Nuclear Information in the original Rule Book

[kalos72]

So do you guys follow/support the data that was provided in the original rule book about nuclear missiles, crater size, blast radius, radiation area and such?

How would an airburst influence those numbers?

[cosmicfish]

So do you guys follow/support the data that was provided in the original rule book about nuclear missiles, crater size, blast radius, radiation area and such?
Yes, simply because then I don't have to worry about it and the fine details have never mattered in any game I have run or participated in. Note that 3ed never really gave any useful rules for nuke anyway (what is "moderate damage"?), and regardless, 150 years later the details are not going to matter much.

How would an airburst influence those numbers?
From my admittedly limited knowledge of nuclear weapons, a nuclear airburst results in lower levels of fallout AND reduces the "ground radius" of the fireball, but pushes the shockwave out much further. If you are going after a bunker, you detonate on the ground, if you are going after a city, you detonate in the air.

As a convenient modifier I might say that for an air burst, I would cut the fireball and total destruction radii by 25%, and increase the rest by 25%. I might reverse those for an underground detonation.

[kalos72]

I am trying to apply those guidelines to a T2k setting honestly and never got a good feel from those websites that "imitate" a nuclear blast. Saw these and thought I would try them...

[cosmicfish]

Well, TMP nuclear info was provided almost entirely to add flavor to the target list, it was never intended (I hope!) to be used to model a nuclear explosion in-game! Without knowing what the destruction radii mean in terms of a game mechanic, you can't even use TMP as a starting point.

[ArmySGT.]

Select air burst and ground burst and see the difference.

http://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/

[cosmicfish]

Select air burst and ground burst and see the difference.

http://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/
Alright, that's pretty cool.

[nuke11]

In the 1st thru 3rd edition ignore the graphics of the MIRV impact patterns. MIRV's are independently targeted, not in patterns as shown. So that makes the information under each pattern suspect as well. The chart to the right is good for each warhead used.

In the 4th edition on page 280 there are charts for airburst and surface bursts. They are pretty good and can be of use in most any game.

Now on my website I have been updating the charts with new and corrected information for Soviet Nuclear Missiles: http://www.thesupplybunker.net/pdf/soviet_nuclear_missiles_2.8.pdf

I have a chart for China but have not posted it yet.

Read thru this website: http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/ the section marked "Nuclear Weapons Frequently Asked Questions (NWFAQ) by Carey Sublette".

If you really want an in depth book on the subject I recommend getting a copy of this book: The Effects of Nuclear Weapons 3rd Edition, Compiled and edited by Samuel Glasstone and Philip J. Dolan. If you can get it with the calculator that is very helpful (not really a calculator as you might think).

[ArmySGT.]

Nuke11,

Have you worked up the nuclear targets in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean?

Puerto Rico, Panama Canal Zone, and Cuba for sure....... what with the wargames scenario of 3rd edition I don't know what may or may not be in play.

[nuke11]

Nuke11,

Have you worked up the nuclear targets in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean?

Puerto Rico, Panama Canal Zone, and Cuba for sure....... what with the wargames scenario of 3rd edition I don't know what may or may not be in play.

I haven't as I'm not really sure why the USSR would target South or Central America. I know Robert O'Connor posted a list for North America (Canada, United States and Mexico) to the MP Yahoo group back in 2013 that is a good place to start.

I believe there is a list or 2 kicking around for TW:2000 that covers south and central America.

[kalos72]

A link or repost of that South America data would be awesome!