Nuclear weapon: Difference between revisions

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==Overview==
==Overview==
At the time of the start of the [[Insurrection]] in [[2494]] it was widely believed that fissile detonations in space were practically useless, as the vacuum of space severely reduces the explosive yield and the resulting [[electromagnetic pulse]]. As such, it came as a surprise to the UNSC when the [[Insurrectionist]]s used a nuclear device in a space battle following the [[Callisto Incident|''Callisto'' Incident]], having hidden in into an [[asteroid]] in advance. When detonated, the nuke shattered the asteroid to molten pieces, which in turn destroyed one UNSC ship and severely damaged two.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''', "The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole", ''page 445''</ref> Later on, the UNSC has used nukes in space warfare to a great degree, increasing their explosive power by developing loads enhanced for vacuum use.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', "Chapter 35" ''page 326''</ref>
At the time of the start of the [[Insurrection]] in [[2494]] it was widely believed that fissile detonations in space were practically useless, as the vacuum of space severely reduces the explosive yield and the resulting [[electromagnetic pulse]]. As such, it came as a surprise to the UNSC when the [[Insurrectionist]]s used a nuclear device in a space battle following the [[Callisto Incident|''Callisto'' Incident]], having hidden it in an [[asteroid]] in advance. When detonated, the nuke shattered the asteroid to molten pieces, which in turn destroyed one UNSC ship and severely damaged two.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''', "The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole", ''page 445''</ref> Later on, the UNSC has used nukes in space warfare to a great degree, increasing their explosive power by developing loads enhanced for vacuum use.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', "Chapter 35" ''page 326''</ref>


Engagements against the [[Covenant]] during the [[Human-Covenant War]] constantly kept the UNSC's nuclear stockpiles near depletion. This occasionally forced them to resort to using obsolete nukes or [[Operation: UPPER CUT|unorthodox solutions]].<ref name="goo34">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', "Chapter 1", ''page 34''</ref><ref name="goo205">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', "Chapter 23", ''page 205''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level ''[[Long Night of Solace]]''</ref> The Covenant did not generally use nuclear weapons, regarding them as "heretic" weapons. An exception to this were the [[Jiralhanae]], who had no qualms about using captured UNSC nukes or any other UNSC matériel.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', "Chapter 23", ''page 207''</ref><ref>'''[[Halo 2]]''', campaign level ''[[Uprising]]''</ref>
Engagements against the [[Covenant]] during the [[Human-Covenant War]] constantly kept the UNSC's nuclear stockpiles near depletion. This occasionally forced them to resort to using obsolete nukes or [[Operation: UPPER CUT|unorthodox solutions]].<ref name="goo34">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', "Chapter 1", ''page 34''</ref><ref name="goo205">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', "Chapter 23", ''page 205''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level ''[[Long Night of Solace]]''</ref> The Covenant did not generally use nuclear weapons, regarding them as "heretic" weapons. An exception to this were the [[Jiralhanae]], who had no qualms about using captured UNSC nukes or any other UNSC matériel.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', "Chapter 23", ''page 207''</ref><ref>'''[[Halo 2]]''', campaign level ''[[Uprising]]''</ref>