Fallout Tactics: Vault 0

[Part of the Fallout Tactics story]

With Barnaky's forces gone, only a bridge guarded by gatling turrets remains. The defenses on the opposite end are easily destroyed but the squad is caught by surprise when a second pair emerge behind them, ripping Jo into pieces before being destroyed.

Badly hurt, Frances, Pump and Malice hobble to the main chamber where they find the robot master "the Calculator" which is literally a PC connected to human brains in jars. They open fire from the doorway before it can put up any more defenses and destroy it easily - effectively shutting off the entire robot army.

How you win the game.

Alas without the Calculator, Vault 0's knowledge archives are lost forever and Dekker is expelled for his cowardice on the field (or rather, he never got on the field). Supposedly he was taken off world to join a mercenary band but others simply believe he killed himself.

Regardless, Frances is made the Brotherhood General by the remaining survivors and makes Vault 0 their main base of operations. Malice becomes captain of defense to stay near Glenda, his Reaver lover and Pump takes over leading the assault teams against all those who would try to take Vault 0 from them.

Frances knew there would be no peace. Only war, and war never changes.

Insight: If you don't shoot the computer from the door, it raises a shield and you have to clear the rest of the base behind it. At this point I just wanted to win already.

Fallout Tactics: Brainless Fools

[Part of the Fallout Tactics story]

Since the robots managed to jam the minimap at the previous manufacturing plant mission, Frances recruits the small and lithe Reaver girl, Mac, to act as a scout when deploying on their next assignment - a rescue operation.

For some reason the robots had been taking prisoners and the detention facility is heavily guarded by every type of bot previously encountered. Mac uses her stealth to find the best path for the team, who fight through a poorly defended flank.

At the main compound Mac takes point again, but as the team follows they are detected and a huge fire fight ensues. With the team taking defensive position in a vacant structure Mac previously scouted, waves of adversaries crash upon the building. Mac, providing overwatch from above, is taken by surprise by a security squid who tears her limb from limb.

The team survives but is badly hurt, so they split up to assault the main building with Frances and Malice taking the second floor while the others sweep into the ground level. Another behemoth is defeated before Frances finds the hostages - all of whom are naked and lobotomized. Among them is General Barnaky.

Thanks for letting us know the details!

Insight: While cover is important in this game, more so is positioning. By default the squad likes to move in a clustered group. If that's the position they fire from then there are good odds that the front line will take friendly fire from their own companions. Position firing lines properly to succeed!

Fallout Tactics: Tank You

[Part of the Fallout Tactics story]

Upon arriving at Newton the team finds mechanic gal Jo waiting for them with a tank! While the main gun has no ammunition, it provides ample cover for the team to fire from - especially against the new zerg-like spider scurry bots who bury themselves and wait in ambush.

It makes this mission so easy.

Jo's skills are more than enough to repair any damage to the vehicle, and soon the Reaver leadership is saved - one of whom taking an immediate romantic interest in Malice. As a reward they share their EMP weapon tech which the robots are weakest against.

With this technology secured, the brotherhood then advances West to the next forward operating base. Annoyingly, the tank can't be taken into any future missions as it is held in reserve for defense. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Fallout Tactics: Heavy Metal

[Part of the Fallout Tactics story]

The robot pieces are studied while the team is sent out to apprehend thieves who have stolen brotherhood power armor. The task is simple, but sees three more recruits die in the process. Afterwards Frances, Malice, and Hurt are sent to the Great Bend to fight the robot presence there.

To assist in this, three super mutants are assigned to them - Toni, Chuck and Pump all of whom are strong enough to carry the heavy caliber weaponry that is usually vehicle mounted. These guns literally blow apart the multitude humanoid bots present, as well as the floating security squid robots.

Like the ones in the Matrix!

A third class, the load lifter robot is much more durable and one such machine impales Chuck through the chest - killing him. Despite the loss, the team manages to clear the remaining robot forces in the area and is tasked to continue the fight to Newton and to save the Reavers besieged within.

Fallout Tactics: Possession

[Part of the Fallout Tactics story]

During the day, the vehicles are more easily unstuck but the APC is abandoned. After thanking him properly, Riddick takes the two seat scouter and goes on his way while Frances takes the humvee to Bunker Delta which isn't a bunker at all, but more an above ground fortress.

Dekker wants her to scout out the reported robot threat in the region, starting at a town who claim to have defeated one such adversary. Frances rebuilds her squad with Doc Hurt, Creeper the creep, one handed Stumpy, and heavy weapon supports Pain and Malice.

It turns out that the tech worshipping cult known as the Reavers also want the robot corpse, and aren't going to leave without a fight so Frances leads the assault against their makeshift farmhouse base. Despite their weak armor, the Reavers are carrying powerful weapons. There's also an unexpectedly huge number of them inside and around the little house.

Shooting through the town hall windows.

A grenade launched from the balcony eliminates Pain (who dies in his name sake), Creeper is exploded by a booby trapped door and Stumpy takes a lazer through the eye, frying his brain to ash. Eventually, enough blood is spilled and Frances, Hurt and Malice leave with the robot parts in their possession. 

How to deal with Scum

My journal through Borderlands! You can follow the rest of the story here!

On my quest to get the artifact back I drove through the middle of nowhere, burning some scriptures the bandits were preaching on the way. I prefer psychos over zealots any day. Eventually I reached Krom's Canyon, fighting past some pretty tough defenses at it's mouth. Took a slight detour once inside to raid their food stores and kill another wanted felon called Reaver first before going after Krom himself.

Turns out it was pretty easy to kill him, I just sniped him from far far away before he could hit me. In fact getting to him to retrieve the artifact was more challenging (and it wasn't really). Upon returning to Dr. Tannis she found the pieces fit like a puzzle. She also told me where I might be able to find the next piece to it, and had made a bargain with some criminal scum to lower the drawbridges on the East side of the Rust Commons.

More tasks had opened up too, so I figured I'd do those on the way - investigating more heathens and taking plant samples from spiderant infested zones. The car really is the best weapon against them as it makes a satisfying splat when you run them over. Only two instances where this wasn't true, one where there were simply too many spiderants to crush - leaving me on foot to fight my way out and another where I rammed a giant boss spiderant. Fortunately it was so badly hurt, that I still managed to finish it off lying on my back.

Don't try running over it with your car!