Desert Ranger combat armor

	For an overview of combat armor in the Fallout universe, see combat armor.

 

The Desert Ranger combat armor and the matching Desert Ranger combat helmet are pieces of armor in the Fallout: New Vegas add-on Honest Hearts.

BackgroundEdit

A USMC-issued armor boasting a desert camouflage pattern from the same manufacturer as the L.A.P.D. riot armors, worn with a matching military helmet with built-in low light optics, a combination IR/white light lamp and gas mask, an olive green duster and a pair of worn-out khaki pants. The owner's data is printed on the collar and includes rank, name, service branch, and blood type, to facilitate easy identification and possibly treatment of wounded or dead soldiers.

This particular type of armor was issued to the U.S. Marines operating in China during the Yangtze Campaign and Gobi Campaign between 2066-2077 before the Great War. It was most principally used in Nanjing, Shanghai and Gobi Desert, which seemed to have been the sites of most of the combat between the U.S. and their rivals, China.

This particular ensemble belonged to Staff Sgt. R.B. Vickers,^[1] a U.S. Marine involved in the Yangtze Campaign before the Great War. After his death, it eventually found its way into the hands of Randall Clark, also known as the Survivalist, who left it in Stone Bones cave while fleeing Vault 22 inhabitants in 2096. It seems the armor is rusty compared to the L.A.P.D. armor. The normal NCR Veteran Ranger armor has a red visor glow, but the Desert Ranger eyes are green, making them more akin to the ghost people's mask lenses.

CharacteristicsEdit

The armor set provides excellent protection, equal to a suit of T-45d power armor, but is classified as medium armor. The armor weighs the same as NCR Ranger combat armor but provides +2 DT more while the helmet is weightless and boasts a +1 DT bonus over its NCR counterpart.

VariantsEdit

• NCR Ranger combat armor - armor of the NCR Veteran Rangers, whose creation is based on the Desert Ranger combat armor.
• Riot gear - an advanced version of the L.A.P.D. riot armor and the military helmet used by the pre-War riot control officers in the Divide.
• Advanced riot gear - an advanced model of the riot gear which was used by the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, was used by the NCR riot control officers in the Divide.
• Elite riot gear - a unique armor which was used by an important NCR riot control officer in the Divide.

ComparisonEdit

LocationsEdit

• Stone Bones cave, at the end near a footlocker in front of the Survivalist's terminal.

NotesEdit

• Tycho, from the first Fallout game was described as wearing this armor, but no in-game model for it was made. His version is different from this one, as it lacked any mention of a helmet and was made of leather.
• The eyes of this helmet are green, just like in early concept art for the NCR Ranger combat armor.
• On the back of the helmet are the crudely-written names of two locations, Nanjing and Shanghai, and abbreviations of months for each place. Nanjing has JUN, JUL, AUG, and an SE which is crossed out. Shanghai has SEP, OCT, NOV, DEC, JAN, FEB, MAR, APL, and MAY. The words "FORGIVE ME MAMA" are scrawled across the front of the helmet.
• There are multiple tally marks along the helmet, most likely representing either how many people Vickers killed during his tour in China as a United States Marine, or how many kills Clark achieved against the Vault 22 dwellers before he abandoned the armor.
• Unlike NCR Ranger combat armor, Desert Ranger combat armor is not faction armor.
• Repairing this armor when it's fully broken costs 16,000 caps.
• It's possible that the weight of the helmet being 0 is an oversight, as the Ranger helmet originally had a weight of 3.
• Despite being described as possessing "low light optics", neither the NCR Ranger combat armor's nor the Desert Ranger combat armor's helmets possess this trait. It is, however, found in all forms of riot gear.
• Sometimes while wearing this armor, NCR troopers will comment on being in the presence of a Ranger when you talk to them, even though this is not a faction armor.
• The armor plate on the neck of the armor right under the helmet shows the name and rank of the original owner of the armor.

Behind the scenesEdit

The Desert Rangers are originally from Wasteland, Fallout's predecessor.

GalleryEdit

The back of the helmet, with places it's been.

NCR Ranger combat helmet concept art, that was eventually used for the Desert Ranger combat helmet.

Add an image to this gallery

ReferencesEdit