Battle of Nelson

The  was a military conflict in 2281.

Prelude
General Lee Oliver thought that there was too much space in between Camp Forlorn Hope and Camp Searchlight, so he ordered an intermediary base in between the two. The NCR chose the small town of Nelson as a suitable base. Caesar's Legion was not unaware of these troop movements, presumably informed of them by their infiltrator at Camp McCarran. Seeing an opportunity to strike before the NCR had a chance to secure Neslon, Legate Lanius sent Dead Sea with at least a contubernium of Legionaries to take the town.

Battle
In 2278, the Legion attacked the poorly trained and equipped NCR troopers as they were setting up their fortifications at Nelson. The attack caught the NCR troopers by surprise and several troops were killed. Ranger Milo saved several troopers as they fought their way out of Nelson and up a nearby road. However, this was the only success the NCR achieved in the battle, as the rest of the troops were routed by Legionaries and started a full retreat toward Camp Forlorn Hope. The Legion did not pursue the fleeing NCR troops to Forlorn Hope, instead returning to Nelson and fortifying their position.

Aftermath
By the time the Courier arrives in the Mojave Wasteland, the Legion has a firm hold on the town. Each side periodically sends out a party of skirmishers to try and weaken the other, but neither has any success in capturing territory and the battle lines are static. Because of the battle, morale at Camp Forlorn Hope has reached an all time low. However, morale with the Legionaries at Nelson is high. At Caesar's command, Dead Sea's legionaries are on the defensive, the psychological effect of their presence being seen as too valuable to be risked in a concerted attack on Forlorn Hope.

Between Camp Forlorn Hope and Nelson is a small battlefield littered with dying NCR troopers. Laid near their bodies are frag mines - most likely traps Legionnaires have placed should the Courier or other NCR troopers wander too close to help them. Attempting to talk to them will only have them ask the Courier to perform a mercy killing. Oddly enough, performing a high profile kill upon one will turn both the other dying troopers in the field and the active NCR Troopers within Camp Forlorn Hope hostile.

The Courier may choose to help improve the situation of the NCR at Forlorn Hope, ultimately allowing them to mount an offensive and retake the town in the quest Restoring Hope. Alternatively, the Courier may choose to help Caesar's Legion in the quest We Are Legion, assassinating the officers at Forlorn Hope to strike a far more serious blow to the NCR's morale and organization than Dead Sea's men could manage on their own. When the Second Battle of Hoover Dam starts, if the Courier helped the NCR, then the camp will repel another Legion attack. If the Courier did nothing or completed the quest "We Are Legion", then the camp will be lost again.

Appearances
The Battle of Nelson is mentioned in Fallout: New Vegas.