Nuclear War Simulator

Started by Jarhead0331, May 23, 2020, 04:18:33 PM

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em2nought

I guess the 2022 version of this simulator requires the least work on Artificial Intelligence EVER in a wargame.  :uglystupid2:  Scary!
Stolen elections have consequences.

Jarhead0331

Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18



Old TImer

I don't know what to make of this one philosophically.

Having lived through the vast majority of the actual Cold War, it's umm un-nerving (is that a word?) to contemplate playing.  On the other hand, the ability to (hopefully) manipulate what a nuclear war short of massive retaliation looks like?  The mind spins.

Any other duck and cover kids out there?

Jarhead0331

Quote from: gregb41352 on January 27, 2023, 06:26:43 PMI don't know what to make of this one philosophically.

Having lived through the vast majority of the actual Cold War, it's umm un-nerving (is that a word?) to contemplate playing.  On the other hand, the ability to (hopefully) manipulate what a nuclear war short of massive retaliation looks like?  The mind spins.

Any other duck and cover kids out there?

Do you have any problem wargaming WWII? I don't see why philosophically this should be any different. I've been tinkering around with this for years. This is a simulator in every sense of the word. It really is not a game. There is no plot and no campaign, rather only a set of scenarios modeling various strategic and/or tactical nuclear exchanges of varying scope and intensity. Objectives can certainly be set by scenario designers, but there are no real winners. Check out the devlogs on steam and you'll see how deeply delivery systems, warheads and their effects of blast, shock, fire, radiation and fallout are modeled down to individual human beings. It's definitely the most detailed program covering nuclear war since Bravo Romeo Delta, which I still play from time to time.

I think it's worth a look. It's a very well researched educational tool.
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


bobarossa

I worked in military R&D in the 80's.  My manager had a circular sliderule like thing that let you dial in yield and detonation height and it would tell you crater diameter, blast radius, etc.  Was both facinating and unnerving.  I imagine playing this would be similar.

Sigwolf

Seems very much like an updated Defcon, which is somehow almost 17 years old.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1520/DEFCON/

Jarhead0331

Quote from: Sigwolf on January 27, 2023, 08:56:26 PMSeems very much like an updated Defcon, which is somehow almost 17 years old.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1520/DEFCON/

This is absolutely nothing like DEFCON. The only thing they have in common is that they both purport to include nuclear weapons. But seriously, its like comparing Gary Grigsby's War in the East with Panzer General.
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


Old TImer

#38
JH:
"Do you have any problem wargaming WWII? I don't see why philosophically this should be any different. I've been tinkering around with this for years. This is a simulator in every sense of the word. It really is not a game. There is no plot and no campaign, rather only a set of scenarios modeling various strategic and/or tactical nuclear exchanges of varying scope and intensity. Objectives can certainly be set by scenario designers, but there are no real winners. Check out the devlogs on steam and you'll see how deeply delivery systems, warheads and their effects of blast, shock, fire, radiation and fallout are modeled down to individual human beings. It's definitely the most detailed program covering nuclear war since Bravo Romeo Delta, which I still play from time to time.

I think it's worth a look. It's a very well researched educational tool."

I'll undoubtedly check it over.  The difference between this and World War 2 is that I didn't participate in that one but I kinda feel like I did participate in the Cold War.  I remember being unsettled as a youth in the knowledge that the world could end at any time.  I remember the Cuban Crisis and not knowing what was going to happen. \\

Ian C

I checked out the STEAM page. I do appreciate this level of detail in an academic sense, but nothing more, as the subject is unnerving and sobering.

However, as an amateur writer of fiction and a roleplaying game player I think it would be very useful for creating plausible scenarios as a basis for fiction or post-apocalyptic tabletop roleplaying games like Twilight 2000.





solops

I have been messing with this since well before it went to Steam and it is way cool. Matrix has a similar offering from the guy who did Polaris Sector called ICBM. It is much more of a game and has more national management tools but less nuke exchange details. Sigh....brings back the good old days, hiding under my school desk, etc. One of my favorite games was Nuclear Destruction. It was a play-by-snail-mail only game that we played back in the early, early 1970s (late 60s?). It required a moderator to whom we would all mail our turns for processing. He would then mail the results back. It was a big deal when a company called Flying Buffalo computerized the processing part, but we still had to mail turns and results back and forth. Good times... end of the world as we know it and all.
"I could have conquered Europe, all of it, but I had women in my life." - King Henry II of England
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Grim.Reaper

I played the play by Mail nuclear game....but think my country was destroyed like in the first week or two so was short lived:)

Jarhead0331

#42
Quote from: gregb41352 on January 28, 2023, 01:12:53 AMI'll undoubtedly check it over.  The difference between this and World War 2 is that I didn't participate in that one but I kinda feel like I did participate in the Cold War.  I remember being unsettled as a youth in the knowledge that the world could end at any time.  I remember the Cuban Crisis and not knowing what was going to happen. \\

I accept this, but don't really understand it. Unless you served in the military in some capacity during the Cold War or in one of its associated conflicts, I don't see passive observation and witness counting as "participation". At least, not to the point of making one uncomfortable to play a wargame. It would be like me saying I participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom because I was alive when it took place. Don't think that flies.

But, yes...it is a rather morbid and unthinkable topic, so I certainly understand why it could potentially be off-putting as a "game".
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


Pete Dero

Slitherine TV - Nuclear Weapon Simulator w/Ivan (Developer)


Now live : https://www.twitch.tv/slitherinetv

bobarossa

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on January 30, 2023, 12:00:01 PM
Quote from: gregb41352 on January 28, 2023, 01:12:53 AMI'll undoubtedly check it over.  The difference between this and World War 2 is that I didn't participate in that one but I kinda feel like I did participate in the Cold War.  I remember being unsettled as a youth in the knowledge that the world could end at any time.  I remember the Cuban Crisis and not knowing what was going to happen. \\

I accept this, but don't really understand it. Unless you served in the military in some capacity during the Cold War or in one of its associated conflicts, I don't see passive observation and witness counting as "participation". At least, not to the point of making one uncomfortable to play a wargame. It would be like me saying I participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom because I was alive when it took place. Don't think that flies.
I disagree.  While I suffered no danger during Iraqi Freedom and could not claim to have participated, facing nuclear anhilliation during the 60's was something we all participated in as we were all likely to die from it.