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The Fat Man is a weapon in Fallout: New Vegas.

Characteristics

The Fat Man is a shoulder-mounted tactical nuclear catapult. It is heavy, especially in Hardcore mode when combined with its mini nuke ammunition, but very powerful.

The weapon can be used outside of V.A.T.S. for indirect fire over a considerable distance.

Durability

The Fat Man can launch about 495 standard mini nukes from full condition before breaking.

Modifications

Fat Man Little Boy kit - Decreases weight by half (from 30 lbs. to 15 lbs.).

Variants

  • Esther Gun Runners' Arsenal - Unique weapon.
  • Fat Man (GRA) Gun Runners' Arsenal - The GRA version of Fat Man capable of accepting new types of mini nukes.

Comparison

Legend 
Weapon name (current weapon is highlighted)- Weapon name (melee or unarmed)Attacks in V.A.T.S.- Attacks in V.A.T.S.
Weapon name (current weapon is highlighted)- Weapon name (gun, energy or explosive)Action point cost- Action point cost
Damage per attack (damage per projectile)- Damage per attack (damage per projectile)Damage per action point- Damage per action point
Damage per second- Damage per secondWeapon spread- Weapon spread
Area of effect damage- Area of effect damageMagazine capacity (shots per reload)- Magazine capacity (shots per reload)
Effect damage & duration- Effect damage & durationDurability (number of attacks before breaking)- Durability (number of attacks before breaking)
Bonus effects- Bonus effectsWeight- Weight
Attacks per second- Attacks per secondValue in caps- Value in caps
Critical chance % multiplier- Critical chance % multiplierValue to weight ratio- Value to weight ratio
Critical damage- Critical damageSkill required- Skill required
Critical effect damage & duration- Critical effect damage & durationStrength required- Strength required
With all mods attached- With all mods attached
Weapon name (current weapon is highlighted)Damage per attack (damage per projectile)Damage per secondArea of effect damageAttacks per secondCritical Chance % multiplierCritical damageAction Point costDamage per action pointWeapon spreadMagazine capacity (shots per reload)Durability (number of attacks before breaking)WeightValue in capsValue to weight ratioSkill requiredStrength required
Fat Man 400
1578.96001.58x006515.40.514953060002001008
Fat Man With all weapon mods attached 400
1578.96001.58x006515.40.51495158500566.71008
Fat Man Gun Runners' Arsenal400
1578.96001.58x006515.40.51495308000266.71008
Fat Man With all weapon mods attached Gun Runners' Arsenal400
1578.96001.58x006515.40.5149515105007001008
Esther Gun Runners' Arsenal475
2036.86001.89x005519.50.5162040180004501008

Locations

  • Cottonwood crater - On the body of a dead prospector in poor condition.
  • Quarry Junction - Lying near the edge of a radioactive pool to the west of the quarry.
  • Nopah Cave - On the corpse of a super mutant master. Upon returning to the cave several days later, this super mutant may be found alive with another Fat Man and only a small amount of health. He continues to respawn every few days thereafter.
  • Hidden Valley bunker - Can be purchased from Torres in the Brotherhood armory after you are granted full access.
  • Nellis Air Force Base - Can be bought from the Boomer munitions manager in the mess hall & munitions storage, after receiving permission from Pearl.
    • A Fat Man and 3 mini nukes can be pickpocketed or looted from a Boomer while they are sleeping in one of 3 tents near crops to the southeast of the mess hall & munitions storage. If killed, this Boomer respawns every 3 days, providing a steady source of mini nukes.
  • A Fat Man can be found on the body of a super mutant master near a cazador nest directly south of Jacobstown. This location is marked during the quest Bleed Me Dry. Facing away from the Jacobstown gate and climbing up and around the hills to the right will lead to the path. The area is also accessible by going west from Red Rock Canyon, over some very steep trails.
  • Crimson Caravan Company - May be purchased from Blake on few occasions.
  • 188 trading post - May be bought from the arms merchant.

Notes

  • Specialty mini-nukes made available with the Gun Runners' Arsenal add-on are not usable with the version of the Fat Man in the base game. They can only be fired from the Fat Man (GRA) or from the Esther.
  • Demolition Expert and Splash Damage perks can make this weapon very dangerous for you and allies, as the risk of self harm is greatly increased.
  • The Fat Man found in New Vegas isn't nearly as powerful as the Fat Man found in Fallout 3, doing 1000 less damage (unless you hit the target directly), and having an explosion radius of roughly half the size.
  • In Prima's Official Game Guide, this was considered a unique weapon.

Behind the scenes

  • The names of Fat Man and its mod Little Boy are references to the code names of the atomic bombs dropped by the United States on Japan in World War II. Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima while Fat Man was dropped on Nagasaki.
  • Just like in Fallout 3, this weapon has been re-named to the Nuka Launcher in the Japanese translation of Fallout: New Vegas, due to its relation to the World War II event. However, the Little Boy mod keeps its original name.
  • The only real-world weapon remotely similar to the Fat Man is the M-388 Davy Crockett, developed by the United States during the Cold War. However, the Davy Crockett was not meant to be shoulder-fired, instead being set up on a tripod.

Bugs

  • Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Sometimes when a second mini nuke is fired to a distant location, an explosion will not be seen. [verified]
  • Xbox 360Xbox 360 If you cripple your legs and go into third-person, it will look like your character is holding the Fat Man, but there will be nothing there. Instead, it will be laying on the ground near you or floating in the air. If you fire it the nuke will go in whatever direction it is aiming. [verified]
  • Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Direct hit damage from the projectile does not get applied. This is a bug that applies to all non-hitscan projectiles that cause explosions. [verified]

Sounds

SingleShotVB ReloadVB
JamVB

Gallery

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