Nuke... what do they do?

[AngelRay]

Hi,

After bombing 15 times Moscow I don't even start to understand what the nuke do:
- their civil population remains the same.
- I tried to bomb a province on the front line, because it's bloody there and my low supply has caused my armies to remain for years without moving (yes I'm new so I don't deal well with supply limits).... all their division remained intact after a nuke.
- the soviets didn't even capitulate... And the game is sooo low in 1950, the nuke was the real last hope to end this slowing war.

So really, what is the point of nuking the ennemy?

Now I'll just have to restart a 11th game, taking all my learnings of this game with me, and do better in a next one... (even if I don't get why I would replay it since... the research tree will be the same, and the politics is almost non existent compared to EU4 :s ; maybe I will try UK for once.)

 

[pheonicia]

Nukes allow you to bust through heavily defended enemy lines. They are tactical weapons and should be used as such.

 

[AngelRay]

OK;

tactical? really?
:|

 

[mpop]

Reduce the amount of troops or improve your infrastructure because your troops are extremely worthless without supply if they can't even push after dropping a nuke. The enemy division strength and organization get reduced by 20% from the nuke and if you really want to destroy them you can drop multiple nukes. But either way one nuke is enough just to push.

 

[pheonicia]

At the point where I find nukes are needed, I don't drop just one or two on a division, but rather dozens in a mass general assault along the entire front. And then follow that up with more targeted strikes against remaining pockets of resistance. Just make sure you have the civilian factories ready to immediately start repairing infrastructure after the nuclear blasts because supply grace only lasts so long.

 

[AngelRay]

FOr infrastructure I have got the max in each province... in fact i can't build anything anywhere and wait for the "100 points political" extra slot.
I think that having 520 division from Scandivinvia to Black Sea is too much (+ Hungary who has 120 +-). Like I said in other posts, as a beginner, I didn't get supply thing correctly in my 10 games. This one is where I understood it a bit better. 11th try will get it right, I hope.

(It's like I can't correctly use my fuel and had to import all of the world's (not enemy) fuel to sustand my air, land and sea operations. Maybe I made too much planes... I don't know the right numbers. Against USSR I fabricated 25k mainly tactical/strategical/fighter to destroy their armY/infrastructure/air support.

Edit: as for nukes... that's quite un-immersive a lot. yeah, disappointing.

 

[pheonicia]

The nuclear weapons of the war were extremely weak compared to traditional bombing, and even the effect they currently have in game is greatly exaggerated. Also the tactical application of nuclear weapons was something experimented with at the time, before widespread understanding of the effects of radiation on friendly troops.

Edit for clarity

 

[SophieX]

....
I think that having 520 division from Scandivinvia to Black Sea is too much

Depends on your template...

Against USSR I fabricated 25k mainly tactical/strategical/fighter to destroy their armY/infrastructure/air support.

In my experience CAS do better than TACs, and I'm not a friend of stratbombing to destroy infra of a country, I am conquering.
my 2 cents...

 

[Harin]

Provinces are large with multiple cities. The early atomic bombs could take out a large downtown of one city, but not much more than that, so its immediate destructive effect on an entire province would be minimal. Of course the game is not simulating radiation and the casualties both sides would suffer, especially as more and more atomic bombs were dropped and the radiation count and area of effect grew.

 

[Harin]

(It's like I can't correctly use my fuel and had to import all of the world's (not enemy) fuel to sustand my air, land and sea operations. Maybe I made too much planes... I don't know the right numbers. Against USSR I fabricated 25k mainly tactical/strategical/fighter to destroy their armY/infrastructure/air support.

I think a lot of us have that fuel problem when playing Germany, along with tires.

 

[Telenil]

As far as I could see, nukes:

• Damage all infrastructure and most other buildings in the province
• Dramatically decrease the organisation of divisions in the province
• Destroy 50% of their equipement

They are excellent to break a line but you must attack immediately after the strike, the benefit will be lost if you let the enemy regroup for a few days.

 

[Mister Analyst]

Per the HOI4 wiki nuclear bomb effects

Primary effects of a nuclear bomb drop are calculated on a per province basis:

• Divisions in the province will be reduced to 20% or less of their strength and organization
• All province buildings will be heavily damaged
• Planes in an airfield might be wiped out nearly completely
• The first use, as well as uses on specific (capital) cities, will result in news messages, however those are purely informational
• After the 2nd nuclear bomb has been dropped on a Japanese core state, Japan has a special decision for surrender

While the effects are primarily focused on the target Province, it also has effect onto states and the whole country:

• Statewide buildings will be heavily damaged, which will affect both sides
• Statewide buildings present in a province will only be affected if they are the direct target
• War support for the target will be dropped by up to 20%, scaled to (intact?) infrastructure in the province
  • This will be reduced if not at least 3 victory points are in the affected province
• It also reportedly provides some surrender progress

 

[AngelRay]

I guess since I have trouble using the front line/offensive line (I put them but... stallmate or no advance), my use of Nuke as "breakthrough" tool is not ready.

I did send a lot of them, and it didn't give me one breakthrough advance of my army, so I guess, my timing is wrong a lot.

Depends on your template...


In my experience CAS do better than TACs, and I'm not a friend of stratbombing to destroy infra of a country, I am conquering.
my 2 cents...

Mmh mainly (+- 450) an infantery (7 normal +2 artillery) and 20 are full "modern tank" (x25 regiments of them + support) and the rest is panzer (light tank standard template, i don't know how much regiments of them).

I didn't use much CAS because... their range was not optimal but I take the information. Next game I'll maybe build more airport close to enemy. In my 9th game i did it... then USSR was winning our war and... taking my hard paid airports

I would have loved to have more "random" events, like for example "you figured something special and your CAS have +15% range now!"

I regret the "fixed" tech tree. I know it must be historical... but it gives me the impression that, at the end, each game will go the same way. In EU4 the techtree is also "fixed" but there are so much other things to do as where in HOI4 it's mainly about fight. I know it is right (WW2 simulation, etc.) but it is maybe not what I was expecting. (Don't dislike this post because "oh man, he doesn't like HOI4!"... I do like it. Just not as much as EU4, Stellaris or CK2.)

 

[Toby84]

Nukes kill Planes in Airfields

 

[Mister Analyst]

@AngelRay ,

Try halting your troops in combat to build up your planning bonus and repair your infrastructure. Meanwhile, drop your nuclear bombs on all enemy provinces that have airfields. Then follow up with a strategic bombing campaign that further targets the enemy airfields. That should reduce the enemy airforce to the point where they are ineffective. Then your fighters can establish air superiority everywhere and your CAS can be extra effective in aiding your troops in combat. Now start your ground offensive.

 

[AngelRay]

I take those advices and will use them. Thank You.

This week i'm surviving on mars and from friday it's Xenoblade Chronicles DE time, but after it, and some game on Emperor for EU4, i'll be back to HOI4.

 

[Harin]

I take those advices and will use them. Thank You.

This week i'm surviving on mars and from friday it's Xenoblade Chronicles DE time, but after it, and some game on Emperor for EU4, i'll be back to HOI4.

A well rounded gaming experience. I think I might follow your lead.