Gauss rifle (Fallout: New Vegas)

The Gauss rifle is a weapon in Fallout: New Vegas.

Background
This rifle is a Chinese variation on the German design and was originally deployed in the Sino-American War. Unlike the original weapon, it features a scope and eleven coilgun stages, resulting in a more versatile range and higher damage output. The weapon is larger and bulkier to accommodate the increased stress put on the weapon and uses a different feed system. While the standard 2mm EC magazines incorporate both slugs and ammunition, the Chinese Gauss rifle has to be loaded with ferromagnetic slugs separately, with microfusion cells loaded into the battery well in front of the trigger group. The cell is used to power the magnetic accelerator and fire the slug and has to be replaced after each shot.

The immense recoil generated by the weapon is mitigated somewhat by a long muzzle brake and a padded leather recoil pad. The bulk of the weapon also helps make it more manageable. However, the pay off is more than generous, as the sheer kinetic energy of the projectile creates a shockwave on impact, dealing additional damage to the target and potentially knocking them off balance.

Characteristics
Virtually identical to the Gauss rifle of the Fallout 3 Operation: Anchorage add-on, the New Vegas variant can still knock down enemies and is effectively an energy sniper weapon. However, it uses 5 microfusion cells per shot, rather than one.

It is a rare weapon and is very expensive to repair without weapon repair kits. However, unlike its tier equivalent, the anti-materiel rifle, it's much more accessible. It only requires 5 Strength to use (as opposed to 8 for the AMR), double the critical chance (76%, while the AMR only offers 38%), not to mention the fact that its lighter than the AMR and its ammunition is more common. In Hardcore mode, the weapons are more closely matched in terms of weight, as the five MFCs required for each firing of a Gauss rifle are together twice the weight of one .50 MG round.

The fact that the rifle has to be reloaded after each shot is also a factor, as this adds 10 AP to the firing cost in VATS.

Variants

 * YCS/186 Gauss rifle: Unique variant, deals 16% more damage, uses only four cells per shot, and cannot be obtained with the Wild Wasteland trait (as it is replaced by an alien blaster).
 * Elijah's Gauss rifle: Non-playable rifles used by Elijah in combat. Use Magical companion ammo and deal 50 to 208 damage per shot.


 * The Faderator: A development tool, featuring fully automatic fire and 20,160 damage per second (DPS).

Locations

 * Vendors
 * Hidden Valley bunker: Purchased from Knight Torres when the full inventory is unlocked.
 * Silver Rush, Freeside: Sold at higher levels.


 * Loot
 * Brewer's beer bootlegging: May spawn in the Hard-locked gun store in the cellar..


 * Non-player characters
 * Paladins in Brotherhood T-51b power armor carry this rifle.
 * Father Elijah in the Sierra Madre vault.
 * Y-17 trauma override harnesses may carry it, near the X-7a "Left Field" artillery launch.

Bugs

 * The PIP-Boy will not display the DPS properly, as it ignores the single-shot nature of the weapon.
 * The Gauss rifle suffers from the same bugs as the Operation: Anchorage rifle, caused by the explosive visual effect.