Choice and consequence in an RPG is a large aspect of Fallout: New Vegas that has cemented its legacy as an all-time great. There are seemingly innumerable effects the Courier can have on the wasteland, but there are none greater than siding with a faction. Without their ability to tip the balance of power, the Mojave could look very different.
Lying somewhere on the road to New Vegas is a courier with a fatal head wound, and nobody is coming to save them. Without the skills of the courier, it’s hard not to think about how the world of Fallout: New Vegas would become much bloodier and far more brutal.
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The Major Factions of New Vegas Are Far More Desperate Without the Courier
The three major factions are stuck in a deadlock. Whether hindered by a lack of resources or foresight, they all face serious obstacles. None of them have what they need to guarantee a victory, but one of them could be closer than the others.
Mr House Would Not Be Able to Take a Direct Role in Protecting New Vegas
Without the Platinum Chip, Mr House would be almost defenseless. Forced to rely on his considerable intelligence, there are few options for House other than direct manipulation to achieve his goals. The Platinum Chip is needed to upgrade the Securitron army, which also means no complex defense network, and no power that House can project over the wider wasteland.
In the main story, House wants an independent New Vegas, a rising power in the west, free from the Legion’s boot and the NCR’s taxes. The security forces within the city cannot even hold territory beyond the Strip, which would be terrible for Mr House if the Bull or Bear discovered how little power he actually had, and made a move.
But as his primary power base, the inhabitants of the Strip would be the first to notice House’s weakness. While they may have been little more than tribals civilized by House’s promises of power, the Three Families could easily backslide into their old ways, with the White Glove society’s cannibalism turned into a gourmet affair. The ones poised to do the most damage are the Omertas, who can already attempt a coup in the game, and if the strip falls into anarchy, it becomes easy prey to an outsider.
The NCR Is Hampered by Weak Leadership and Lack of Morale
The NCR has major internal problems. Without the Courier’s help, Chief Hanlon’s disinformation efforts would have continued, and the Legion spy would not have been discovered. If the Camp McCarran Monorail is destroyed by the spy, then the NCR loses access to New Vegas, which would deny the faction a foothold in the region and possibly a favorable alliance with Mr House, who is in no position to bargain.
Similarly, outside help would not be available to the NCR. The Brotherhood of Steel, while locked away in their bunker, could strike back at the NCR if it became distracted with a battle. Nor would the faction be able to reunite the Enclave Remnants and use their powerful arsenal against the Legion, forced to rely only on worn-out troopers and a small contingent of NCR Rangers. With no Courier, the outlook for the NCR is grim.
Caesar’s Legion Stands to Gain a Lot, but Is Sitting on a Time Bomb
In the strongest position of any major faction, Caesar’s Legion is held together by fear and admiration of its eponymous leader. The Legion has made huge territorial gains moving west, and though it lost the first battle, its plausible that Caesar’s Legion take Hoover Dam without the player’s intervention.
However, Caesar, the one charismatic enough to hold the disparate tribes together, is dying. Legate Lanius could take Hoover Dam without Caesar alive, but his brutality might not make up for the loss of Caesar’s strategy. Vulpes Inculta could also cause problems for Lanius, as he might believe he would be a better Caesar, and a power struggle resulting from this could doom the Legion’s future.
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The Minor Factions Could Be Wiped Out After the Battle for Hoover Dam
Many of the smaller factions would stand to lose everything if any major power won. The Brotherhood of Steel might be able to take HELIOS One, but if it comes under serious attack, the chapter has little chance of surviving. Even if they could get it to work for them, the plant is not easily defensible, and any victorious force would want to guarantee the Brotherhood’s presence was wiped out entirely.
To the Khans, the NCR are a sworn enemy after the Bitter Springs Massacre, and with no Courier to strike a deal, the Khans would be absorbed by the Legion. The Boomers are also isolated, and the powerful arsenal that keeps them safe would make them a target for anyone needing more weapons. The Fiends would also be a priority to eliminate after the conflict, as they have no allies and present a seriously destabilizing influence on the wasteland.
The Kings and the Followers of the Apocalypse would likely be destroyed by either Legion or NCR, as they pose a threat to the hegemony of either faction. The Followers would be particularly damned in a Legion victory scenario, as Caesar holds a personal grudge against his old companions, and nothing would be able to save them from his wrath.
Benny is one of the few individuals with real power to change anything, but he struggles to put his plans into action. One interesting outcome of Benny being captured by the Legion is Caesar discovering the potential of the Platinum Chip, which could have serious implications if he could recruit Yes Man to help. With all these possibilities, there are many outcomes, with one in particular standing out.
How Might the Second Battle for Hoover Dam Go Without the Courier?
One Possible Scenario of Many
A gunshot echoes through the lonely night as Benny takes out a courier on the way to Vegas. The seemingly inconsequential package they carried is sure to make him very powerful indeed, and Mr House very angry. But when Benny rules the wasteland, he thinks, they will all bow before him. Little does he realize the fate of the Mojave has changed forever.
With no Platinum Chip, Mr House allies with the NCR on unfavorable terms. The NCR garrisons Freeside, almost causing an all-out war with The Kings. Seeking Mr House’s Securitron Vault, Benny is caught sneaking into the Legion encampment. Pleading for mercy, Benny finds himself reminded of the courier he recently buried, cursing his luck. In a cruel twist, Caesar grants him a life fighting in the arena, taking the small engraved chip Benny had as a curious reminder of the new Rome that would be his after Hoover Dam.
Over the coming weeks, pressure builds in Freeside between troopers and locals. Explosions rock the Strip and Camp McCarran, severing the monorail link between the two, as the Three Families rise up against Mr House while Khans raid the camp. House suspects the events are linked and invites the stranded NCR troopers onto the Strip, where they besiege the Omertas in Gomorrah. Suspecting anyone with a grudge, NCR soldiers begin reprisals against The Kings that embitters Freeside to the soldiers.
Conflicting accounts of events choke all radio chatter. With McCarran attacked, and the Strip cut off, NCR leadership cancels President Kimble’s visit, sinking morale even further. With the NCR in disarray, Caesar launches an assault on the dam. The troopers and rangers stationed there execute a fighting retreat, taking many Legion lives. Following the loss of Hoover Dam, the NCR leaves the Mojave for good. With no support coming, New Vegas is plunged into anarchy, and the last remnants of NCR forces fight to their deaths.
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The Legion Takes New Vegas
Wasting no time, Caesar leads the Legion into an already burning New Vegas, making examples of NCR personnel and Followers of the Apocalypse. Mr House, out of options, concedes full control of the Strip to Caesar, noticing the curiously colorful pendant worn around the Warlord’s neck. Expecting to be rewarded for bringing the city to heel, the Omertas are surprised when Caesar turns on them, as he recognizes their treachery could undermine him later.
As the outskirts are being pacified, Caesar transforms the Strip into the center of his new Rome. Many Legionaries have been injured in the fighting since the dam, and with the Followers crucified, there are few doctors willing to help. Without an enemy to focus them, discipline begins to fray, which is worsened by a large influx of members as Caesar’s Legion absorbs Khans. Suspicious, but acknowledging his knowledge of the region is useful, Caesar involves Mr House in more of his plans, finding common ground in their strong wills and hatred of NCR taxes.
Amid the stress of governing the Mojave, the headaches that had plagued Caesar for months increase rapidly. Sensing the only person he can reason with might die, Mr House attempts to find help, but is horrified to find that all the doctors with the skills to treat him were killed by the Legion. Monitoring Caesar’s ailing health, House quietly prepares his remaining Securitrons, his fears vindicated when one night Caesar dies to a suspected brain tumor.
Caesar’s Death Could Fracture the Legion
For a few tense hours, the future of the Legion is decided. Legate Lanius, hero of Hoover Dam, emerges as the next Caesar. As the Legate lights Caesar’s funeral pyre, House watches through his Securitron representative, gaze fixed on the familiar pendant Lanius retrieves from Caesar’s corpse. Under the guise of reverence for the deceased leader, Lanius begins a purge among the Legion that ensures only those who fear him totally can remain, sending those suspected of disloyalty to face the Brotherhood of Steel at HELIOS One.
Fearing he could be next, Vulpes withdraws from Vegas to seek refuge in the old Legion camp, only to find it abandoned. Walking into a trap, he is ambushed by NCR Rangers left behind in the hasty retreat, and Vulpes is forced to seek refuge in an old vault, where he notices uncanny similarities between the old building and House’s console in the Lucky 38.
As relief forces from the dam push the Rangers out, Benny is found quietly cursing the Rangers for not freeing him. Thinking of the old vault, Vulpes offers to release Benny in exchange for information about Caesar’s lucky pendant. With freedom calling, a desperate Benny tells him about the Platinum Chip, and the exiled master of the frumentarii gets a terrible idea. When Vulpes Inculta rules the wasteland, he thinks, they will all bow before him.
- Released
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October 19, 2010
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs