Aiding the Outcasts is a Fallout 3 quest that was added to the game in the Operation: Anchorage add-on. It is also an Xbox 360 and PC achievement as well as a PS3 trophy.
The Brotherhood of Steel Outcasts are trying to acquire advanced military tools, and the only way to enter the vault containing these relics is by completing a military virtual reality simulation only the Lone Wanderer can enter. In the simulation, the Lone Wanderer fights in one of the greatest battles of the Fallout universe: the Battle of Anchorage, Alaska from invading Red Chinese troops.
Quick walkthrough
| Main Quest: Aiding the Outcasts | |||||
| Travel to Bailey's Crossroads. | |||||
| Talk to Defender Morrill. | |||||
| Fight through to the Outcast Outpost. | |||||
| Use the elevator. | |||||
| Talk to Protector McGraw. | |||||
| Talk to Specialist Olin. | |||||
| Equip the neural interface suit. | |||||
| Enter the simulation pod. | |||||
| Reward: 100 XP | |||||
| Leads to: The Guns of Anchorage | |||||
Detailed walkthrough
Investigate the Outcast distress signal
After installing the DLC, the Lone Wanderer receives a message about an Outcast distress signal, which automatically adds the quest to the Pip-Boy.
From the emergency signal, the Wanderer learns that Defender Morrill is asking anybody capable of receiving the signal for support at Bailey's Crossroads. Bailey's Crossroads can be reached via Bailey's Crossroads Metro just south of the Red Racer factory. This is a fairly standard tunnel system occupied by a few feral ghouls.
Help the Outcast soldiers
At Bailey's Crossroads a battle is taking place between super mutants and Brotherhood Outcasts, who will mistake the Lone Wanderer for a Brotherhood Outcast if they are wearing their armor, and will be hostile if they are wearing Brotherhood armor. The battle progresses through a building until the group reaches the Outcast Outpost guarded by mark IV turrets. Once there, Defender Morrill, who led the Outcasts to the Outpost, asks the Lone Wanderer to speak with Protector McGraw at the bottom of a freight elevator.
It is still possible to go into the Anchorage Simulation if the Outcasts are killed. Simply take the neural interface suit from Specialist Olin.
Talk to the leader of the Outcasts
At the bottom of the elevator is Defender Sibley, who is not too happy to see the Lone Wanderer (except when wearing Outcast power armor or making use of the Black Widow option); he says to keep quiet and follow him. He leads onward to Protector McGraw who explains that there is some high-tech equipment locked away and only the Lone Wanderer, utilizing the Pip-Boy, can complete the VR program and gain access. This VR program is a simulation of the Anchorage Reclamation. The simulation's safety measures, as a must, have been disabled—dying in the simulator means death in the "real" world as well. The Protector then says to follow Sibley to Specialist Olin.
Enter the simulation pod
Olin can be found in the room with the simulation pod. She hands over a neural interface suit, which according to her is required to be able to participate in the simulation. After putting the suit on, open the simulation pod and activate it. This quest is concluded and the Lone Wanderer will then be inside the simulation at the beginning of The Guns of Anchorage.
Rewards
- 100 XP
Quest stages
Notes
- The emergency radio broadcast is heard approximately 3 to 5 minutes after leaving Vault 101 (when starting a new game after installing Operation Anchorage), regardless of story line progress. Continuing a current game after installing Operation: Anchorage will bring up the broadcast almost immediately. Completing the simulation prior to any other quests will allow equipping power armor and gaining levels inside the simulation.
- The emergency signal has a very large broadcast range, and can still be heard clearly 500 kilometers to the northwest, in The Pitt. Also the signal can be heard in Mothership Zeta.
- The Outcasts at Bailey's Crossroads will turn hostile if the Lone Wanderer harms one of them, accidentally or otherwise. This may cause frequent reloading of saves for players that pay little heed to where their attacks land. This can also be solved by simply yielding.
- Showing up at Bailey's Crossroads wearing a suit of Outcast power armor will make the Outcasts treat the Lone Wanderer as an Outcast officer. At least, until Protector McGraw recognizes that they are not one of them. Afterward, the greetings given by non-player characters still address the Wanderer as an Outcast. This does not apply to the unique version of Outcast power armor from Branchtender Linden.
- When McGraw first asks the Lone Wanderer to enter the simulation, they can say "Great, more psychotic little girls," referencing the experience in Tranquility Lane. McGraw, understandably, is rather taken aback by this option.
- If the Lone Wanderer has infiltrated and killed the Outcasts in Fort Independence, there is a dialogue option when talking to McGraw along the lines of "having killed his buddies at Fort Independence and now it is his turn" which in turn makes the Outcasts hostile. The Lone Wanderer can still enter the simulation after killing Specialist Olin and taking the neural interface suit.
- Similar to the above statement, earning Casdin's trust before going to the outpost yields a dialogue option along the lines of "having dealt with [the Outcasts] before. Fort Independence, right?", to which he will explain it is their main base of operations.
- If the Outcasts outside do not radio ahead, Defender Sibley can be heard talking to an unnamed outcast about the lift.
- Companion Star Paladin Cross may go haywire and kill the Outcasts.
- With Broken Steel, it is possible to encounter three super mutant overlords (with a super sledge, Gatling laser and a tri-beam laser rifle spread between them) on the way to the Outcast base, even at low levels. They can be quite troublesome (if not fatal) for low level players and will almost guarantee the deaths of the initial three Outcast members. On the other hand, this can provide early access to some rather advanced equipment.
- Any companions will not descend into the base, but rather will remain outside. This can cause problems if there are further attacks by enemies, as these companions could easily end up dying. To avoid this, they should be dismissed before entering the Outcast base.
- Entering McGraw's room before Sibley's lead makes it possible to listen in on an altered conversation where Sibley is berated for not keeping a closer eye on the Lone Wanderer and letting them wander the base.
Bugs
If you have completed the first part of the mission, and Defender Sibley is leading you to the Outcast commander, leaving will cause a very odd bug. Sibley will follow you, and will occasionally appear in the oddest places. He has been encountered in the Enclave mobile platform (Broken Steel), outside Rivet City, Raven Rock, the Citadel, in the Republic of Dave, Megaton, Tenpenny Tower and even into DLC areas, such as Point Lookout. [verified]- It is possible that after downloading Operation: Anchorage at the start of the game the radio transmission will not be recieved make it impossible to enter Bailey's Metro. [verified]
- Occasionally the radio signal may be recieved without having the quest added on the Pip-Boy. [verified]
- After completing the questline and opening the armory door, it is possible that the quest "You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head" will appear as completed after activating the power armor on display. [verified]
- You may get stuck in the elevator and have to reload an autosave, but do not wait too long or the game will autosave and you will be stuck in the elevator. This bug occurs more often when having Dogmeat as a companion. [verified]
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