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Gametitle-FNVGametitle-VBGametitle-JES
Any lawman that comes after me won't have it easy.

The Powder Gangers (sometimes referred to as Powder Gangsters by Johnson Nash) are a chain gang of escaped convicts operating in the Mojave Wasteland in 2281.

Background

The NCR Correctional Facility is the dominant location of the central Mojave Wasteland. In the distant past, it was the Jean Conservancy, a low-security all-female prison. Under recent NCR control, it was used to house prisoners on work release. The prisoners worked the railroad parallel to the Long 15 under NCR trooper supervision, maintaining the vital land link between the Boneyard and New Vegas. Eventually, prison guards (NCR troopers) were pulled away to run Colorado River border patrol. When the guard staff was low, the prisoners executed a daring and violent coup.

Because the rail crews often used explosives (typically dynamite) to blast through rock or get rid of train cars that were locked/fixed on the line, the prisoners inevitably acquired small amounts that they hid in their cells. When they made their break, they blasted their way out. The interior of the prison was clearly the scene of a large riot where the prisoners used explosives, improvised weapons, and stolen NCR trooper equipment to break through multiple walls and scatter through the desert. A lot of the prisoners weren’t in on the escape plan formally; they just got caught up in the moment. Consequently, a lot of them didn’t really know where to go when the dust settled. A large contingent of Powder Gangers can be found in Vault 19 though many squatted in the prison and have been informally raiding since then.[1]

Organization

There are several groups of loosely organized Powder Gangers, many remain in the prison and have been raiding surrounding areas under the leadership of Eddie. There are factions of Powder Gangers spread far along the south-west part of the Mojave Wasteland, as far down as Nipton.

The smaller groups of Powder Gangers are all lead by a strong or cunning underboss, like Joe Cobb. A large contingent of Powder Gangers can be found in Vault 19 under the leadership of Samuel Cooke, although there they are identified as escaped convicts.

Relations with the outside

Due to their hostility, the Powder Gangers have little to no friendly relations with outside groups. They are hated by both the NCR, whom they were former prisoners of, and Caesar's Legion, for harassing their raiding parties west of the Colorado River. The Brotherhood of Steel also seems to dislike them due to interfering with patrols near and in Hidden Valley.

Neutral relations are not completely unheard of, as seen in Nipton, although they are very rare. The willingness of Samuel Cooke's group to join the Great Khans suggests at least some respect is held for the Khans, though no formal relations exist between the two groups without intervention from the Courier.

Technology

The favored and most common weapons among the Powder Gangers are explosives, primarily the powder charges and dynamite which they acquired during their time in prison and escape. However, they also have a large arsenal of guns; some stolen, others looted from dead NCRCF guards. Their guns tend to be weak; they carry single shotguns, 9mm pistols, varmint rifles, and .357 Magnum revolvers.

Interactions with the player character

Quests

Effects of player's actions

  • Completing Ghost Town Gunfight will earn negative reputation with the Powder Gangers.
  • If you have negative reputation with the Powder Gangers, groups of one to three of them will occasionally ambush you south of Primm and west of The Prospector's Den.

Notable quotes

Endings

This section is transcluded from Fallout: New Vegas endings. To change it, please edit the transcluded page.

Narrated by Eddie

#

Slide Voice-over narration In-game condition
1
Powder Gangers end slide 01
After Hoover Dam, the leaderless Powder Gangers at the Correctional Facility vanished into the wastes, leaving the prison empty. The Correctional Facility became another abandoned ruin in the wasteland, its carcass occasionally picked over by enterprising prospectors. Eddie dies.
2
Powder Gangers end slide 03
With the Dam firmly in their grasp, the NCR turned its attention towards wresting the Correctional Facility from Powder Ganger hands. The Powder Gangers are no match for the battle-hardened troops of the NCR, and summary execution awaited the Powder Gangers who managed to survive. Do not kill Eddie and complete the endgame quest Eureka! for the NCR.
3
Powder Gangers end slide 02
Most Powder Gangers at the Correctional Facility fled into the wasteland rather than face the advancing forces of the Legion. Those brave or foolish to remain were killed or crucified by the merciless Legionaries. Do not kill Eddie and complete the endgame quest Veni, Vidi, Vici for Caesar's Legion.
4
Powder Gangers end slide 01
The NCR, battered by the loss of the Dam, were unable to devote any troops to retaking the Correctional Facility from the Powder Gangers. As a result, Powder Ganger raids on caravans became an unfortunate fact of life in the Mojave for years to come. Do not kill Eddie and complete either All or Nothing for Mr. House or No Gods, No Masters for an Independent New Vegas.

Narrated by Samuel Cooke

#

Slide Voice-over narration In-game condition
1
Powder Gangers end slide 04
With Cooke dead, the Powder Gangers at Vault 19 fell apart. Those who weren't destroyed by the Courier fled into the hills or attempted to work their way back through the Mojave Wasteland. Few survived. Kill Samuel Cooke.
2
Powder Gangers end slide 04
Armed with a wide array of improvised explosives and stolen weapons, the Vault 19 Powder Gang tormented the Mojave Wasteland for years. Citizens of the NCR were favorite targets, and they always suffered the worst fates. Do not complete Why Can't We Be Friends?; or complete it by blowing up the sulfur deposits AND Vault 19.
3
Powder Gangers end slide 05
After the Vault 19 Powder Gang surrendered to the NCR, they were re-incorporated into the correctional system. The NCR did increase their sentences, and they aren't about to take off time for good behavior. Destroy ONLY the sulfur deposits below Vault 19 and convince Philip Lem to surrender to the NCR.
4
Powder Gangers end slide 06
After the majority of the Vault 19 Powder Gangers joined the Great Khans, the weaker members scattered throughout the Mojave Wasteland. Though a few managed to erase their pasts, most never survived the journey. Convince Philip Lem or Samuel Cooke to ally with the Great Khans.

Notes

  • Though Powder Gangers almost all have Evil karma, the larger Powder Ganger faction is not marked as Evil. Notably, this means that stealing items owned by the Powder Ganger faction will incur negative karma.
  • There are several looted caravans along the Long 15 with Powder Gangers hovering around the area. One in particular, a Crimson Caravan Company's caravan slightly northeast of Jean Sky Diving, has a rather sinister scene with a couple of dead caravan guards, the female of which is stripped of her outfit (unlike the male guard, who is still wearing his leather armor). This was the caravan that Ringo was with until it was ambushed, leading to him fleeing to Goodsprings
  • If you happen to have Arcade Gannon when near some Powder Gangers, they will mention that they bought and sold people like him, possibly indicating they dabble in slavery.
  • The aforementioned female caravan guard ties in with an NPC that was cut from the game. Originally a wasteland adventurer would be standing in front of the sign adjacent to Jean Sky Diving as you approach the intersection with Long 15. You could barter with him and a piece of leather armor would always be present for sale, which implied that he had looted the armor from the caravan guard's body. Most of the assets, including voice acting is included in the game's files.
  • Originally the Powder Gangers along the Long 15 were immediately hostile to the Courier if the latter was not disguised as a Powder Ganger themselves. This was later changed in a patch, with the raiding camps only being hostile if the Courier has obtained negative reputation with the Powder Gangers.

Appearances

Powder Gangers appear in Fallout: New Vegas and J.E. Sawyer's Fallout RPG. The 215 Rail Line Powder Gang were also due to appear in Black Isle's canceled Fallout 3.

References

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