“
The only way for true humans, and democracy, to be safe is to cleanse the mutants from the globe. We humans will take back that which is rightfully ours.
”— Dick Richardson
Dick Richardson (–2242) was an American politician who served as the President of the United States of America and as the highest Enclave executive in 2242. A passionate patriot—he desired to retake Continental America, and invoked extreme racial policies as a result.
A thin, nervous man in a frayed suit, Richardson does not look like the most powerful man in the wastelands, deciding the fate of millions of human beings. Yet his frail physique conceals a powerful conviction that the Enclave's cause is just and their methods are righteous.[1] Dick Richardson's political career began with his election to the Congress some time before 2215. It truly blossomed starting August 1, 2215, when his father, President Richardson, took him under his wing and used his political clout to push his son ahead in the ranks.[2] Five years later, on March 5, 2220, Dick Richardson was elected President, completing his meteoric rise to power.[3][4]
He continued the Enclave's plans for achieving dominance, fostering his father's own project, the development of the advanced power armor. Completed in October 2220, research data was immediately classified by the new President to preserve Enclave morale.[5] However, it wasn't until almost twenty years later that Richardson would truly start shaping his legacy. Excavation teams working at Mariposa since 2236 finally yielded a pure sample of the FEV in 2238. Although it cost the Enclave dearly in manpower and materiel, the Enclave finally had a method for exterminating mutants worldwide.[6]
The Chemical Corps under Lt. Col. Dr. Charles Curling immediately began developing a viable toxin. By 2242, the Project neared completion and FEV Curling-13 was almost ready for release.[7] To Richardson, it was the dawn of a new era. He considers himself a patriot and a servant of humanity, returning Earth to "real" humanity, wrestling it away from the hands of mutants.[8] His contempt for humans outside the Enclave is wrapped in ideological doublespeak, impossible to penetrate for anyone. Everyone outside the Enclave is a subhuman, with no exceptions.[9]
Richardson was killed by the Chosen One in 2242, just hours before his dream could be achieved. The nuclear detonation that followed erased all traces of the President from history, save for what remained in isolated Enclave databanks.
Richardson also holds the unique Presidential access key, which allows the player to turn the turrets on the entry level against Horrigan. Killing him is somewhat problematic, but doable:
Use 14 super stimpaks on him and wait ten minutes. As each stim deals 9 hit points of damage after that period, using fourteen in total will kill him.
Planting a live explosive on him will either kill or severely injure him.
Killing him outright works, but will draw the ire of all Enclave troops on the level. The player can mitigate the risk somewhat by entering Sneak mode and trying to kill him in one hit. Sometimes the Sneak mode will work properly and the rest of the level won't be alerted.
Inventory[]
Apparel
Weapon
Carried items
Drops on death
empty
Behind the scenes[]
Richardson's name is a reference to former President Richard Nixon, also known as "Tricky Dick."
Gallery[]
"That's a shame. A conversation with a genuine mutant like you? It'd certainly paint me a picture of what life's like in that radioactive hell on the mainland."
"Hello, there. I'm President Richardson and I'm damn proud to meet you. Uh, Vault 13, I see. You've been doing your country an invaluable service."
"For your information, the guards have orders to shoot me rather than let anyone or anything endanger the Project. I... wouldn't be of any use as a hostage."
↑Dick Richardson's description: "{100}{}{You see a man in a suit. He's staring into space. Like he's lookin' at you but he ain't lookin' at you.}" "{101}{}{You see the head of the free world, the President of the United States.}" "{102}{}{You see a thin, nervous, older man who looks as tired and frayed as the suit he's wearing.}"
↑Fallout Bible 0: "2215 August 1 Congressman Richardson rises to power within the Enclave, aided by pressure from his father, President Richardson."
↑Fallout Bible 0 Timeline repair: Second strike: "2220 March 5 Congressman Richardson is elected president for the first term of five, through aid and political pressure by his father (President Richardson)."
↑Dick Richardson: "{174}{prs19}{I am the elected representative of the people. The United States does still exist. God bless us, every one. We've just had to adapt in order to survive after the war.}" The Chosen One: "{175}{}{I don't understand. What do you mean?}" Dick Richardson: "{176}{prs20a}{You really don't know, do you? Let me tell you about mankind's salvation. A little history first...}" Dick Richardson: "{177}{prs20b}{A little history….}" Dick Richardson: "{197}{prs24}{There was a great war long before we were born. Our gallant soldiers fought from the Yukon to the Yangtze.}" The Chosen One: "{198}{}{Yeah, I knew about that part. Go on.}" Dick Richardson: "{216}{prs32}{We were winning, too. And then those damn Reds launched everything they had. We barely got our birds up.}" The Chosen One: "{217}{}{Doesn't seem as though it helped us much.}" Dick Richardson: "{218}{prs33}{Well, no it didn't. But at least it knocked the damn Red menace back into the stone age.}" The Chosen One: "{219}{}{And us with it.}" (Qhprzrch.msg)
↑Fallout Bible 0: "2220 October Enclave scientists develop a reliable version of the Mark II Power Armor. The prototype results (and accidents... and explosions... and deaths) are classified by order of the President Richardson for the sake of morale."
↑Richardson: "{277}{prs56}{You might find that tougher than you think. If you do, I'll go to my reward knowing that I died a patriot and a servant of humanity.}"
↑Dick Richardson: "{262}{prs49}{Never. Part of the president's job is to make the tough decisions. A lot of near-humans will sacrifice their lives for the return of humanity. Humans will prevail.}" The Chosen One: "{264}{}{Just because everyone out there doesn't have an exact copy of your DNA that doesn't give you a license to exterminate them.}" Dick Richardson: "{267}{prs51}{Oh, I don't relish this decision. If there was another way- but there isn't. No price is too high for the survival of the human race. If you were human, you'd feel the same way.}"
↑The Lone Wanderer: "What do you know about the Enclave?" Owyn Lyons: "More than anyone else, I dare say. Certainly enough to know they're the greatest threat the Capital Wasteland has ever faced. The Brotherhood of Steel has encountered the Enclave before, you see. Over thirty years ago, back in California. Then, they were led by a President Richardson. Now we've got this Eden to contend with. It matters not -- now, as before, they seek to control and destroy, all in the guise of restoring order. Your father, I fear, was just the beginning." (Owyn Lyons' dialogue)
↑Arcade Gannon: "Moreno took the fall of the Enclave hard. He never questioned his orders, never questioned the legitimacy of what the Enclave was doing. To him, it was all one unbroken chain, from Washington to Richardson. When we left Navarro, I remember looking up at Moreno. He said, "Kiss America goodbye, boys." When we left the Enclave behind, the love in him burned itself out. Now there's just a bitter old man left." (Arcade Gannon's dialogue)
