Gauss rifle (Operation: Anchorage)

The Gauss rifle is an advanced sniper rifle in the Fallout 3 add-on Operation: Anchorage.

Characteristics
The Gauss rifle is excellent in combat outside of V.A.T.S. (due to bugs), though as with all sniper rifles, it works best on long ranges. The low fire rate and relatively long reload times disqualify it from fighting at closer ranges.

Notably, the rifle knocks down enemies whenever a critical hit is scored and does it better than the Victory rifle.

Variants

 * The version appearing in the simulation has practically infinite health (extremely high).
 * Gauss rifle: A test version with lower damage, a five shot magazine, and a 100% knockdown chance.

Locations

 * Outside the simulation
 * Outcast Outpost: Found in the armory after completing the simulation, alongside 300 microfusion cells.
 * Inside the simulation
 * The Guns of Anchorage: Left behind by an American paratrooper shot by Chinese soldiers.
 * U.S. Army field headquarters: The player can obtain a replacement for the above from the Quartermaster with a Speech check.
 * Carried by a power armored soldier during the fight with General Jingwei.

Bugs

 * The wasteland version of the Gauss rifle cannot be used by followers.
 * The scope is not zeroed properly, shots will fly off to the upper-right of the scope target at range.
 * Damage done by the shot may fail to register (knock down will work as usual).
 * The Gauss rifle does not work correctly in VATS. Each shot will only do 95.244% of the maximum damage, ignoring all modifiers.
 * If the player character is knocked down, the rifle may become dislodged from the character and fly off, but remain listed as equipped. Re-equipping it fixes it.
 * The weapon has the hide backpack flag set, meaning it will remove any backpack components (such as the rear tanks on power armor) despite not having a backpack set.