#ncrcf

[edwardsallow]

Prison Tattoos of the NCR’s correctional system

(TWs for mentions of war crimes, s*x trafficking)

Two Californian quails: usually placed on the feet or on either side of the collarbone, these can indicate someone has perjured themself before a court tribunal.

Tandi, Aradesh, and Ranger Seth: historically, this tattoo was worn by veterans. It increasingly became a mark of criminals as they realized that having it could help one avoid being summarily executed during the lawless early days of the Republic.

A boar or boars head: people who have killed, or claim to have killed, an NCR soldier don the boar tattoo as a sign of strength. After the bombs fell, the landscape of California was heavily infested by irradiated pigs, some wild and some formerly domesticated - a percentage which exceeded the bear population by a considerable amount, since boars have less body mass and a more versatile diet. This phenomenon popularized the idea that irradiated pigs were a predator of bears, though it is only partially true.

A blindfolded woman: indicating imprisonment that is considered unjust.

The decapitated head of a snake: a favorite of former tribesmen imprisoned for resisting NCR expansion, the snake’s head symbolizes the maintenance of a resistant spirit in spite of the ostensible acceptance of defeat.

A goat, sheep, or ox: tattooed on former soldiers imprisoned for misconduct, usually as scapegoats for higher-ups.

A bundle of railroad spikes: traditionally, this tattoo meant that one had converted to Christianity while in prison, invoking the transformative suffering of Jesus while he was nailed to the cross. However, with the spread of factions supported by industrialized slavery, this tattoo is increasingly worn by former slaves, who often end up imprisoned upon trying to reenter society.

Medieval executioners, or part of a suit of armor: a favorite of veterans of the NCR-Brotherhood conflict.

A fly: worn by prisoners often subjected to solitary confinement.

An energy weapon: veterans of the NCR war with the Enclave occasionally get these tattooed.

An angel or dove: indicates loss of a loved one while incarcerated.

An orange poppy: the marking of prostitutes from California.

A broken chain: indicates successful release or escape from prison.

A calla lily: a variant of the poppy, worn by those sexually exploited before or during their entrance into the prison system.

A charging or snorting bull: tattooed on former Legionnaires, often sold out by their Centurions to be trafficked into NCR prison labor.

A burnt out match: worn by former or current chem addicts.

[delafiseaseses]

Created this Graph of Powder Gangers

I shall also write what this says with some further elaboration under a 'Read More'.

We start at Cooke's Prison Break. At which point the Powder Gangers split into 3 factions: The NCRCF Powder Gang, The Bison Steve Escaped Convicts and The Vault 19 Powder Gang (originally simply 'Cooke's Faction' before reaching Vault 19).

We'll now go over all these factions, starting with the Bison Steve Escaped Convicts.

Leader: Escaped Convict Leader.

Several Unnamed Convicts (both called 'Escaped Convicts' and just 'Convicts')

This faction is unaffiliated with any other Powder Gang and does not have any implied affiliates who use Powder Gang Reputation.

Next we'll go over the Vault 19 Powder Gang

At Vault 19

Leader: Samuel Cooke

Opposition: Philip Lem

Several unnamed members labelled 'Escaped Convicts'

This group does not use Powder Ganger Reputation.

At Whittaker Farmstead

A few unnamed Powder Gangers who use Powder Ganger Reputation.

These gangers are explicitly linked to Samuel Cooke only in a cut note and by proximity to Vault 19.

Now we have the big one. The NCRCF Powder Gang. The main faction of Powder Gangers. All members use Powder Ganger Reputation.

At NCRCF

Leader: Eddie

Second in Command: Scrambler (could also be called 'Main Bodyguard' or maybe 'Enforcer')

"Doctor": Hannigan (6 months training as a medic)

Trader: Carter

Front Door Guard: Dawes

The NCRCF is also home to the unaffiliated non-member ex-inmate Meyers, at one point Meyers would've had his own small group of 'Deputies' if he was put in-charge of Primm (there is still some reference to them in dialogue).

Joe Cobb's Gang, which could also be called Joe Cobb's Crew.

Leader: Joe Cobb

5 other members

A raiding party of the NCRCF. They charge 'tolls' to travelers on I-15, some of Joe Cobb's gang (though Ringo says they attacked without warning).

Boxcars' Crew which could also be called 'The Nipton Crew'

Possible Leader: Boxcars

Other Members: Oliver Swanick, Legion Captives, Legion Crucified

The ill-fated Nipton party. Called 'my crew' by Boxcars. Use Powder Ganger Reputation.

Tricked into a deathtrap by the Legion and corrupt Nipton Mayor Joseph B. Steyn. Oliver runs into Radscorpions and if you save the Captives they run into Ghouls. So, its safe to say that this crew has been disbanded.

Other NCRCF Gangers

The unnamed Gangers found at Powder Ganger Camp North, East and West.

The Gangers around NCRCF (such as on I-15, I don't think the ones currently around the sacked caravan are Joe Cobb's Gang due to their lack of participation in the Goodsprings Raid).

The Primm Powder Ganger Ambushers.

Now for the Chavez Splinter Faction which could also be called 'Chavez' Crew' or the 'Camp North Splinter Faction'.

At Powder Ganger Camp North

Leader: Chavez

3 other members

Chavez refuses to respect Eddie's authority, so Eddie orders him dead. On the the matter of the other members of this splinter faction Eddie says "Chavez is the ringleader. Without him, his crew will fall apart, and I don't give a shit about those guys."

Now we go onto the Unknown Affiliation Powder Gangers who have no direct hints as to which faction they're a part of.

First we have Hawkins, named in-game simply as Powder Ganger he is found dead by Quarry Junction, implied to have killed a Deathclaw before he was killed by them. He was presumably killed a fair bit after the Gangers stormed and claimed Quarry Junctions Dynamite, which means he was either a loner, a member of the NCRCF Faction who went too far north or a member of Vault 19 who went back that direction.

Now we have the Hunter's Farm Powder Gangers

Located in proximity to Whittaker Farmstead and Vault 19, they nevertheless have no content cut or in-game that directly ties them to the Vault 19 Powder Gang and they use Powder Ganger Rep, meaning its possible they're a far-northern NCRCF Crew.

So, yeah, I think that's about everythin'. If I missed anythin' do tell me. I tried t' be very extensive.

[thefalloutwiki]

Were you previously aware...

That the signs at the NCR Correctional Facility use modified Vault Boy art?

This "Please do not stand when shots are fired" sign has two Vault Boys taken from a slide in the GOAT.

While the Vault Boy on this "Hitch hikers may be escaped prisoners" sign has been taken and modified from the cannibal perk.

You can read more about the NCR Correctional Facility here

[andrevascreencaps]

[i-aviy]

Oc-tober prompt 2: Leisure time

Sarge learned the guitar when he was very young and often sung for Max to calm her down. Some little kid in an oversized cowboy hat playing and singing rebel soldier in the middle of a powder ganger camp made quite a picture. The convicts would give Sarge encouragement and often asked him to play at campfires.

[z0mbert]

new california republic correctional facility.

[delafiseaseses]

Got to wonder what the process was for deciding who was sent to the NCRCF. I mean, they have people ranging from 'medical supply theft and selling' like Hannigan to 'blowing up NCR supply caravans' like Samuel Cooke. Even killing many people, including kids for Scrambler.

Like, did they use a random number generator to select the convicts they were gonna take to the Mojave? Because I can't see anything but utter apathy from whoever decided on the transfer prisoners like Samuel Cooke and Scrambler to that "work release" prison.

The Powder Gangers were created due to NCR incompetence and cruelty. But the NCR, naturally, aren't the ones suffering for it.

[delafiseaseses]

Quite a Month in the Mojave

Ever think about how the 188 Trading Post is a very recently created place? The Kerrs founded it a month before the game starts, as Michelle says "Name's Michelle. My Dad and me run this store. His name's Samuel. I take the day shift and he takes nights. We came here about a month ago, when Primm went to hell on account of the prison break north of there. Found a bin to call home and set up shop."

In fact, another Powder Ganger related thing helped it thrive so quickly. As Samuel says "Goddamned convicts just about shut down I-15." and, expanding on how that helped him "When 15 shut down, 95 became the route NCR citizens use to get to the Strip - or limp back home, after the Strip's drained 'em of caps. We get 'em coming and going."

The Powder Gangers raiding people was part of what they did that 'Shut down I-15' but they're also responsible indirectly for the Quarry Junction Deathclaw Infestation. As Chomps Lewis says "They moved into the quarry after the Powder Gangers came through and made off with most of our dynamite."

So, all of that, the breakout of the NCRCF, the Powder Ganger raid on Quarry Junction and the subsequent Deathclaw inhabitation, the Escaped Convict Takeover of Primm, the Kerrs leaving Primm and establishing the 188 Trading Post and the subsequent flourishing of the Post into a major trading hub. All of that was about a month prior to the game.

And none of it would've happened if the NCR had done a better job of managing its prison (General Oliver kept transferring men from the prison to the Dam, the fact Samuel Cooke was there at all) or just... didn't use prison labour for their major railway infrastructure project. Like, honestly, I think the entire concept of taking your prisoners with crimes ranging from 'stole medical supplies' (Hannigan) to 'killed a bunch of people including children' (Scrambler) is ridiculous. Like, the NCR is directly responsible for everything that happened in that month before the game started, and who suffers for it the most? The people of the Mojave.