NCR flags flutter across the Mojave, soldiers march everywhere, and checkpoints are as numerous as ants. But that doesn't mean there aren't other races in the hot desert; they're just not easy to find. And it's not guaranteed that they'll talk to you or immediately confide in you. Behave aggressively, and they'll start poking you with a gun or a rusty crowbar. Befriending everyone, even the most secretive factions in the game, requires not only the skills of a good diplomat but also an excellent tracker. Mysterious bunkers, high mountain camps, abandoned prisons, and military bases—we'll try to establish contact with the inhabitants of these places today. Successful cooperation will result not only in interesting quests but also in valuable trophies, reputation, and keys to secret apartments.
Last time, we fought for the honor and dignity of the New California Republic – supplying military camps with provisions and treating the wounded, liberating prisoners and retaking enemy cities, searching for a "rat" and cutting off the ears of frisky legionnaires. Basically, we did the usual things for the savior of the world. Now we'll visit wild places where we're far from welcome. Murderers, criminals, recluses, slave traders – that's our new company. And you shouldn't expect a simple "go there, I don't know where, kill I don't know who" from such a contingent – the missions also included internal strife, dangerous deals, and repeated opportunities to "boom-boom" their sworn enemies. That's the romance of the post-apocalypse!
Bandits and escaped prisoners are the core of the "Gunpowder Gang," also known as the Bombers. It's hard to avoid encountering this clan—if not in the Prospector's Saloon, then in Primm; if not in Primm, then in the ruins of Nipton. They're numerous, unfriendly, spoiled by easy money, and lousy fighters—but three quests can be a boon. The Bombers' headquarters is an NCR correctional facility. The prisoners staged a riot and killed the guards, but... they didn't leave. Why abandon a fortified fort with a ton of provisions and explosives? The "prison warden" was Bomber Eddie and his gang, and some of the criminals scattered throughout the area: Samuel Cook's gang moved to Vault 19, while smaller groups headed to Goodsprings and Nipton.
Why shouldn't we be friends? (Samuel Cook or Philip Lem)
If you screwed up in Goodsprings, head to Vault 19 – the demolitionists there aren't hostile, even if you have a negative reputation. First, talk to Cook and Lem, get two keycards, and head to the sulfur deposits. The cave is full of night stalkers and geckos; kill them and decide what to do. Plant five pieces of C4 in the Amazonian rock; the cave will explode along with the Vault, and the quest will fail. If we do nothing, we'll gain good fame with the demolitionists and a request from Cook to go to the Great Khans (experience at the end of the quest). A wiser option is to plant three pieces of C4 in the rock (requires an explosives skill of 60) and report to Lem – you'll get double the fame (assuming we don't go to the Khans), but slightly less experience.
The Path of Correction (Eddie)
The NCR penitentiary isn't without its share of infighting, though this quest can be resolved diplomatically. First, at Eddie's request, speak with Chavez—with 30 Speech, we can convince him to go to hell. Next, we do the same with the merchant (30 Speech or 6 Science). Now head to Primm and question Johnson Nash (30 Barter or 30 Speech) about the NCR attack on the prison. At the end of the mission, we can help the demolition team repel the attack or defect to the NCR. Whoever we help will receive a boost in faction reputation, or we can simply stand aside and watch the beasts tear each other apart.
Marathon
In Nipton, a small squad of demolitionists was destroyed by the Legion—some were crucified, the rest were taken prisoner. The surviving demolitionist asks for the release of his comrades. If you want to complete the quest without losing reputation with the Legion, wait until the lookout is turned away and untie the prisoners. You can also use a stealth boy and free the prisoners right in front of the guards; there's no penalty for doing so. The reward for rescuing them is good reputation with the demolitionists.
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