The Hellcat Company is a mercenary faction in the wasteland, with known operations in the Pitt and Appalachia.
Background[]
Fanatic contract[]
The Hellcat Company was hired by the Fanatics of the Pitt[1] to help secure their control over the city. They were effectively used as a roving death squad, wiping out Union bases and their denizens one after another, shuffled between assignments with little downtime and no opportunity to loot the wreckage. Friendly fire was a major issue with the Fanatics, who had trouble identifying targets in the midst of the slaughter. Many considered taking on a new contract after the Pitt assignment was over, though some preferred the known quality of the Pitt - many of the mercenaries hailed from the Steel City.[2]
The Hellcat Company took terrible losses working for the Fanatics. An estimated to 50% of their original number was lost to incessant wars with the other raider gangs and especially the Union. They succeeded in breaking the resistance of the Pitt denizens, and were looking at "peace time" posting alongside the psychotic raiders. The Hellcats were demoralized by the losses, and some deserted - including NCOs like Sgt. Ning, who perished on his way out.[3]
Blackburn contract[]
Around 2104, most of the remnants of the Hellcats rallied behind Sergeant Kit,[3] and left the Pitt to work under the employ of Doctor Edgar Blackburn. They would protect him in Vault 96, and provide him with human test subjects for his research. Dr. Blackburn describes the group as somewhat trustworthy, at least as long as they get paid, and morally flexible.[4]
In exchange for their services, Dr. Blackburn promised them the right to salvage the contents of the Vault.[5] They were eventually overrun by Blood Eagles, who utilized explosives and advanced at a fast pace toward the mercenaries.[6]
Organization[]
The Hellcats are distinct from many other mercenary outfits of the early post-War period in that they maintain a military structure, strict discipline, and paperwork: Every member of the company signs a formal contract for 18 months, which outline both their responsibilities (following orders, using force as directed, and accepting any personal risk), and the company's (providing food, shelter, and caps for the duration of the contract). A contractor was entitled to terminate the contract with the Hellcats if the company failed to provide any of these benefits for one week or longer. However, if a contractor deserted or abandoned their contract, they would be banned from further work with the Hellcats and subject to any means of enforcing its provisions the company deemed justified. Additional documents outlined processes for eg. disputing orders issued (document 3-C), to mitigate the desertion risk.[7]
The group was also well-equipped, with most members wearing their signature mercenary outfits, while officers have access to unique power armor sets.
Locations[]
Members[]
Variants[]
Appearances[]
The Hellcat Company appears in Fallout 76, introduced in the Steel Reign update.
Behind the scenes[]
- It has been strongly suggested Hellcat Company is pre-War and that they were a division of the American military.
- In Fallout 4, the newscaster says, "But for the 5th Infantry, that's as comfortable as an Autumn jamboree. All the easier for our mechanized hellcats to drive any screaming Commie meamies right into the Bohol Sea." While "hellcats" could refer to the Grumman F6F Hellcat (a fighter plane) or M18 Hellcat (a tank), there is a chance the term refers to the members of the company. Vault 76 was also foreshadowed by the newscaster.
- They have power armor with their logo on it.
- The logo appears on the Army Issued Haversack Loot Bag.
- On the field gear outfit, there are patches which seem to represent other organizations.
- Ning and Kit are called sergeants, a rank in the US Army.
- In real-life, the 12th Armored Division were known as the Hellcat Division and fought in World War II.
- Alpha Company of the 1st Battalion 1st Marines, also known as "Red Death," is a United States Marine Corps unit whose motto is also "mors ex mare" (death from the sea).[Non-game 1][Non-game 2] Alpha Company may have provided the inspiration for Hellcat Company.
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- A character who was cut from the Expeditions: The Pitt update, Liam Kelly, would have been a member of the Hellcat Company at the Whitespring Refuge. He would have shared information about the Hellcat Company not heard elsewhere, like the fact that that their membership is mostly composed of military veterans, that they originated from the Pitt,[Non-canon 1] and that groups of Hellcats tend to operate independently from each other.[Non-canon 2] However, because Liam was cut, this information remains non-canonical.
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Gallery[]
Player icon
C.A.M.P. flag
C.A.M.P. flag
References[]
- ↑ Hellcat mercenary: "This sure is better than dealing with the Fanatics at the Pitt."
(Hellcat mercenary's dialogue) - ↑ The Hellcats' new assignment
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 A farewell to Pittsburgh
- ↑ FEV research log #112
- ↑ Vault Dweller: "Who are you?"
Corporal Woods: "Name's Woods. Corporal Woods, Hellcat Company. Mercenaries. We got hired by this creep of a doctor to guard the place...among other things. Promised us salvage rights here when he was done. Don't think we're gonna collect on that."
(Woods' dialogue) - ↑ Vault Dweller: "How'd a mercenary squad get overrun by Blood Eagles?"
Corporal Woods: "Our own fault. We got lazy. This place is so far out of the way, nobody ever passes by. Kind of the point. We figured we'd be shooing off the occasional stray scavenger that came poking around. This lot sent grenades through the entrance before we knew they were there. Rushed us while we were recovering. I took a bullet in the gut. Bastards left me to die slowly, because they thought it was funny."
(Woods' dialogue) - ↑ Hellcat contract
Non-game
Non-canon
- ↑
Vault Dweller: "Who are the Hellcat Mercenaries?"
Liam Kelly: "We're a mercenary group that was originally based out of the Pitt. Most of us who lead troops on different missions are former military."
(Liam Kelly's dialogue) - ↑ Liam Kelly: "Groups of us work independently from each other. I can't really speak for them, but it doesn't surprise me that Lieutenant Kit would take that job. Personally, I'm not in the business of kidnapping."
(Liam Kelly's dialogue)
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