For an overview of combat armor variants throughout the Fallout series, see combat armor. |
Desert Ranger combat armor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Desert Ranger combat armor and the matching Desert Ranger combat helmet are pieces of armor in the Fallout: New Vegas add-on Honest Hearts.
Background[]
Another advanced design fielded in limited quantities before the Great War, riot gear was a specialized model of combat armor used by the United States Marine Corps,[1] Army units in the American West,[2] and select law enforcement agencies, such as the Los Angeles Police Department.[3]
The most characteristic element of this model is the helmet. A rounded shell protects the head from incoming gunfire, while the lamps on the right side of the helmet (including infrared and visible light projectors) provide illumination.[4] The armored mask designed to be worn with the helmet is necessary to use the IR lamp, due to the low-light optics integrated into the lenses.[5][6] The mask also incorporates a locking mechanism to properly join it together with the helmet shell, ear covers with membranes that do not inhibit hearing while maintaining its protective qualities, and air filters. Some upgraded models also include communications gear and upgraded filtering apparatus.[7]
The torso assembly is a flexible vest of rigid impact plates, worn with adjustable straps on the sides and shoulders. One of its most notable additions is a prominent throat protector mounted on the vest, used by military operators to display tactical numbers[8] or the owner's identifying information, such as the name, rank, and blood group, allowing for easy casualty management.[9] Later models of riot gears may include heavier protection, including armored plating on shoulders and forearms. Military coats designed for use with the armor will also typically include some form of bullet-resistant reinforcement.[7]
This particular armor is United States Marine Corps relic of the Sino-American War recovered and restored by Randall Clark,[10] boasting a khaki/brown desert camouflage pattern and the usual equipment, worn with a light shade duster, and a pair of durable pants. The armor was worn by Staff Sergeant R.B. Vickers during their deployment in China, with the locations - Nanjing and Shanghai - painted on the helmet, together with a plea FORGIVE ME MAMA scrawled on the front. Judging by the writing, Vickers spent une through August in Nanjing, followed by a deployment in Shanghai September through May. The helmet also has multiple tally marks, though whether Clark added them himself or they date back to the Chinese campaign is unclear.
The entire ensemble closely resembles the traditional gear of the Nevada Desert Rangers and is readily identified as such.
Characteristics[]
Essentially a factionless variant of the NCR Ranger combat armor, the apparel provides 22 DT (comparable to a suit of T-45d power armor_ while still being a medium armor and weighing as much as its base version. It is a little bit stronger than it, however, with +2 DT on the outfit and +1 DT on the helmet. The helmet itself is also 3 points lighter.
Variants[]
- NCR Ranger combat armor: Iconic armor of the veteran Rangers.
- Desert Ranger combat armor: Desert Rangers' ensemble.
- Riot gear: Standard riot gear issued to soldiers in Hopeville and Ashton.
- Advanced riot gear: Advanced riot gear used by an NCR riot control officer in the Divide.
- Elite riot gear: Unique armor belonging to an NCR officer in the Divide.
Comparison[]
Name | DT | WG | Durability | Value | Effects |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NCR Ranger combat armor | 20 | 30 | 600 | 7500 | NCR Disguise |
Desert Ranger combat armor | 22 | 30 | 600 | 8000 | - |
Riot gear | 20 | 30 | 500 | 7994 | +5 Guns +1 Agility |
Advanced riot gear | 21 | 25 | 600 | 8494 | +10 Explosives +1 Endurance |
Elite riot gear | 22 | 23 | 750 | 12500 | +10 Guns +1 Charisma +5 Critical chance |
Locations[]
- Stone Bones Cave, at the end near a footlocker in front of the Survivalist's terminal.
Behind the scenes[]
- The armor doubles as a storytelling device showing Clark's resourcefulness. The rag wrapped around the right thigh is based on his treatment of a gunshot wound received from a Vault 22 guard in Zion. He tied it around the leg to prevent blood loss and leaving a trail.
- On the other hand, the writing on the helmet is similar to how soldiers deployed in combat theaters mark the passage of time. This was quite common in eg. the Vietnam War.
- The helmet's lenses are green, like in the original concepts for the helmet. In a similar fashion, the helmet inherits the original's several traits, including the absence of a night vision mode for the player, extremely expensive vendor repairs (16 000 to restore a broken suit), and the helmet's weight of 0 (which could not be patched).
Gallery[]
References
- ↑ Desert Ranger combat armor was used by a Marine in China.
- ↑ Riot gear availability in Lonesome Road.
- ↑ Fallout: New Vegas loading screen hints - "The distinctive black ranger combat armor consists of the Desert Rangers' traditional trench coat worn with Pre-War riot armor. Ranger patrol armor is hand-manufactured in the NCR."
- ↑ Massive Black concept art.
- ↑ The Courier: "What do the new rangers mean for NCR?"
Hanlon: "The Baja rangers can do more advance night scouting and sharpshooting to assist the troopers. Ranger combat helmets are old Pre-War gear. They have built in low-light optics. Makes a big difference."
(Hanlon's dialogue) - ↑ As seen in the Fallout: New Vegas intro.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Appearance of NCR Ranger combat armor, Desert Ranger combat armor, and riot gears.
- ↑ Riot gear textures.
- ↑ Desert Ranger combat armor
- ↑ On the desert ranger combat armor R.B. Vickers is painted on the armor. Was this going to be Clark's name and was just changed at the last minute or is it his friend's armor, or just some dude's, that died and Clark was just using it to survive in Zion? | Formspring
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