannot win, in any way shape or form. Thus, we will take as many of you with us as possible. You will regret winning.
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"What the...?! Where did you get THAT?!"
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SaberDance
Federated Suns
Colonel
Joined: 07-May-2004 00:00
Posts: 837
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| Posted: 04-Mar-2007 14:09 Post subject: |
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My recolection was that nukes were used fairly frequently, but in low yeilds. Virtually every weapon is using some kind of fusion or fission effect. Bombs are conventional nukes, but the PPC is effectively causing small nuclear booms on your mech's armor as it sandblasts your skin.
With that kind of directed firepower, a Hiroshima bomb seems like a waste of money.
Which isn't to say it stopped anyone. The 1st and 2nd Succession Wars involved whole planets being demolished in "if I can't have it, no one can" style.
So by the time or the 3rd and 4th Succession Wars, most of the conventional nukes have been used, there's little enough left to use them on, and they aren't very effective for what the Successor Lords want.
What makes the Clan use of the nuke so abhorant was the terroristic nature of the attack.
I also recall that planetary bombardment has fallen out of favor as warships become harder to operate. Dropping nukes from space involves bringing your ship within range of ground-based defenses. Very bad if you don't want to lose the few ships you've got left.
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DarkAdder
Clan Star Adder
Star Commander
Joined: 10-Jan-2004 00:00
Posts: 604
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| Posted: 04-Mar-2007 16:47 Post subject: |
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I agree that the weaponry mounted by most battlemechs is more effective than a nuclear strike, in that it leaves things more or less intact, and reduces the chances of mass collateral damage.
On the otherhand, how damaging is it to morale when you see that famous mushroom cloud start growing?
The Clans shun nuclear weapons because they are 'wasteful', for one. And for two, the radiation tends to turn DNA into scrambled eggs. And the Clans are kind of touchy about their DNA repositories, as they are key to the Clan eugenics program.
So then, heres another question. Who WOULD be most likely to deploy a nuke? A House? The Pereiphery? WOB?
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Vagabond
Mercenary
Mr. Referee
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 5791
Location: United States
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| Posted: 04-Mar-2007 17:17 Post subject: |
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| DarkAdder wrote: | I agree that the weaponry mounted by most battlemechs is more effective than a nuclear strike, in that it leaves things more or less intact, and reduces the chances of mass collateral damage.
On the otherhand, how damaging is it to morale when you see that famous mushroom cloud start growing?
The Clans shun nuclear weapons because they are 'wasteful', for one. And for two, the radiation tends to turn DNA into scrambled eggs. And the Clans are kind of touchy about their DNA repositories, as they are key to the Clan eugenics program.
So then, heres another question. Who WOULD be most likely to deploy a nuke? A House? The Pereiphery? WOB? |
WOB has already done so. Its called the Jihad. Outreach looked real nice afterwords.
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cain
Blighted Sun Battalion
1st Company
"Ralgith's Renegades"
Lieutenant
Joined: 10-May-2004 00:00
Posts: 329
Location: Canada
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| Posted: 05-Mar-2007 06:31 Post subject: |
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Another one was Helm. Didnt Minoru Kurita raze the capital after he couldnt find the star league cache there just before the 1st succession war i think
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Sleeping Dragon
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 06-Apr-2005 00:00
Posts: 4820
Location: Czech Republic
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| Posted: 05-Mar-2007 09:54 Post subject: |
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Sea Skimmer fluff also mentions tactical nuke used against Kurita in 2985...
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Seraph
Blighted Sun Battalion
2nd Company
"Seraph's Slaughter"
Major
Joined: 11-Mar-2004 00:00
Posts: 1744
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| Posted: 05-Mar-2007 16:21 Post subject: |
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SG is correct. The locals managed to get one of therir last boats up the river to detonate the small nuke at the base of a large dam. The resultant flood removed the majority of the Kuritan invaders. The rest pulled out.
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Warhammer: 3025
Freelance
Captain, AFFC (Ret.)
Joined: 29-Jan-2005 00:00
Posts: 1856
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| Posted: 06-Mar-2007 17:36 Post subject: |
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IIRC, in Ideal War several tactical nukes were used, and were quite effective.
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DarkAdder
Clan Star Adder
Star Commander
Joined: 10-Jan-2004 00:00
Posts: 604
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| Posted: 13-Apr-2007 22:13 Post subject: |
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Okay.... Whom do you think would be the most likely to use nuclear weapons, then? Yeah, I know that the WoBbie jihad says that nukes were used...
But what other groups would be fanatical, desperate, or just plain bloodthirsty enough to toss em around like seeds on a farm field?
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Sleeping Dragon
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 06-Apr-2005 00:00
Posts: 4820
Location: Czech Republic
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| Posted: 14-Apr-2007 04:01 Post subject: |
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Capellans, Taurians and Draconis Combine. These are focused on fanatical defese and willing to use them IMO.
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AWAD
Draconis Combine
Chu-sa
Joined: 06-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 766
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| Posted: 20-Apr-2007 08:05 Post subject: |
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| Sleeping Dragon wrote: | | Capellans, Taurians and Draconis Combine. These are focused on fanatical defese and willing to use them IMO. |
I agree, but Combine and Suns might use them on the offensive. If the Marians ever got a few they might use it against their weak Pheriphery oppenants to take control. Againt Marik that would be a death wish.
AWAD- Have used them against the PCs in the past as a plot point and forcing a battle in a bad situation
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