Nukes
From Guide
Nukes are one of the most powerful weapons in Battle Dawn and can change a war when used. Nukes have an added blast radius of 1 tick, therefore:
- Any hostile squad within 1 tick (coming or going) of the target will be affected.
- Sending squads away from a targeted Outpost will still result in all units having just 1HP if they are within 1 tick (no last moment escapes).
Not only that, if the nuke hits, it will:
- Kill 10% of the Colony's Workers and inflict 50% damage to every unit if targeted at a colony.
- Downgrade an upgraded outpost
- Inflict damage to squads on outposts hit reducing them to just 1HP.
- Also Kill 10% of Units if it hit on an outpost
The effectiveness of attacks on Outposts is greatly increased when applied to Barracks, because Players often house many squads at their barracks to avoid Maintenance costs. When combined with Military scans to identify manned Outposts (and Colonies), Nukes can do far more than structural damage.
Contents |
Construction of Nukes
- Build the Missile Factory (Level 5 Command Structure)
- Upgrade an Outpost to a Nuclear Silo (requires 1000
)
- On the Outpost, click "Arm" to equip the Silo with a Nuke (requires 500 , 24
) The arming clock counts down, not up to 24.
Use of Nukes
- Once a Nuke is built, it will remain over the Silo like a squad
- An armed Nuke Silo counts towards your total overhead
- Nukes can be launched similar to the manner in which a squad is deployed -- by clicking on the unit and then choosing its destination
- The minimum travel time for Nukes is 6 , and the maximum travel time is 12 .
- Increasing the distance of the attack affects the launch cost
proportionally
- To launch a nuke you need to have 25
- When a Nuke is launched, there are only two ways to prevent it from reaching its target. One is to initiate a self-destruct; Nukes cannot be recalled like squads. The other way is that the target would have to fire on it with an Ion Cannon.
- Nukes cost 10 food per tick to maintain (Including when they're in flight). This doesn't apply when the silo is being armed.
How To Use / Handle Nukes
One should use nuclear missiles wisely. Make certain that the target is worth using the expensive missile, and if your squads arrive one tick before the nuke, the nuke will remain targeted on the outpost and will deal damage to your own squads indiscriminately.
Method 1: Nukes To Attack A Colony
If you want to attack a colony with nukes, be sure you have a good reason first. Don't just throw a nuke at somebody just because he irritates you! That's a useless loss of resources and it won't do any good.
Although nukes kill 10% 
, you won't kill a colony by throwing 10 nukes on it. The game is designed to keep players alive!
When you throw 10 nukes on a colony at the same tick, it will count down as followed:
300 workers to start with
- Nuke 1 will kill 10 % of 300 = 30 . The colony now has 270
- Nuke 2 will kill 10 % of 270 = 27 . The colony now has 243
- Nuke 3 will kill 10 % of 243 = 24 . The colony now has 219
- Nuke 4 will kill 10 % of 219 = 22 . The colony now has 197
And so on. Even with 50 nukes you wouldn't kill all of the colony's workers.
A nuke destroys half the health of the units parked on the colony. But 10 nukes on the same tick will do the same damage to those units as 1 nuke would! If you are going to send in 10 nukes and you want to destroy the army, you have to send then one tick after each other. Every tick a nuke hits, the units will be destroyed 50 % But, every tick, the units heal one health bar! So lets say the colony has one tank on it with 6 health bars. After the first nuke, he will only have three left. But then there is the next tick. The tank gains a health bar (it now has 4 heath bars) and at the same time there is another nuke so it loses half again. It now has 2 health bars after two nukes!
If a nuke and friendly forces(Meaning units from a member of your alliance) arrive at the same tick the nuke will not affect the friendly forces and only forces not from your alliance within 1 tick ETA of the outpost. If however you send in units before a nuke and they take an outpost and 1+ ticks after that the nuke strikes your units on the outpost will be affected by the nuke as per normal.
The best strategy is to attack at the same time as the arriving nuke in order to battle when the enemy's forces are the weakest. Arriving nukes will exact their damage before the battle ensues.
Method 2: Nukes to attack strategic points
Nukes can be used to downgrade outposts. It's not for any outposts though. That would be too expensive. But if an enemy sets up a gate/barrack in your area and you want to stop his actions without actually fighting him, you could send him a nuke to degrade the target.
What To Do When Nukes Attack You
You don't need to panic when there's a nuke head towards you. You have 4 options.
Option 1: Just Wait And See
When a nuke is not followed up by an attacking squad you can just sit it out. No reason to relocate for one nuke (at least not when you have less then 500 ). You will lose 10% of your workers that's the worst thing. The health of your units will be 1/2 of what they were. But when you leave your units on an outpost/colony, they will heal themselves 1 health a tick!
Advantages:
- You don't need to do anything at all.
Disadvantages:
- It takes time to heal your army.
- You lose 10% of your workers .
- Hostile squads may easily take your colony.
- Outpost will be downgraded(unless it's already a normal OP).
Option 2: Move out your squads
When a nuke is followed up by a squad you should move out your squads and make sure they are 2 ticks away when the nuke hits. Just after the nuke has hit, you put your shield generator up and make sure you have enough time to send back your units to defend your colony.
Advantages:
- Saves your army so that it is ready to defend.
Disadvantages:
- You loose 10% of your workers.
- Hostile squads may already be on their way.
- Needs Shield Generator built and charged.
- Method not possible for outpost.
Option 3: Relocate
For this you need:
- 50
- an outpost that's yours for 24 or more
- your colony must have 72 control ticks
- you must have enough for the travel distance.
Your outpost and colony will switch places and the outpost will automatically downgrade to a regular outpost. Any squads on top of your colony WILL NOT move however so move them off first or the nuke will kill 10% of the units on the outpost where your colony used to be. Any units INSIDE your colony will move with your colony though.
Be careful with relocating! You can only relocate once every 72 
ticks!!!!
Advantages:
- Everyone in your colony is saved.
- You might be far enough away from the person that fired the nuke.
- Or you might be close enough to attack him directly.
Disadvantages:
- Can only relocate once every 72 ticks.
- Must have enough oil and energy and own a OP for 24 ticks.
- Method not possible for outpost.
Option 4: Ion Cannon
You can, if you've actually built it and have 250 
spare, fire your Ion Cannon at the nuke. This prevents the nuke getting to you at all hence you get no damage at all! If they were stupid enough to send squads as well, they might be in for a surprise if the owner doesn't realize that you have an Ion Cannon.
Ion Cannon is one of the best options
Advantages:
- Everyone is saved in your colony.
- Can be used to defend OPs too.
Disadvantages:
- Can only be fired twice max (takes time to recharge).
- Needs Ion Cannon built and 250 .
