Some Writing on the NCR’s Efforts to Help People
Y’know, I don’t like the NCR, but at least some people in the NCR are trying to help people. They’re doin’ a crap job of it, but it’s better than the “abandon everyone unless they make me money” attitude of House and the less said of the ‘policy’ of Eddie Sallow’s Roman Themed Raider Gang the better.
The NCR has at least got some humanitarian aid. Of course, I will now describe the good and bad of these places/policies.
A refuge for the downtrodden. A place for those who have nowhere else to go due to circumstance or gambling. Run by Captain Parker.
They offer a place to stay and medical care for anyone who wants it NCR Citizens and Locals alike (although the medical care is from the New Canaanite/Follower Bert Gunnarsson and it’s not clear if he’s compensated at all by the NCR, we know the Followers don’t approve due to the NCR having issue with them).
Has rules against "the sale of unlicensed chems” and cheating in gambling.
Now for the issues. As Captain Parker himself admits he’s “short-staffed”, in fact... I don’t even remember seeing any NCR other than the Captain there and, as mentioned, Bert isn’t NCR. So, that’s a problem.
There’s the horrors of people being kidnapped by slavers and sold for horribly unpleasant purposes... we shan’t go into details. I’m sure we all know The Coyotes.
Keith cons people out of money by cheating and he also sells jet. Fueling gambling and drug adictions that can place people in the camp to begin with.
Then there’s Captain Parker himself... he’s actually quite a big con to the place. The man is clearly trying his best, but he will execute you without a trial for “pushing his buttons” and clearly can get away with it. Sure, his victim was Keith, but the man seems so confident that there will be no repercussions... all someone has to do is insult him with the mention his ex-wife and they’re dead.
So, Aerotech Office Park. Nice idea, horrifying results due to lack of funding.
The site of the famously horrific NCR fuck-up the Bitter Springs Massacure. Now being used by the NCR to house refugees. Run by Captain Gilles.
A dismal place, but it provides some shelter and medical treatment for refugees who otherwise would probably be far worse off.
Now, issues... there’s a lot of them. Gilles is understaffed (like Parker), but the position of the camp makes that even more of an issue. Supplies, including medical, are also low.
Medical treatment by Lieutenant Markland is limited. He admits that he’s simply not equipped or trained to deal with the psycological issues and children that are under his care. He, as he puts it, is an army field medic.
Then there’s Great Khan Oscar Velasco. Embittered by the Bitter Springs Massacure and really upset that the NCR is operating out of Bitter Springs he’s been stealing from the camp and sniping people for Six Months! In which he’s killed 8 refugees and 3 troopers. So... yeah, that’s real bad.
So, Bitter Springs Refugee Camp. Nice idea, horrifying results due to lack of funding.
Major Elizabeth Kieran’s Mission
Out of a ruined store in Freeside Major Elizabeth Kieran is providing food and water to NCR Citizens in Freeside (and a little to anyone who happens to be a friend of an NCR Citizen in secret).
The issues with this one are actually mostly due to outside forces. Pacer, specifically. An Envoy to The King was beaten by Pacer and the entire idea was nearly abandoned. Major Kieran managed to get it throught anyway, but more limited. The original plan was to help everyone in Freeside. The entire thing is secret now, with NCR Missionaries providing a door password to people who pass a simple test of NCR knowledge.
Sadly, violence brings violence and due to the extra military presence Locals Roy, Wayne and Farris ended up attacked.
Then the warmonging of Pacer gets a fair few Kings killed too and it’s entirely possible for these issues to lead to Pacer’s death or the massacure of The Kings, but that’s as much Pacer problem as an NCR one.
So, Major Kieran’s Mission is a good idea that ended with issues due to external forces rather than NCR incompetence.
So, do I have a point to this. Well, like I said, it at least shows the NCR has people trying to be good trying to help people. Even if, overall, the NCR ain’t great. Maybe you can imagine The Courier in an independent ending setting up far better places for refugees and the unfortunate, but in-game only the Followers are helping more.
