Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:11:16-1:11:35

Warhead yield should match the target and mission

The Mark IX's extreme destructive power is contrasted with missions that require removing a base without devastating the planet beneath it.

Daedalus Class Battlecruisers (Stargate)Nuclear WeaponsStrike PlanningTargetingWeapon Systems
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Question

Why load a warhead less powerful than the Mark IX?

Short answer

Some missions require destroying a base or other target without destroying the planet, so the maximum yield is often the wrong effect.

Notes

A viewer asks why the ship should carry anything less destructive than a Mark IX warhead. Maximum yield is not automatically useful when the actual objective is a base or another limited target. A planet-crushing weapon can make the desired political or military outcome impossible even when it destroys the aim point. A mixed magazine gives commanders proportional options instead of forcing every strike into the setting's highest level of destruction.