Getting back on-topic.
I think that what we have here are 2 groups of people.
Group 1 wants the Atomic Bomb to be a powerful-but-not-game-ending tech.
Group 2 wants the Atomic Bomb to basically end the game in-and-of-itself within a few turns.
I belong to Group 1. So from a Group 1 point-of-view, in trying to implement the Atomic Bomb in AA50, we need to have a few principles.
1. The Atomic Bomb must be a technology.
2. As a technology, it should be more difficult and/or more expensive to research than the other technologies.
3. Atomic Bombs should not be able to be used in the opening stages of the game. (i.e. Rounds 1-4)
4. It should be able to affect an opponent’s production ability and/or IPCs.
5. It should be able to affect land units in some way, but not in a overwhelming way.
6. After researching the Atomic Bomb, one should be able to use it at least once per turn if one wishes to…
7. Remember. We want this technology to add to the fun factor of the game.
These are the principles which I have come up with . Are there others? After deciding on which principles to follow, perhaps we can come up with an effective way to implement the Atomic Bomb.