Thermonuclear Weapons
Smart Missiles
All thermonuclear missiles are smart missiles. These smart missiles have advanced tracking and avoidance systems that give them a +5 to strike, +4 to dodge, and 2 attacks per melee until they strike their target or run out of fuel. Missiles will run out of fuel after 1 minute of engaging the target. In other words, the missile has 4 melees or 8 attacks to strike the target. It should also be noted that nuclear weapons are used almost exclusively against fixed targets, if ever used at all. Remember that missiles do NOT benefit from the strike bonuses of the pilot. See the Weapon Guidance article for more information.Smart Bombs
Almost all of the bombs are considered to be smart bombs. These smart bombs have steering fins and a small rocket motor in addition to advanced targeting systems. With the rocket motor, they are even able to pursue a moving target. However, they are limited to a range of an extra half a mile (0.8km) in addition to the normal drop altitude range. These bombs will automatically hit a large stationary target like a building or bridge or blanket a specific area. They have a +6 to strike a moving target. Volleys can all strike the same target or they can each veer away to hit a different target. Remember that bombs do NOT benefit from the strike bonuses of the pilot. See the Weapon Guidance article for more information.Price
Since thermonuclear weapons are so rare and restricted, prices are not listed. In most cases, no one outside of a legitimate government or organization will have any kind of possible access to one of these. If a thermonuclear weapon were to find its way to the black market, however, the asking price would at the minimum be in the millions, quite possibly much more.
The horizontal range of a free-fall bomb depends upon the altitude from which it was dropped. The higher the altitude, the longer the possible horizontal travel of the bomb.
| Drop Altitude | Maximum Horizontal Range |
| 0-1000ft (0-305m) | 100ft (30.3m) |
| 1001-4000ft (306-1219m) | 2500ft (762m) |
| 4001-10 000ft (1220-3048m) | 5500ft (1676m) |
| 10 001-20 000ft (3049-6096m) | 10 500ft (1.99 miles/3.2km) |
| 20 001-30 000ft (6097-9144m) | 16 500ft (3.13 miles/5.03km) |
| 30 001-40 000ft (9145-12192m) | 22 000ft (4.16 miles/6.7km) |
| 40 001-50 000ft (12193-15240m) | 28 000ft (5.3 miles/8.5km) |
| 50 000+ft (15241+m) | 33 500ft (6.3 miles/10.2km) |
These are true thermonuclear weapons, among the most destructive forces man has ever created. Thermonuclear weapons are the most powerful weapons present on Rifts® Earth. Nuclear weapons are extremely rare; only the most advanced nations and city-states will possess these. Thermonuclear weapons are illegal in all Palladium® settings, from the 20th century games to Robotech® to Rifts®. Punishment for unauthorized possession is in the least hard jail time, possibly execution. Actual use of thermonuclear weapons is a capital offense even in areas that oppose the death penalty!
Special Rules
Thermonuclear weapons use several special rules:
- Anything within the Total Destruction Radius (TDR) is gone. Not hurt, not damaged, but totally destroyed. Nothing useful will survive the explosion. All living beings will be instantly killed; all buildings, robots, PA, vehicles, etc will most likely be obliterated outright. If not, they are wrecked beyond any possible use.
- Damage is applied differently at different ranges. Apply full listed damage from the TDR to the normal Blast Radius (BR). One-tenth damage is applied out to 1.5xBR. One-hundredth damage is applied out to 1.75xBR. One-thousandth damage is applied out to 1.875xBR. Damage beyond this is generally S.D.C. damage.
- All thermonuclear missiles are treated as Cruise Missiles in terms of carrying capacity; thermonuclear bombs use the same payload table as conventional bombs.
- All thermonuclear weapons are considered to be either smart bombs or smart missiles.
- Refer to Gary Gore's article on nuclear weapons for information on additional and more in-depth effects such as radiation, fallout, and EMP.
| Warhead | Damage | Speed | Max Range | Total Destruction Radius |
Blast Radius | M.D.C. |
| Nuclear Missile (light) * | 1D6x1000 | 2500mph (4023kmph) | 1400 miles (2249km) | 1.4 miles (2.2 km) | 2.1 miles (3.4 km) | 25 |
| Nuclear Missile (Medium) * | 2D4x1000 | 2500mph (4023kmph) | 1400 miles (2249km) | 2.9 miles (4.7 km) | 4.6 miles (7.3 km) | 25 |
| Nuclear Missile (heavy) * | 2D6x1000 | 2500mph (4023kmph) | 1000 miles (1608km) | 4.7 miles (7.5 km) | 7.3 miles (11.6 km) | 25 |
| Nuclear Missile (x-heavy) * | 4D4x1000 | 2010mph (3228kmph) | 1000 miles (1608km) | 6.3 miles (10.1 km) | 9.8 miles (15.7 km) | 25 |
| Nuclear Bomb (x-light) * | 1D6x1000 | 1/2 mile (0.8km) * | 1.4 miles (2.2 km) | 2.1 miles (3.4 km) | 25 | |
| Nuclear Bomb (light) * | 2D4x1000 | 1/2 mile (0.8km) * | 2.9 miles (4.7 km) | 4.6 miles (7.3 km) | 35 | |
| Nuclear Bomb (medium) * | 2D6x1000 | 1/2 mile (0.8km) * | 4.7 miles (7.5 km) | 7.3 miles (11.6 km) | 55 | |
| Nuclear Bomb (heavy) * | 4D4x1000 | 1/2 mile (0.8km) * | 6.3 miles (10.1 km) | 9.8 miles (15.7 km) | 65 | |
| Nuclear Bomb (x-heavy) * | 3D6x1000 | 1/2 mile (0.8km) * | 8 miles (12.7 km) | 12.5 miles (19.9 km) | 80 | |
| * Missiles and Bombs are all considered to be Smart Missiles and Smart Bombs (see above). | ||||||
Note: When a description says it can carry X number of bombs, it can carry that many heavy bombs. Other bomb sizes can be carried in varying amounts:
- Light: Two light bombs may be carried per every space.
- Medium: Three medium bombs may be carried per every two spaces.
- Heavy: One heavy bomb may be carried per space.
- X-heavy: Two x-heavy bombs may be carried per every three spaces.
Back to revised and Expanded Missile & Bomb Tables.
Additional information obtained from the article Nuclear Weapons by Gary Gore.
By Chris Curtis (curtis@thepentagon.com).
With help from Mad Dog (maddog1@Alaska.NET) and
Kitsune (Kitsune@vabch.com).
Copyright © 1997, 1998 Chris Curtis. All rights reserved.
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