The most radioactive part of the Capitol Wasteland is the Vault 83 entrance crater, so this is a likely location for a major strike, with several other areas being hot enough that they are likely hits as well. While Chinese bombers would have been able to make pinpoint hits on the city center, the missiles needed for a rapid strike on the capital were not nearly so accurate.

While some planners advocated the use of airbursts to maximize structural damage, detonating weapons at ground level produces long-lasting fallout able to deny the area long-term. Noting that:
+ DC is primarily an administrative center and national symbol
+ Key agencies have hardened bunkers capable of storing all their most significant records
+ American computer systems are not advanced enough for automated duplication of records
it is sensible to plan for long term denial rather than immediate surface damage.