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Tom Anderson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The bottom line for NCR is productivity and growth. Politicians back in Shady Sands are completely detached from the people actually living here.
”Tom Anderson is member of the Followers of the Apocalypse living in Westside in Fallout: New Vegas.
Background[]
Anderson is a agriculture and water specialist who trained with the Followers of the Apocalypse. He also use to do operations for the NCR's R&D branch Office of Science and Industry,[1] but has had a falling out with the NCR much like the rest of the Followers of the Apocalypse,[2][3] though he's closer to his fellow Followers despite his separation from them.[4] Currently, Anderson has splintered from the Followers of the Apocalypse to help local Vegas residents in growing crops in the Westside area. Many of the citizens of Westside say that Anderson's assistance is the main reason why Westside can grow crops at all and survive.[5] One could argue that he is the reason citizens here do much better than they do in Freeside.
Despite having the good opinion of most of Westside's citizens, Tom has a troubled past which may explain his separation from other Followers of the Apocalypse. As documented in Anderson's confession, he has broken the law many times due to his belief in the maxim "the end justifies the means." He has even committed murder, killing an NCR trooper to cover his diversion of water to Westside to prevent local crop failure. Ironically, unknown to Anderson, the water is contaminated, as the Courier will discover in the quest Hard Luck Blues. This will inevitably shrink Westside's crop yield, similar to the situation at the NCR sharecropper farms.[6]
Interactions with the player character[]
Interactions overview[]
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This character is involved in quests. |
Quests[]
- The White Wash: Anderson has some useful information about the whereabouts of Corporal White.
Other interactions[]
During the quest The White Wash, Anderson attempts to explain his beliefs and those of the Followers. This may trigger a reaction in Veronica Santangelo initiating the quest I Could Make You Care.
Inventory[]
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Merc grunt outfit Pip-Boy 3000 Pip-Boy glove |
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AEP7 Laser pistol | |
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Drained small energy cell (6) | |
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empty |
Notes[]
- Tom may glitch out of his cell after he turns himself in. Anderson walks out of Camp McCarran and you can converse with him normally.
- When asked about the co-op, the actor will say the "co-op is lead by Clayton...", when he means "run by Clayton...", which is what the subtitles say.
- He pronounces Clayton Ettienne's name incorrectly, as "E-TIN-EE".
Bugs[]
While in prison in the Camp McCarran terminal building, Anderson may still talk as though he were still in Westside- Anderson can disappear into the wall of his apartment though he remains on your radar, if this happens prior to the White Wash quest, the quest becomes impossible to finish.
- Even though you can find him in the prison at the Camp McCarran terminal building at the end of the quest, you can still find him in Westside. There will be two non-player characters of Anderson.
Appearances[]
Tom Anderson appears only in Fallout: New Vegas.
References
- ↑ The Courier: "He was killed by a man named Anderson he caught stealing water from the NCR."
Carrie Boyd: "Anderson. I've heard of him, if it's the same guy. Water nerd from the Followers of the Apocalypse. Used to handle some of the operations for OSI. I don't know what to think about the Followers. The things they do... hard to say if they're helping or hurting sometimes. Especially in Freeside. I'll have to send some people out there to make sure we don't lose any more water. That stuff's like gold out here. But you. I owe you for this. You saved me a lot of work. And I'm sure Corporal White's family will be grateful to at least get some closure. The MPs keep a bunch of junk around that's confiscated off of people who decide to screw with us. I haven't really sorted through it, but go ahead and see if there's anything you can use in there. We keep it in a trunk across the hall, by the prison cells."
(Carrie Boyd's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "Do you have a problem with the NCR?"
Tom Anderson: "I don't go looking for fights with them, but they don't have the best interests of people in mind. Certainly not locals. The bottom line for NCR is productivity and growth. Politicians back in Shady Sands are completely detached from the people actually living here."
(Tom Anderson's dialogue) - ↑ Arcade Gannon: "Westside, huh? I heard about what happened with Anderson. Can't say I'm surprised. He was always a fringe operator in the Followers."
The Courier: "If you say so. I'm not arguing."
Arcade Gannon: "I do say so. The Followers aren't a military organization. If anyone knew what he was up to, they weren't talking. And if they knew he was stealing water, so what? Westside has more of a right to that water than the NCR."
(Arcade Gannon's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "You should know I've been helpful to the Followers, so come clean about White if you know something."
Tom Anderson: "Some of the other Followers mentioned you. All right - the truth, then. I killed Corporal White to protect Westside's self-reliance. It was rash, and I regret it now. We don't have the money to pay for the water, so I rigged the pump station to divert water to the local cisterns from time to time."
(Tom Anderson's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "Can you tell me anything about Anderson?"
Marco: "Good man. He's one of the Followers of the Apocalypse. He's the one who taught people around here how to start growing crops. Westside wouldn't be what it is without Anderson helping us out, so I cut him a deal on his rent."
(Marco's dialogue (Fallout: New Vegas)) - ↑ Arcade Gannon: "Westside, huh? I heard about what happened with Anderson. Can't say I'm surprised. He was always a fringe operator in the Followers."
The Courier: "Right. "The Followers don't endorse his actions," and all that."
Arcade Gannon: "Well I don't. I'm sure there were a few people turning a blind eye, but can you blame them? NCR's sharecropper farms had all of the water. The nearest fresh source is the lake, and that's a bit of a hike."
(Arcade Gannon's dialogue)
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