When Zhang Liao saw that, he seized the opportunity to launch a devastating counterattack, throwing Sun Quan's forces into confusion.
Some missile officers argue that the nuclear deterrent - the threat that any nuclear aggressor would be met with a devastating counterattack - is only effective if the missiles are kept on alert status.
He has the means to lead Galactica back to the Cylons as apparent prisoners, in order to launch a devastating counterattack.
He watched as Netscape grew dramatically, brazenly challenged Microsoft's hold on the computer business and experienced a devastating counterattack.
Maybe they're waiting to announce what's going on until they can tell about their devastating counterattack.
"Surgical" air strikes would miss the nuclear facilities hidden in underground tunnels, and leave North Korea able to launch devastating counterattacks against South Korea and Japan.
Later in 1944 Agnew's unit of the 506th parachuted into the Netherlands and survived a devastating German counterattack during Operation Market Garden.
Raising the possibility of a devastating Israeli counterattack is one thing.
Helghast forces have mounted a devastating counterattack, prompting the ISA to smoke out (Interplanetary Strategic Alliance) evacuation of planet Helghan.
The fact is that for either a surprise attack or an attack that followed a crisis, the U.S. has more than enough nuclear weapons to launch an utterly devastating counterattack - and therefore provide deterrence.