Westside

Westside is an independent settlement in the Mojave Wasteland Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide Collector's Edition p. 325: "ZONE 2: NEW VEGAS CONURBATION [INTERIOR ZONES] Topographical Overview ''The Great New Vegas skyline is dominated by the Lucky 38 Tower, and other monuments to excess, but visiting such ostentatious structures requires more than just knocking on a door. There are five "Interior zones" within the New Vegas Conurbation, and all offer a glimpse into the way of life for the inhabitants. Zone 2A (Westside) consists of a cooperative of crop-growers and militia, and vying for water from the NCR. Zone 2B (North New Vegas) is a squatter camp with few amenities. Zone 2C (Outer and Inner Freeside) is a sprawling series of large roads, structures, and casinos that don't quite have the razzmatazz of those on The Strip. The Kings, Followers of the Apocalypse, Garrets, Van Graffs, along with Mick & Ralph inhabit Freeside. The Strip itself is a neon-clad architectural triumph, but heavily fortified and guarded by Securitrons in the service of Mr. House, who rules the three Families (the Omertas at the Gomorrah, the Chairman at The Tops, and the White Glove Society at the Ultra Luxe) with an iron fist. The NCR also has an embassy here, and a brother and sister live and work for Mr. House, building more neon signs and showing rich folk around Vault 21. Finally, Zone 2E is Fiend Territory, and the only part of New Vegas where you're actively hunted by hostile forces.''

Highways and Byways

''Access to the interior zones is almost exclusively via gates, which are guarded by gang members or militia of the Faction you're about to meet inside. Inside each zone, there are main streets and alleys; especially in Freeside you should learn the layout so you can gauge (for example) which gate is nearest your destination. For example, always take the Freeside North Gate if you're heading to the Old Mormon Fort, and the Freeside East Gate if you want to visit Mick & Ralph's. There are Sewer entrances to Zones 2A and 2B (not the others). To reach 2D (The Strip), you must enter Zone 2C (Freeside) first."'' (Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide/Tour of the Mojave Wasteland)

Background
The community produces enough food, clothes, weapons and medicine to encourage trade and arm their defenses. Their security personnel also protect travelers who trade with the rest of New Vegas. Although the west side of Vegas had a small population before, large enough to support a pawn shop, Arcade Gannon and Tom Anderson passed through the community on their travels, and Anderson decided to stay and help Westside as best as he could. He began by teaching the denizens how to better grow their crops. The Westside Cooperative was then formed by him and Clayton Ettienne. The cooperative became the economic foundation of Westside, coordinating agriculture and sharing the profits made from selling surplus produce shared equally between members. To protect themselves, Westsiders organized a loose militia and built defenses around the area to deter raids by Fiends and other riff-raff. However, their success in establishing a sustainable agriculture brought their most important issue to light: their lack of a reliable source of clean water stunted growth, and dirty water caused the crops to have a funny taste.

The only available source was the former city's waterworks, with the NCR controlling the infrastructure and selling it at prohibitively expensive rates. Unable to reliably deliver water from Lake Mead over two dozen miles away, Westside had to figure out another way to preserve their livelihood. With his extensive knowledge of hydraulic engineering and prior work with the Office of Science and Industry, Anderson managed to rig one of the automatic pumps to periodically divert water into the north cistern – located within Westside – to provide its independence. Hector, a local child, overheard Anderson and Etienne discussing the plan and volunteered to pump the water out and distribute it. He was already doing odd jobs and deliveries with his brahmin, so people wouldn't notice him doing one more job on a regular basis.

The plan worked and Westside flourished, though diverting water affected the NCR sharecropper farms, compounding the losses caused by Vault 34's reactor cooling needs. Even after adjusting the water ration, farmers struggled to keep their quotas, with 20% less water than they were supposed to get. Convinced that the farmers were merely incompetent, the authorities ignored the complaints, save for one soldier: Corporal White. Seeing an opportunity to gain entrance into the NCR Rangers, White investigated the missing water reports, eventually making his way to Westside and confronting Anderson. Rather than let the cooperative run dry, Anderson shot the corporal and disposed of the body. It was a rash decision, one which he immediately regretted. Aside from Etienne and Hector, nobody even knew that White was in Westside. Westside continued to grow, attracting more and more people, slowly becoming an independent community on the edge of the Republic.

Society
The locals prize their independence and work hard for the common good. The Thorn itself demonstrates beyond anything else that they're self-sufficient, intelligent, and resourceful. This culture of independence is prevalent throughout the region. They take pride in their strength and survivalism, most notable in their reverence for their hunters, who have overcome the trials and tribulations of the wasteland and its predators. Despite their achievements, the general stagnation of their lives still leads some to drink their problems away.

In response to the threats to Westside, the residents organized themselves into a loose militia and created an impressive, two-tier approach to defending the gates that lead into Westside. Although suspicious of strangers, they are not actively hostile, except toward the Scorpions and Fiends.

The Scorpions are considered a minor nuisance, more known for mercenary work, selling chems, and getting slaughtered by the main threat to the region, the Fiends. They often harass and attempt to raid the settlement; however, with the NCRA actively – although only partially focused on – eradicating them as a threat, Westside has experienced a reprieve from them.

Westside Cooperative
Currently embroiled in tense negotiations with the NCR regarding the siphoning of their water supplies, the residents of the fortified Westside zone have a small but tight-knit community based around growing crops for themselves and to sell to travelers and larger factions. With the help of Tom Anderson and the Followers of the Apocalypse, a reliable irrigation system was implemented. Thus, Westside grew from a subsistence crop-growing hamlet to a stable, self-sufficient farming community operating independently from the NCR. The locals grow enough produce to feed themselves and export to other parties, and thus don't have to rely on merchants for food.

The Westside Co-op features a motley band of folk, founded by an escapee from New Reno named Clayton Ettienne. The organization is a joint venture between him and Tom Anderson, who is single-minded in his defense of the operation.

Westside Militia
The militia acts as the main police and military force for the community of Westside, charged with maintaining order and defending the neighborhood from Fiends, Scorpions, and hostile wildlife. Klamath Bob, Mean Sonofabitch, and Judah Kreger are members of the militia. Anderson works with the citizens to keep Westside independent from the NCR and Mr. House. The residents positively reflect upon their community's political status, often remarking that the NCR should go home as "their people must miss them."

Layout
The larger part of the neighborhood, exposed to the Mojave Wasteland, is surrounded by a small network of walls, while the residential and commercial area is walled completely, except for two gates. The Westside's services include a food store, a brothel, a liquor store, a pawn shop, and a fighting arena where matches can both be fought and bet upon.

Westside proper has west and south entrances. The Thorn and the Casa Madrid Apartments lie outside the southern entrance to the residential area but within the outer wall. The Sunset Sarsaparilla headquarters, south of Westside, is about halfway between Westside and the South Vegas ruins.

Notable loot

 * Police hat and RobCo jumpsuit - Worn by Dermot.

Related quests

 * The White Wash
 * The Coyotes
 * For Auld Lang Syne
 * Dealing with Contreras
 * A Bit of Slap and Tickle

Appearances
Westside appears only in Fallout: New Vegas.

Behind the scenes
Westside is a real world neighborhood, [wikipedia:West Las Vegas|Historic West Las Vegas]], colloquially known as Westside, an area located northwest of the Las Vegas Strip.