It's like having a gun can protect you from shooters. They just might be afraid of your gun.
A gun threat is similar. If they don't know if you have a gun, but at the same time don't know that you don't, the same threat for them exists.
So, have a nuke or two, so that you can threaten... even if your nuke doesn't work.
I think it better to stay off threatening others if you know your nuke is not working, so that you will not expos your expired piece of shit, it a threat not for the other guy's knowing what you gat in the cribs of they have no clue, so staying Private and personal saves you a whole shit,. At least you will only protect your territory against intruders, defense is far better and easier than attacks.