[Nexushound]

Oi Chums,

Nexus here. So in purusing the 6th World Atlas data feed I come across the SAIM problem, pun intended, WHAT happened to the Nuke launched in the Lone Eagle Incident? For that matter any theories on why Nukes seem to be so innefective in the Awakened world? With the Exception of the 6 minute war and the Cermak Blast why haven't nukes worked? I understand that there is little or no actual trials by fire on these types of weapons and many, if launched, are destined to fail. But just plain dissapear? What do you think happened?

[The_Gun_Nut]

I think part of the thing with the nukes not working like they should has something to do with the events that occurred in the novel Choose Your Own Fate (unsure of exact title), the third book in the original set of SR novels.  In it, the main character helped out with a Great Ghost Dance to stop a set of nuclear devices (I believe they were onboard a submarine).  Since all nukes share very similar components (there aren't that many locations to get nuclear fuel from), the Law of Similarity may have acted to futz up the remainder.  Personal opinion here.

There are some other reasons that the Cermak Blast acted the way it did, but I can't recall them just now.

As for the Lone Eagle Incident; I really don't know.  I think it's supposed to be one of those mysteries that pop up on SR from time to time.

[Nexushound]

Oi Chum,

I think the Cermak nuke went hinky due to the fact it was detonated in the middle of a hive. That much background count has got to have some effect on a nuke so that at least gives us some basis as to why. As far as the events of "Choose your own fate" and Lone Eagle well I may have to do some more data mining and see what I come up with. Thanks for your input. If you come across any other info drop me a line.

[Kot]

The Chicago nuke was partially successful because the hive's magicians managed to shield it from the worst part of the blast.

[theKernel]

Ok so what exactilly WAS the hive? And how would that mess up a nuke?

[FastJack]

Ok so what exactilly WAS the hive? And how would that mess up a nuke?

The hive was the (then, also, assumed) largest concentration of Insect Spirits in North America. When KE tried to nuke Chicago to destroy the hive, the Insect mages/shamen created a barrier around the hive that warped the nuclear blast. Magic + Technology = "Who the FRAG knows what will happen?"

[theKernel]

So insect spirits and shamans(which I'm not sure still exist, do they?) messed up a nuke? Is this where the "Bug City is Love" Quote comes from?

[FastJack]

So insect spirits and shamans(which I'm not sure still exist, do they?) messed up a nuke? Is this where the "Bug City is Love" Quote comes from?

Yep.

Oh, and the Insects are still around. Chi-town is now known as Bug City and there's still quite a few of the little (and big) nasties in the area.

[theKernel]

Ooooooo now I wanna go there! Did you nukes take out pretty much everything there though?

[Fizzygoo]

I posted a lengthy nuclear weapon in SR comment here http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=273.msg17839#msg17839

But my short answer to this thread is; Based on nukes in SR, and the Lone Eagle incident happening pre-Awaking (barely) I would lean heavily towards a failure in the delivery of the nuke (ICBM failed, intercepted, or even magic-use by tribal groups indigenous to the USSR, spirit/dragon intervention) rather than the actual detonation of the fissionable materials having failed. But that's just where I would place my bet...I haven't seen anything in the canon to state one way or another

Personally I don't think it should ever be explained/revealed what happened in the canon. It's one of those nice WTF moments that lends itself to the security and authority of the developed nations being stripped away during the Awakening (+/- 10 years).

[Kot]

Or, someone (like a megacorp, or Russia) had the disarming codes to that nuke. And used them to avoid nuclear war.

[Nexushound]

Oi Chums,

Thanks for the good info Fizzygoo. I do recognize the possibility of failure of these weapons from a number different factors. Now I am not saying the WHY of the Lone Eagle incident Should ever be revealed. Some stuff we just were not meant to know. But I am still damn curious. Another thing that bothers me is some old data gathered from a little searching. According to sources then US Prez Garrety was anxiously awaiting for the Ruskies to call back and say "It's all Good." When Russian President Nikolai Chelenko did call call back he said the warheads had been stopped. A later private anlysis of Chelenkos' voice indicated only a 79% chance he was telling the truth but no sensors, space based or otherwise, recorded any seismic activity. There are still some interesting questoins about this topic.

[BlackMyron]

 There are hints that the rise in magic has altered nuclear reactions in some way, possibly by the existence of new particles that require a certain magic level.  Nukes (as shown by Cermak, or by Winternight's nukes) still work, mostly.  I am intrigued by fusion tech only being developed after the Awakening, but that could be unrelated parallel tech development.  Dunkelzahn did set aside some nuyen in his will towards researching the link between nuclear energy and magic, though.

  The Lone Eagle nuke flat-out didn't go off, suggesting something else happening there.   The Aztlan SB hinted that someone may have been providing info to Howling Coyote and others to further their own goals... I wonder if they may have nixed the missile somehow because the possibility of escalation into full-scale nuclear war didn't fit into their plans.

[theKernel]

So basically magic ruined years of physics research LOL

[Nexushound]

Oi Chums,

Well in the beginning of the SAIM and NAN movements wasn't Aztlan considered, albeit breifly, part of the American Indian Nations? Would make sense for them to help Howling Coyote, but stop the Lone Eagle Nuke? I mean Nukes are bad for everyone but that actyually helped the good Ol' USA for a short time. Then there are the Radioactive Toxics. Bad Mojo there. They seem to be able to harness the raw power of radiation that then manifests in there Spirits. Maybe a good direction for  Unkle Zhan's research grant Neh? Well that is if you live long enough to spend any of the dough .