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Boomers
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Boomers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Reputation image from Fallout: New Vegas. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Boomers are a tribe in the Mojave Wasteland in 2281.
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Background
Edit
As part of the Vault experiment, Vault 34's armory was overstocked with weapons and ammunition. It was also equipped with a vast number of recreational facilities, including a full-sized swimming pool, at the cost of living space.
According to various sources inside the vault, the vault became overpopulated. Foreseeing problems, the Overseer had a remote link to the armory lock installed on his terminal, denying access. A group of residents demanded access to the armory, stating their need for the right to defend themselves, which the Overseer denied. Rioting broke out soon after, and the group who had demanded access to the armory stormed the exit and left the vault. As they wandered the Mojave Wasteland, they fought many tribals with their weapons, easily outclassing the comparatively-primitive wastelanders. However, for "every 43.6 savages" they killed, one of their own died. Thus, they sought a home, and found Nellis Air Force Base, long since left empty because of the residual radiation, which the Vault dwellers easily circumvented with the use of their Geiger counters.
In 2231, the group of dissidents from Vault 34 struck out on their own and began using Nellis as a temporary base. Over time, they eventually decided to call Nellis their home. They learned a great deal of information from the Air Force's records and used that information to open the weapons storehouses at Area 2 and the Hawthorne Army Depot, neither of which are present in the game. The result of their efforts was an enormous stockpile of heavy ordnance, artillery, and a small number of nuclear weapons.
They trained themselves in the art of aerial combat by using the virtual reality flight simulators already there inside Nellis, despite having no planes or fighters to fly. The closest thing they have to a plane is the destroyed bomber in the hangar, with some essential parts still in-tact.
Due to the tribe's paranoia, hostility, and excessive reverence for explosives, the New Vegas locals started calling them "Boomers". The Boomers didn't mind their name so long as it meant for outsiders to keep their distance. No matter who approached them (Mr. House, the Vegas families, NCR, or Caesar's Legion), the Boomers had the same response: artillery. The NCR even tried shutting off the Boomers' water supply, but due to the sheer power of Boomer artillery, the NCR gave up the attempt in exchange for their own water pipeline to not be shelled.
In the months that followed that experiment, no one has tried to approach the Boomers, which is just how they like it.
SocietyEdit
Having left Vault 34 and finding the Nellis Air Force Base, the Boomers had to find new clothes that reflected their independence. They found old military jackets in the base and used them over their vault jumpsuits. Each jacket sports several military medals for decoration, and embroidered on the back is the number "34", as to never forget where they came from.
They are a self-sufficient society, producing food, weaponry, and power all inside their base. As a result, they need no relations with the outside world.
They believe that self-armament is the key to a peaceful society, meaning that each Boomer carries a weapon and will not hesitate to use it when the time calls for it.
The Boomers are attached to their history, whether past or present. A large fresco in their museum tells of their great epic:
The left part represents the Boomers emerging from the vault, exterminating the "savages" they encountered with frag mines and grenades. The middle section, which represents the current state of the Boomers, show their discovery of the air force base. There, they prospered, multiplied, and kept the savages from distance with the artillery they have. The bubble above the small pods next to the artillery is them flying flight simulators to train to fly the bomber. The right-most section represents the Boomers' future where they hope to unleash "high-explosive ordnance upon ignorant savages" with the bomber they hope to restore.
StructureEdit
Their structure is very basic; there is a leader, a doctor, a teacher, a guard, mechanical technicians, and a keeper of the story to keep their history. Only the leader can give orders to the others and has absolute power over everything.
MilitaryEdit
The Boomers have an extremely basic military hierarchy, consisting of basic guards, mortar teams, the acting Master of Arms, and the Elder. A combination of guards armed with man-portable explosive launchers and howitzer teams will bomb the area south of Nellis when somebody enters targeting range, with the exception of the intruder making it close enough to the fence, where they will either detain the intruder or kill them. The commanding officer, called the Master of Arms, coordinates the guards in both defensive and offensive (mainly diversionary) operations, and the Elder of the Boomers has the ability to issue new orders and alter or override existing orders with all forms of military and security procedures without contest.
Relations with the outsideEdit
They are hostile towards anyone who tries to approach their base and refuse to trade with anyone. However, due to the powerful weapons they control, the main factions surrounding the area have expressed their interest with them. The NCR hopes to establish diplomatic and trade relations with the Boomers, while Caesar's Legion seeks to absorb them into their ranks. Mr. House wants their weapons aimed at his enemies.
TechnologyEdit
Coming from one of the most heavily-armed Vaults in existence, Boomers are extremely well-equipped. They each have a Pip-Boy 3000 and are well versed in the use of explosives. They have missile launchers, grenade launchers, fat mans, and many old military howitzers that they use to repel anyone trying to make their way to the base. Many Mister Gutsy robots have been reprogrammed by the Boomers to protect them. These robots can also break down and transport large objects quickly and efficiently, as stated by Loyal regarding the extraction of the bomber they are aiming to acquire.
Within the hangar are flight simulators that can teach any Boomer to fly; these pods are highly similar to the ones found in the Hidden Valley bunker. They have no working planes, but this doesn't keep them from flying, at least virtually. These simulators need access codes to function (which can be obtained from Loyal by passing a Speech check), but no matter what your reputation is with the Boomers, they cannot be opened.
The base produces its energy through solar panels, cultivates its own crops inside, and draws an unlimited supply of water from Lake Mead thanks to their close proximity.
During the Courier's time with the Boomers, Master-At-Arms officer Raquel will state that the Boomers' ordnance is getting low, down to a five-year supply. Similarly, Jack will request more scrap metal for future use. These requests demonstrate a mastery over logistics and stockpiling, which many factions in the Mojave simply lack.
NotesEdit
- Pearl, the eldest Boomer and leader of the tribe, predicted that one day an Outsider would get past the defenses of Nellis and help connect the Boomers with the rest of the world, even if "only a little." At this point, the player can choose to either kill Pearl or fulfill their promise. The player can also ignore Pearl's request.
- If the player has an idolized reputation and helps out enough with the Boomers, they will be offered the quest Volare! by Loyal. During the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, the Boomers will assist you and your chosen faction by bombarding the enemy from the plane. You can actually see the plane flying and dropping the bombs.
- Despite the Boomers having never left Nellis Air Force Base in decades and the Courier being the first outsider they have let into their gates, NCR currency can be found in the Boomer's solar energy generator building.
- If you have negative reputation with the Boomers, they can be extremely difficult to fight (but extremely useful because of the rare weapons they often carry), mainly due to the fact that they carry heavy weapons such as the missile launcher, and one or two Fat Men. The Boomers with Fat Men can be especially challenging, because of the frequency with which the Fat Man cripples limbs.
- Despite The Boomers' relative hatred of all outsiders, becoming not just accepted or liked but Idolized is pretty easy. Saying nice things about the Boomers to Pete, turning in scrap metal to Jack, and completing their relatively simple quests/tasks all give you good amounts of reputation. The Boomers can be considered as the easiest faction to heighten your reputation with.
- The Boomers are not hostile to the player in person when first encountered.
- The Boomers will comment on certain companions that are currently following you:
- While having Veronica Santangelo as a companion, a Boomer will sometimes say "I can spot a Brotherhood spy from a thousand yards. Even the cute ones."
- While having Raul Tejada as a companion, a Boomer will sometimes say "Never seen a ghoul this close up before. Not sure that I've wanted to."
- While having ED-E as a companion, Boomers and even the Mister Gutsies might say, "I can take care of that robot problem for you. Just saying."
- While having Craig Boone as a companion, Argyll might say, "Once a republican, always a republican."
- Once the Boomers are turned hostile via combat (even after completing Volare! or having Idolized reputation), they will never become friendly to you again.
AppearancesEdit
The Boomers appear only in Fallout: New Vegas.
Behind the scenesEdit
The Boomers were created by John Gonzalez.
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