Gatling Laser (Fallout 3)

The Gatling Laser in Fallout 3, is the most advanced weapon type for the Big Guns skill. It is similar to the minigun, as the only major differences are the fact it fires lasers instead of bullets, and of course the obvious appearance differences.

Characteristics
The Gatling Laser is actually not a Gatling weapon as the barrels do not rotate when it fires. Instead, the barrels fire in a rotating order. However, the animation for this firing makes it appear very random and haphazard.

At point blank range, it actually aims a bit lower than the cross hair. This is easily observable when trying to shoot a corpse's head off while standing on top of it.

Locations
Gatling Lasers are most commonly found on Enclave, Brotherhood of Steel Outcasts and Brotherhood of Steel soldiers. These soldiers can be found in areas like The Washington Monument, Fort Independence, inside Arlington Library, Pennsylvania Avenue, and outside the Citadel. It can be acquired from these NPCs either through killing them, pickpocketing the ammunition for their weapon and coming back when they've unequipped it, knocking it out of their hands by shooting it, or stunning (save before doing this) them using the Mesmetron and taking the item from their inventory..

A very short distance NW of Girdershade, there is an Enclave camp (assuming you've gone far enough in the campaign to spawn them). The camp consists of 1 satellite tower in the center, 2 "loaded" Deathclaw cages, 1 Enclave Officer and around 3 Enclave Soldiers. At higher levels, there is a very high chance that one of the soldiers will have a Gatling Laser.

At Raven Rock there is a Gatling Laser in an Enclave Crate behind the energy shield in the last area of Raven Rock. You will notice it on your right as you near the door labeled "Exit to Capital Wasteland". (NOTE: Before you exit!")

On approach to an Enclave Vertibird that drops two soldiers SSW of Vault 101 there is a chance that one will be equipped with a Gatling Laser. The exact location is to the east of the destroyed overpass, past a road, and on top of a hill. Be on watch for the spawning of other enemies such as a Deathclaw, Mr. Gutsy, Mole Rat, or Bloatfly. It is possible the higher the spawned enemy in difficulty the more chance to get the encounter with the Gatling Laser.

With the Broken Steel add-on, Gatling Lasers are also carried by Super Mutant Overlords. The Overlords can be encountered from level 17.

Ammunition
Ammunition for this weapon (Electron Charge Packs) is easy to come by, especially after upgrading the traveling weapon merchant Lucky Harith. Flak and Shrapnel in Rivet City also tend to have a good supply of the ammo for sale. While the ammo is fairly easily bought, it's much more rarely found as loot. Since the Gatling Laser has the highest ammo consumption rate, this can be a problem.

Variants
A unique Gatling Laser called Vengeance can be found in the Deathclaw Sanctuary. Another unique Gatling Laser, the Precision Gatling Laser, is added in the Broken Steel add-on. Fawkes also carries a special version of the Gatling Laser which can only be obtained by using console commands.

Appearances
This model of Gatling Laser appears only in Fallout 3, replacing the L30 Gatling Laser known from previous games. Unlike that version, the Gatling Laser runs on Electron Charge Packs and uses the Big Guns skill.

Bugs

 * After completing the quests from Point Lookout (add-on), this gun does a whopping 294 damage. (100 Big Guns) Also brings the Precision Gatling Laser and Vengeance up (302 and 353 respectively). This is due to the effects of Superior Defender and Ghoul Ecology. It is unknown whether these guns actually do this much damage or if they just appear to.