Camp Forlorn Hope



Camp Forlorn Hope is the New California Republic's primary forward camp in the eastern Mojave Wasteland.

Background
After NCR captured Hoover Dam, it took them a while to fully reinforce the river to the south. The first camp that was established was Camp Forlorn Hope; an improvised mess of tin shacks, salvaged rubble from Boulder City, tents, and lots of sandbags, it is the most pathetic-looking of all NCR’s camps, but the one that sees the most action. It only exists at all because of the natural spring there (in fact the camp is named for the spring). Recently, Caesar’s Legion captured NCR’s logistical/planning forces in the small, ruined town of Nelson, a disaster that has disrupted Forlorn’s attempts to patrol the western coast of the river.

Layout
Camp Forlorn Hope has tents, shacks, and abandoned truck hulls scattered throughout. It is divided by a freshwater creek running through the middle. The camp is near destitute, and generally lacks items for looting, beyond personal possessions including Forlorn Hope letters written by soldiers that can be found all over the camp, or a few more critical supplies found generally under lock and key.

Entering from the North, one of the first places of note would be the medical center. Dr. Richards is usually located here. On the path to the right is a shack, that houses NCR troops and across is the jail, with a lone NCR trooper and a jail cell. Further south is the barracks where Private Stone usually hangs out. Just south of the barracks across the creek is the mess hall. Down the path to the right of the mess hall is a campfire at the end of a long row of tents. To the north of the campfire is the Quartermaster's tent, with a Camp Forlorn Hope storage shed (with a Very Hard Lock) across from it. North of that across the bridge is the command center. Major Polatli is here along with Tech Sergeant Reyes.

Notable loot

 * Big Book of Science on a table in the Southeast corner of the Command Center (must be stolen).
 * There is a Sunset Sarsaparilla star bottle cap on the table directly in front of you when you enter the mess hall.

Appearances
Camp Forlorn Hope appears only in Fallout: New Vegas.

Behind the scenes

 * A "forlorn hope" is a body of troops chosen to take the leading part in a military operation, such as an assault on a defended position or as defending a hazardous position, where the risk of casualties is high. The term comes from the Dutch verloren hoop, literally "lost hope," and adapted as "lost troop."
 * There is an actual location in the Mojave Desert called Forlorn Hope Spring, located south of Boulder City and north of Nelson.
 * It is possible that the camp could be a reference to Valley Forge, a Patriot camp during the American Revolution that suffered many of the same problems that this camp struggles with. Valley Forge eventually receives support in which the player has a choice in supporting Forlon Hope and restoring it from its current condition.

Bugs

 * The first time traveling to Camp Forlorn Hope, if approaching from the south, sometimes a Legion patrol will spawn inside the base, resulting in a battle between the NCR and Legion - if the Legion patrol kills any quest non-player characters during the battle, this result in failed missions. Reloading and approaching from a different direction (north or west) seems to prevent the Legion troops from spawning inside the base.
 * After accepting any mission at the Camp Forlorn Hope whenever you're outside everything appears in a violet haze very similar to that of Camp Searchlight's green haze.
 * Members of the 1st Recon, after arriving at Camp Forlorn Hope, may continue to speak as if they were still at Camp McCarran fighting Fiends.
 * During the quest "Restoring Hope", there is a part when Major Polatli asks you to help Dr. Richards. Dr. Richards will ask you to examine the patients (20 medicine required) but when attempting to diagnose the patients, nothing happens. You can still continue the quest without helping him.
 * Soldiers killed here may respawn with more than one dog tag, they may even initially spawn with more than one.
 * After examining Dr Richards patient closest to the door of the medical center, a Powder Ganger and two Great Khan soldiers may enter the tent, attacking Dr Richards and the player depending on reputation. They stay in the tent and no more can be seen else where in the camp.
 * The rangers that spawn in the east facing sniper nest and the south facing sniper nest occasionally will not be armed.
 * Sometimes, when you fast travel, everyone at the camp will become hostile.
 * Just west of the camp where the Courier must find the supplies during the quest Restoring Hope, the same Nightkin from the one in Novac might spawn in a rock.