The Battle of Nelson was a major battle in the NCR-Legion War, where Caesar's Legion exploited the New California Republic's slowed mobilization during their Mojave Campaign to send a battalion led by the decanii Dead Sea and Alexus to occupy the pre-War town of Nelson, taking it for themselves and starting a prolonged ground campaign against the nearby NCR Army base at Camp Forlorn Hope. The event is mentioned in Fallout: New Vegas.
Background[]
In the late 23rd century, during the early stages of the Mojave Campaign, the New California Republic Army tried to move quickly and secure valuable stretches of land along the Colorado River, including the pre-War town of Nelson; it was considered to be a significant gap in the security web between the NCRA's established bases at Forlorn Hope and Searchlight. Part of the NCR garrison at Nelson was a logistics and planning force, intended to support the patrol efforts of Camp Forlorn Hope.[3][Non-game 1][Non-game 2] Due to being deployed to garrison the town on short notice, the soldiers sent there had few resources and fewer time to set up proper defenses against attack.
Word eventually reached Caesar about the NCR's weak position at Nelson. On his lord's orders, frumentarii leader Vulpes Inculta ordered the invasion of the town as both a strategic military strike and a demoralization procedure to weaken Republic interests in the surrounding area.[1][2] Simultaneously, in order to further cement the Legion's push into the southern Mojave, Vulpes himself orchestrated the destruction of the military base at Searchlight, freeing up the attack force to move on Nelson without interference.
Battle[]
Sometime around mid-October 2281, two contubernia under the command of the Legion decanii Dead Sea and Alexus executed a surprise attack on the under-equipped garrison at Nelson.[2][4] Although the Republic's forces outnumbered them two to one,[2] the legionaries swiftly overran the poorly furnished defenses, killing most of the troopers and capturing the rest.
Aftermath[]
By late October, the Legion's firm control of Nelson, coupled with the fall of Camp Searchlight to the southwest, has allowed them to openly war against the nearby Camp Forlorn Hope. However, conflict eventually reached a rough standstill: each side periodically sends out a party of skirmishers to try and weaken the other, but neither has had any success meaningfully gaining territory, rendering the battle lines static.[5]
Even with this hurdle, the Legion has taken advantage of the NCR's constant surveillance to ramp up their demoralization efforts, torturing captured soldiers and then executing them either by cutting their limbs off or hurling them into the river in full view of spotters. A group of three soldiers that weren't executed were condemned to a slower death by being crucified in the center of the town; the Legion hopes to use these crucified troops as hostages to keep any counteroffensives at bay and further break the NCR's spirit.[6][7] Attempts to get close to Nelson have often ended in further death or capture, including one time when Private Renolds' squad was ambushed and taken by Alexus to the Legion's makeshift prison within the nearby Techatticup Mine, with the private the only one to escape before then.[8][Non-game 2]
Despite the risks, a patrol Ranger named Milo has taken it upon himself to gather together a motley force of troopers and take back Nelson.[9] The numbers disadvantage aside, Milo has chosen to preemptively dismantle the Legion's demoralizing tactics by directly killing and thereby ending the suffering of their crucified hostages,[10] believing that with the crucified troopers taken out of the equation as efficiently as possible, their comrades would not be so reluctant to commit to an assault on the enemy stronghold.[6]
Appearances[]
The Battle of Nelson is mentioned only in Fallout: New Vegas.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Courier: "Towns? The Legion destroyed Nipton, poisoned Searchlight, butchered Nelson."
Lanius: "[SUCCEEDED] {Pauses}Vulpes... brought the touch of Caesar to such places.{Beat} It was necessary to weaken the West, show that the Legion could strike deep into the places where NCR thought it safe.{Rallying} But we do not need *those* towns. Like Hoover Dam, there is the power within Vegas... we can harness it for our needs."
(Lanius' dialogue) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 The Courier: "Why haven't you attacked the enemy?"
Dead Sea: "I have attacked the enemy. I led the assault on Nelson with two contubernia against twice our number. It is Caesar's wish that we hold this position. Our mere presence this side of the Colorado humiliates and demoralizes the enemy."
(Dead Sea's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "Tell me about Nelson."
Chief Hanlon: "Nelson was barely set up. We had a big stretch of unprotected land between Forlorn Hope and Searchlight, and Nelson was the solution. A decanus named Dead Sea took the place and caused a lot of damage."
(Hanlon's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "What happened here?"
Milo: "Troopers tried moving down from Forlorn Hope because we got this big gap between there and Searchlight. Turns out we were spread too thin. We took our sweet ass time setting up in Nelson and the Legion managed to hop over the Colorado and attack before things were settled."
(Milo's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "Elder McNamara sent me for your report. He asks if the bears are still hunting."
Brotherhood scout: "Then I am sworn to report. I've been dividing my time between the camps to the north and south of here. One belongs to the NCR, the other to a band of slavers known as Caesar's Legion. I was sure the NCR would quickly win, but that has not happened. Instead, the two sides have reached a stalemate, and only occasionally send skirmishers against one another. If I didn't know better, I'd say neither side is confident enough to push for a full victory. Which seems strange given the NCR's technological edge. In any event, I've recorded my findings in this report. Please deliver it to the Elder. I am sure he will find the contents most interesting."
(Brotherhood scout's dialogue)
Note: This dialogue only occurs if the scout close to Camp Forlorn Hope and Nelson is spoken to during Still in the Dark without either completing Restoring Hope or We Are Legion, or killing all inhabitants at both locations. - ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Courier: "Why take out the hostages?"
Ranger Milo: "The troopers won't go down into the camp with their comrades at risk. Dirty game the Legion likes to roll out whenever they get a chance. Problem is, Ranger Milo doesn't want to play. If we take out the hostages, they've got squat for leverage."
(Milo's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "You're demoralizing the enemy by leaving them alone?"
Dead Sea: "I do not question Caesar's will! I do not second-guess! I butchered this town. Those who weren't hacked limb from limb were forced to throw themselves from the cliffs. Three more, I have just crucified. All this, in full view of the enemy's spotters to the north. Yes, our presence here demoralizes the enemy."
(Dead Sea's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "Why are you out here alone?"
Private Renolds: "My squad was ambushed by a Legion party lead by that bastard Alexus. He was taking us into the mine up ahead, but I managed to get away. I need help to get them out."
(Renolds' dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "Don't you have the authority to command the troopers to go into the camp?"
Milo: "I'm a ranger. They're troopers. Different branches. I don't have authority over them even though they're as green as a Super Mutant's backside. Besides, they'd probably start crying as soon as they saw the hostages get so much as a bruise. Nope, they don't got the stomach for it."
(NVNelsonRangerMilo.txt) - ↑ Events of Back in Your Own Backyard in Fallout: New Vegas
Non-game
- ↑ Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide Collector's Edition pp. 417-418: [6.02] Camp Forlorn Hope
After NCR captured Hoover Dam, it took them a while to fully reinforce the river to the south. The first camp that was established was Camp Forlorn Hope; an improvised mess of tin shacks, salvaged rubble from Boulder City, tents, and lots of sandbags, it is the most pathetic-looking of all NCR's camps, but the one that sees the most action. It only exists at all because of the natural spring there (in fact the camp is named for the spring). Recently, Caesar's Legion captured NCR's logistical/planning forces in the ruins of the small, ruined town of Nelson, a disaster that has disrupted Forlorn's Hopes attempts to patrol the western coast of the river.
Graveyard of No Hope
A nickname some in the camp whisper about the collection of graves of the fallen, on a two-tiered promontory behind the shacks, overlooking the Colorado River. Shoot the Bloatflies in the area for sport. Due to the height disadvantage, attack from here only if you plan to be stealthy. - ↑ 2.0 2.1 Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide Collector's Edition pp. 418-419: [6.06] Nelson
Nelson was a second NCR outpost, as the Republic slowly gained ground along the Colorado River to stem the tide of the Legion's advancement across Arizona. But Caesar struck back, razing Nelson, and capturing any NCR troopers that weren't executed or shot, and crucified them as an example of barbarism; to crush the NCR morale.