[Kammak]

RE: Military utility of big nukes,

As the accuracy of delivery systems increased, the yield of individual warheads was decreased and MIRV'ing came into being. Put a bunch of "smaller" warheads on a single delivery platform, so you can hit and destroy more targets effectively. Cheaper to deliver (vice one uber-massive warhead) and gives you greater reduncy to counter the Soviet ABM systems that were in place during the cold war.

The primary killer for "modern" nuclear devices is the overpressure and then bLast - radiation has always been an un-intended and unwelcome side effect - except for the "neutron bomb" devices.