Wild Card: Change In Management

Wild Card: Change In Management

Yes Man has been very helpful to say the least.  It's time for you to gain a little more power in New Vegas...

QUEST REWARD: 500 EXP.

QUEST OUTLINE: To follow

Before continuing with the game, look around the room with Yes Man to find a [LOCKSMITH'S READER] lying on one of the machines.  The door to the northeast leads to a hall with a locked door leading to the Sub-Basement, so ride the elevator down to the main floor again.  Exit the casino.  In case you were wondering, there's no need to collect your equipment - they're automatically put back in your inventory when you leave the casino.

One of Caesar's men, Vulpes Inculta tells you that Caesar wants to see you. This will automatically start the 'Render Unto Caesar' quest. Additionally, you also receive a note from Ambassador Crocker from the Republic. You're pardonned any crimes against both factions.  So... Let's just continue our pursuit of Benny for now.  Fast travel to Novac, which is closest to your destination.  Travel to the far southeast until you reach a canyon.  Head down and travel through the canyon until you finally reach Cottonwood Cove.  Speak to Cursor Lucullus who's waiting for you at the dock, and travel to the Fort by boat.

THE FORT

Go uphill (people are quite unfriendly around here, huh? They keep telling you to go .. "away"... How contradictory).  Enter the fort and look around for Caesar's tent, easily spotted by two flags and a luxurious look.

Note: Sometimes you're told you cannot enter the tent because you must enter by yourself.  This is an annoying bug, especially of your companion (Rex) is still already waiting at the entrance of The Fort.  To fix this, go back to your companion and specifically tell them to wait.  You can then enter the tent.

When speaking to Caesar, responding with "How may I serve your Legion, Caesar?" will increase your fame for Caesar's Legion.  Ask what you need to do and he'll hand you [THE PLATINUM CHIP].  Head to the Weather Monitoring Station (and activate the 'Render Unto Caesar' quest), west of Caesar's tent.  Inside, place the Platinum Chip in the device and head downstairs into the Securitron Vault.

THE SECURITRON ARMY

Here, speak with Mr. House over the screen.  He'll ask you to work for him instead.  Considering he's very powerful, let's play the game along .. for now, shall we?  Might as well get the best out of this complex situation.  Equip a radiation suit, or better yet, the space suit, to help protect you from the rad increase (even though it'll say 1 RAD every second, it does actually decrease the amount).

Go downstairs and destroy the Protectron, then go through the southern door, leading you to the security room.  Be sure to grab the valuable and powerful [PLASMA RIFLE] from the corner, and loot the [GRENADE BOX x2] and [AMMO BOX]. The Average Turret Operation Terminal can deactivate the turrets in this area, and the Hard Protectron Opration Terminal can deactivate, well, Protectrons, although you likely don't have 75 Science.  Do what you can - unfortunately the Sentrybot Terminal is inactive.

Head through the door at the end of the hall leading west.  Destroy the two Protectrons (and possibly a Mark VI Turret, if you hadn't disabled these) in this hall, then go downstairs, dispatch another Protectron and go through the generator hall, destroying another three to four Protectrons.  Inspecting the generotors in the adjacent chambers reveals that these can be destroyed.  For now, head west (destroy the Mark VI Turret) and go upstairs (destroying yet two more turrets).  It helps to toss Pulse Grenades at turrets and/or groups of Protectrons.  You should've gotten some from the Grenade Box earlier on.

Select the 'Wild Card: You and What Army?' quest.

You must now make a decision.  You have two options:

1.  Mr. House.  If you side with Mr. House, activate the 'The House Always Wins, II' quest in your Pip-Boy 3000 and then activate the Securitron Operations Console in the Security Room (at the red lights).

2.  Destroy the three reactors in the adjacent rooms of the generator hall to overload the bunker's reactor.  This also activates FOUR Sentry Bots near the exit, which you'll want to quickly run past - you're by far outmatched by these.

You'll receive 750 EXP for finishing the 'Wild Card: You And What Army?' quest. Now report back to Mr. House, and then to Caesar, also completing the 'Render Unto Caesar' quest, granting you 500 EXP.  After this, deal with Benny.  You can either kill him right away, crucify him (at a loss of karma), or face him in the arena (which allows you to loot him from his unique [BENNY'S SUIT] and [MARIA] Silenced 10mm Pistol).  You can also pickpocket this pistol from him when he's still tied up, but the suit requires some gladiator efforts.

All your equipment is returned to you after killing Benny in the arena.  Return to Caesar to receive 100 EXP and the task to kill Mr. House.  Fast Travel to The Strip North Gate and from here, go to The Tops Casino to meet up with Yes Man who's waiting right outside.  I think it's time to pay a visit to the Lucky 38 Casino.

Go inside the Lucky 38 Casino and take the elevator to the Penthouse.  Jane, one of the bots around here collects Snow Globes for Mr. House, giving you 2000 caps as a reward a piece!  Mr. House can be found in the room to the east.

OPTION 1: THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS

Simply hand the Platinum Chip over to Mr. House.  He'll show you what the Platinum Chip does.  Now that you know, you've completed the quest ( 500 EXP). Next goal is to meet the Boomers as part of 'The House Always Wins, III'.

OPTION 2: CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT

If you turn against Mr. House, this will turn all security bots hostile. Should you want to pick this option, activate a Stealth Boy, sneak upstairs and wait half a minute or-so.  Then, in the room with Mr. House's main screen, use the terminal behind the stairs to your left (northeast) to open the antechamber to the right.  Go inside and use the terminal next to the elevator to access the secret chamber with the 261 year-old Mr. House inside.  Open his chamber and kill Mr. House.  After you've done this, head to Yes Man at the Tops Casino to take over Mr. House's mainframe.  Yes Man will then show you what Mr. House intended to do with the Platinum Chip.

A Strategic Move for Power

NOTE: Things get more complicated to describe from now on, due to the various possibilities you have.  Soon enough, this guide goes over all possible options, but for now OPTION 1 (MR. HOUSE) will be followed.

Regardless of your actions, ride the elevator to the Lucky 38's Presidential Suite and check out the room with the pool table (to the northeast).  Search the wooden cabinet in the southeast corner to find a [FUTURE WEAPONS TODAY] skill magazine.  In the casino on the ground floor, check out the VIP section to the west - head upstairs - and check behind the bar: The cabinet contains [GOLDEN GLOVES].

Make your way to the northeast side of the map and follow the highway.  You'll eventually come across a Field Shack to your left (north).  The pickup next to it contains an [AMMO BOX] and Sunset Sarsaparilla Crate, and inside the shack are [AMMO BOX x3].

until you run into a fellow named George.  He tells you it'd be unwise to continue, and offers you an alternative for a measly 300 caps (or 50 with 40 Barter).  The only thing he actually does is sell you the 'Nellis Artillery Timing Details', which reads:

"The key to avoiding the artillery is to move from building-to-building up the northern side of town toward the front gate. Stick to the high cover in the northeast corner of the two buildings, then make a bee line for the gate.  The Boomers won't shoot at their own people, so stick to the fence until you make it to the gate.  Also, I know there is an old train tunnel that enters the area from the south, but no one has ever come back out of there to say it is safe."

In case you're wondering, the train tunnel has a Very Hard lock, so there's not much for you to do there right now.

It says what it says.  To elaborate: Do NOT go east or southeast or you will get killed.  Look for the higher piece of corner in the northeast corner of the first "house" (it's basically destroyed to the ground).  You can stay in this corner until the firing ceases.  Then immediately rush over to the next house to the northeast, which is more intact; hop inside and shelter in the northeast corner.  When the firing ceases once again, make a break for the fence to the far north.  Hug the fence and travel east to the main gate of the Nellis Air Force Base.

You're automatically spoken to and brought to Pearl, one of the elders.  A new quest will start, Volare!, and by the look of things you can do various other quests as well.  While it's possible to kill the Boomers, there's too many things to do and doing so would be a waste of gameplay.  Let's start with the 'Volare!' quest.