Second Battle of Hoover Dam | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Second Battle of Hoover Dam is the conjectural name applied to the second offensive mounted by Caesar's Legion against New California Republic forces entrenched on Hoover Dam in 2282, as well as on the surrounding Mojave Wasteland.[1]
Prelude[]
After the First Battle of Hoover Dam, Mr. House knew that as soon as either the NCR or the Legion became victorious at the Dam, they would turn their attention to New Vegas. In an attempt to stop this and allow the city remain under his control, he had Victor hire a courier to retrieve his Platinum Chip, a data storage device capable of upgrading the city's defense systems and activating a massive army of Securitrons.[2] This would give House the ability to single-handedly crush the Legion and intimidate the NCR into a retreat.[3] However, the leader of the Chairmen, Benny, learned of this plan and ambushed House's courier outside of Goodsprings, shooting them in the head and leaving them for dead in a shallow grave and taking the Platinum Chip, throwing House's plans into disarray.
The Courier survived, however, and began a journey to the New Vegas Strip to find Benny and get revenge, in the process learning the true purpose of the Platinum Chip and its power. The Courier was faced with the choice of either giving the Chip to House or destroying the Securitron army, or even using it to create an army of their own. The Courier's journey attracted the attention of the NCR and the Legion, both wanting such an influential individual on their side. Also in preparation, the Courier traveled the land looking for other tribes and factions to ally with.
Order of battle[]
New California Republic[]
- General Lee Oliver, commander of the Mojave Campaign (Dam)
- Colonel Cassandra Moore, commander of the Hoover Dam (Dam)
- Chief Hanlon, commander of the NCR Rangers (Dam)
- NCR Ranger Veteran Commander, commander of Ranger Alpha Squad (Dam)
- Colonel James Hsu, commander of Camp McCarran (McCarran)
Troops[]
- New California Republic Army troopers equipped with basic armor, frag grenades, combat knives and a firearm (.308 sniper rifle, 12.7mm pistol, Marksman carbine, assault carbine, riot shotgun)
- New California Republic Army heavy infantry equipped with NCR salvaged power armor, a super sledgehammer and a heavy weapon (hunting rifle, missile launcher, flamer, heavy incinerator, light machine gun or minigun)
- New California Republic Rangers equipped with NCR Ranger patrol armor and a long range rifle (.308 sniper rifle, hunting rifle, Marksman carbine)
- New California Republic Rangers veterans equipped with NCR Ranger combat armor, combat knives and a high powered firearm (hunting shotgun, hunting revolver, Ranger Sequoia, brush gun, trail carbine, assault carbine, anti-materiel rifle)
Caesar's Legion[]
- Legate Lanius, supreme commander of the Legion (Dam)
Troops[]
- Caesar's Legionaries equipped with basic, intermediate, or veteran armors, throwing spears, pistols (9 and 10mm pistols and .357 and .44 Magnum revolvers), rifles (cowboy repeaters, hunting rifles, and Marksman carbines) and assorted melee weapons.
- Legion Decanii equipped with basic and intermediate armors, throwing spears, caravan shotguns, 9 and 10mm submachine guns and machetes
- Centurions equipped with elite metal armor, machete gladii, chainsaws, thermic lances, hunting shotguns, super sledges and Marksman carbines.
Independent[]
- Mr. Robert House, sole proprietor of the New Vegas Strip
- Courier, aid to Mr. House and commander of independent forces.
Troops[]
- Securitron army equipped with X-25 Gatling laser and M-235 missile launchers.
Battle[]
Hoover Dam[]
The Courier's role in the battle depends greatly on which faction they have sided with.
If the Courier sided with Mr. House or Yes Man, the battle plays out in a similar fashion, both involving the activation of the Securitron army. From there, the Courier is forced to fight their way across the dam and into the Legion Camp.
The New California Republic quest has the Courier perform the same basic task: fighting through enemy forces to get to the Legion Camp on the other side of the dam.
While traversing the dam, any aid the Courier had enlisted will be acted upon by the corresponding faction. Once the Courier reaches the other side of the dam and enters the Legate's Camp, they will face off against Legate Lanius. The resulting confrontation will either have the Courier fight and kill the Legate, or solve the confrontation diplomatically. After dealing with the Legate, the Courier returns to the main gate, at which point General Lee Oliver and his men destroy it. If siding with the NCR, Oliver will congratulate the Courier; however, if siding with Yes Man or Mr. House, the Courier will be forced to confront General Oliver, either having to fight and kill Oliver and his men or solve the issue through diplomacy.
If the Courier sided with the polar opposite, Caesar's Legion, the battle plays out in a similar fashion to the battle involving the Courier siding with the NCR, only it will playout in reverse; the Courier starts at the Legate's Camp, and then fights their way across the dam to reach the NCR's position, confronting General Oliver.[4][5] Once again the Courier is forced to choose between killing the General or convincing him to leave without fighting through diplomacy.
Elsewhere[]
The details of the battle at Hoover Dam are unclear, however the fighting was not just limited to that relatively small location; violence engulfed the entire Mojave Wasteland as Legion forces and its allies attacked NCR targets and locations across the region, with varying levels of success:
- The NCR Embassy on the New Vegas Strip was bombed, and if they had not been stopped by the Courier already, the Omertas attempted a coup d'état but were stopped by the Chairmen as well as the Securitrons.
- Rioting broke out in Freeside, although its severity is unclear; if the Courier forged an alliance between the Kings and the NCR, the riots were far more tame.
- The Fiends attacked Camp McCarran, but if the Courier killed their leaders beforehand, they are easily repulsed.
- Camp Forlorn Hope was attacked by the Legion, but if 1st Recon were present and the Courier managed to solve the camp's many problems, the NCR soldiers were able to fend off the attack.
- The Frumentarii made an attempt to bomb the monorail outside McCarran, whether it was successful or not depends on whether the Courier uncovered their plot.
- Camp Golf was attacked, but the Legion were, due to a heroic effort from the Misfits (if they were trained by the Courier), easily defeated, otherwise Chief Hanlon and the other rangers stationed there are able to fend off the Legion assault on their own.
- Novac was attacked by the Legion and many of its citizens were said to have died in its defense, but if the Bright Brotherhood was aided in starting on their pilgrimage, they returned in time to help evacuate the citizens.
Aftermath[]
Notes[]
- It is unknown which of the three factions the Courier sided with during this battle, as aligning with one side would ultimately result in The Courier's exclusion from the other two; however the Courier's actions played a vital role in the battle, regardless.
- Yes Man and Mr. House's participation in this battle are mutually exclusive – if the Courier chose to support an independent Vegas, then they would already have control of the Securitron army (provided that it wasn't destroyed) and House would be long-dead by the time the battle started.
- It is unknown which side the Great Khans supported, however if the Courier does not intervene, they support the Legion by default.
- It is unknown whether the Brotherhood of Steel supported the NCR or not (or if they were destroyed), or which side the Enclave Remnants supported (or if they never gathered).
- If the Courier is idolized by the Boomers and they will support the player in the final battle. If the Courier has not salvaged the B-29 bomber for the Boomers, then they will fire artillery at the Dam. Otherwise, if the bomber is salvaged, then the bomber will fly over the Dam, dropping bombs at the Courier's adversaries. If the bomber is salvaged, no artillery is fired.
Appearances[]
The Second Battle of Hoover Dam is the finale of Fallout: New Vegas.
References
- ↑ The Courier: "What should I expect at the dam?"
Robert House: "Imagine two snarling dogs fighting over a curve of bone, perhaps the rib of their master, long-dead. It'll be a pitched battle, that's a certainty. Perhaps the greatest battle the Earth has seen since the human race nearly made itself extinct."
The Courier: "Any speculation on Legion tactics?"
Robert House: "The Legion will mount a ferocious and determined frontal assault from the east, that much is certain. Still, Caesar is a capable strategist. I'd be surprised if he hasn't found some way to infiltrate the dam, or the NCR's rear areas."
The Courier: "Any speculation on Legion tactics?"
Robert House: "With Caesar dead, it's hard to know what to expect. The Legate, Lanius, is renowned as a brutal man, not a subtle tactician. Frontal assaults, wave attacks - these are the sort of tactics one would expect from such a man."
The Courier: "How will the NCR defend Hoover Dam?"
Robert House: "General Oliver's strategy - or "tunnel vision," as I like to call it - has been to mass troops at Hoover Dam. He wants to out-fight the Legion in a straight-forward slugging match, and then, when they rout, pursue and destroy them in detail. A crushing, decisive victory of this sort would overshadow the tactical ingenuity of Chief Hanlon's defense four years ago, you see."
The Courier: "What's your battle plan for the Dam?"
Robert House: "A good deal should be obvious to you by now. I won't spoil the rest by talking out of turn."
(Robert House's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "How do you intend to enforce your claim on the city?"
Robert House: "To enforce, one must have force - a position of strength. Years ago, when I detected NCR scouts roaming the Mojave, I could tell from their uniforms that these were no mere tribesmen. I knew it was only a matter of time before an army appeared, to take control of the dam. And I knew my Securitrons wouldn't be enough to oppose them. And so I recruited the Three Families. Vegas belongs to me because I mustered enough strength to bring the NCR to the bargaining table."
(Robert House's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "What will you do with your Securitrons?"
Robert House: "My army will do what an army does best - defend territory from invaders... and maintain order."
(Robert House's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "What can you tell me about the layout of the dam?"
Lanius: "It was not intended for war - its top sides are bound to two intake towers by a series of bridges. No doubt snipers nest there. On the far side of the dam, a small building provides access to the power plant below. That is where Oliver hides."
(Lanius' dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "And what do you want me to do?"
Lanius: "Our forces are better equipped to take objectives than hold them. I do not wish to defend this place if another option exists. Our opponents follow a strict chain of command, which is both a strength and weakness. I intend to use you to strike at that weakness. Find the enemy commander, this General Oliver. Kill him or his resolve. Do this, and his cowards will retreat, leaving the dam to us."
(Lanius' dialogue)