Global Radiation Level

🇬🇱 The Global Radiation Level (GRL) is a simple addition to the game that has a major impact on how nuclear weapons are used within the game; in particular, it makes the use of nuclear weapons more realistic. As suggested by RMMP in a suggestion box thread, the global radiation level works by counting 2% of the total number of nations that have been hit with nuclear weapons within the past 30 days and adds it to every nation's environment as an environment penalty (with a maximum penalty of 5.00). For example, if 50 nations are attacked with nuclear weapons in the past 30 days, every nation will receive a -1 environment penalty. The current GRL value, which is the actual value added as the environment penalty, can be found on your nation information screen. If the GRL falls below .20 (which means 10 nuclear attacks or less per month), every nation will receive +1 happiness. The World Demographics screen provides information as to how many nations have been attacked with nuclear weapons in the past 30 days.

As implemented on 17 July 2006, the GRL was capped at 3.00, however the actual GRL value was visible on the World Demographics screen. The highest recorded level prior to the cap being raised to 5.00 on 27 January 2007 was 5.90 (on 31 July 2006). GRL was removed from Cyber Nations: Standard Edition on 30 January 2007, but was reintroduced nine months later on 1 November of that year. During the War of the Coalition, the GRL achieved new records, topping at 14.76 on 2 September 2008, dropping to its lowest post-war level (0.66) on 28 December. Nuclear proliferation reached new levels during the Karma War, with more nations maintaining nuclear weapons than ever previously. The Karma War began on 20 April 2009 with a GRL of 1.43. Nuclear weapons strikes began on 23 April, and by 12 May the GRL had reached an even 45.00, peaking on 24 May at 47.47 amid calls from some to remove the cap on its effects. One day following the surrender of the New Pacific Order on 19 July, the GRL was 4.52.

During the Second Unjust War, the record set during the Karma War was surpassed on 8 February 2010 with a new record set at 47.67. This has risen steadily since, hitting 68.20, the current record, on 23 February.