“A new player in the Commonwealth, the Rust Devils are a Raider gang with a taste for technology and the smarts to use it. They frequently destroy robots just so they can utilize their scavenged parts.”— Loading screen hint
The Rust Devils are a raider gang that appeared recently in the Commonwealth around the time of the arrival of the Mechanist, and set up their main base at the Fort Hagen satellite array. They are led by Ivey and are differentiated from typical raider gangs by their extensive use of robots.
The Rust Devils scavenge throughout the Commonwealth for functional robots and parts, which they reprogram and heavily customize, subsequently used for raids or base defense. Any robots they cannot capture or reprogram are stripped down for either parts to maintain their existing robot cohort, or to build armor for themselves. The Rust Devils are openly hostile to everyone, including other raider gangs. Rust Devils and raiders are seen fighting each other upon the Sole Survivor's arrival to the General Atomics factory.
During the quest Headhunting, the Sole Survivor must enter the Rust Devils' base at the Fort Hagen satellite array in order to get to one of the Mechanist's robobrains, Jezebel. Their leader Ivey and numerous Rust Devil raiders and robots are killed, as well as a heavily modified sentry bot named Ahab. Their presence is largely minimal from then on, limited to their robots ambushing caravans and trying to take down random robots across the Commonwealth.
Technology[]
The Rust Devils are without a doubt the most technologically advanced raider gang in the Commonwealth. Possessing the knowledge to modify, maintain, and even create large amounts of customized robots, albeit by cannibalizing others. The Rust Devils use these robots to augment their numbers and will take them on raids and scavenging patrols. In addition, The Rust Devils create their own custom armor, which is also made from the remains of robots. Their leader Ivey even possesses a modified suit of T-60 power armor, a step up from the raider power armor utilized by other raider gangs.
The Rust Devils' obsession with robots even extends to their traps, which often consist of a laser tripwire rigged up to an Assaultron head.
Variants[]
Rust Devil[]
Rust Devil members are simply displayed as Rust Devil, but their stats and equipment vary randomly based on the player character's level. Legendary Rust Devils simply appear as a Rust Devil with a star beside their name.
Rogue Robot: Rust Devils may be protecting one of the rogue robots.
Notes[]
Rust Devils can be encountered randomly across the Commonwealth fighting against various factions as well as occasionally launching attacks against player settlements. True to their specialization, they seem to have a higher chance of spawning at locations where robots are scripted to be present, like the outside of Cabot House, some of the pre-War military checkpoints scattered across the Commonwealth or player-owned settlements that host automatron companions
The Rust Devils' robots are a reliable source of top-tier ammunition types like fusion cores or mini nukes. Chances are high at least one robot in any encounter will drop one of those items upon death, regardless of robot type and even without any points invested in the Scrounger perk.