Powder Gangers

The Powder Gangers (sometimes referred to as Powder Gangsters by Johnson Nash) are a chain gang of escaped convicts operating in the Mojave Wasteland in 2281.

Background
The NCR Correctional Facility is the dominant location of the central Mojave Wasteland. In the distant past, it was the Jean Conservancy, a low-security all-female prison. Under recent NCR control, it was used to house prisoners on work release. The prisoners worked the railroad parallel to the Long 15 under NCR trooper supervision, maintaining the vital land link between the Boneyard and New Vegas. Eventually, prison guards (NCR troopers) were pulled away to run Colorado River border patrol. When the guard staff was low, the prisoners executed a daring and violent coup.

Because the rail crews often used explosives (typically dynamite) to blast through rock or get rid of train cars that were locked/fixed on the line, the prisoners inevitably acquired small amounts that they hid in their cells. When they made their break, they blasted their way out. The interior of the prison was clearly the scene of a large riot where the prisoners used explosives, improvised weapons, and stolen NCR trooper equipment to break through multiple walls and scatter through the desert. A lot of the prisoners weren’t in on the escape plan formally; they just got caught up in the moment. Consequently, a lot of them didn’t really know where to go when the dust settled. A large contingent of Powder Gangers can be found in Vault 19 though many squatted in the prison and have been informally raiding since then.

Organization
There are several groups of loosely organized Powder Gangers, many remain in the prison and have been raiding surrounding areas under the leadership of Eddie. There are factions of Powder Gangers spread far along the south-west part of the Mojave Wasteland, as far down as Nipton.

The smaller groups of Powder Gangers are all lead by a strong or cunning underboss, like Joe Cobb. A large contingent of Powder Gangers can be found in Vault 19 under the leadership of Samuel Cooke, although there they are identified as escaped convicts.

Relations with the outside
Due to their hostility, the Powder Gangers have little to no friendly relations with outside groups. They are hated by both the NCR, whom they were former prisoners of, and Caesar's Legion, for harassing their raiding parties west of the Colorado River. The Brotherhood of Steel also seems to dislike them due to interfering with patrols near and in Hidden Valley.

Neutral relations are not completely unheard of, as seen in Nipton, although they are very rare. The willingness of Samuel Cooke's group in Vault 19 to join the Great Khans suggests at least some respect is held for the Khans, though no formal relations exist between the two groups without intervention from the Courier.

Technology
The favored and most common weapons among the Powder Gangers are explosives, primarily the powder charges and dynamite which they acquired during their time in prison and escape. However, they also have a large arsenal of guns; some stolen, others looted from dead NCRCF guards. Their guns tend to be weak; they carry single shotguns, 9mm pistols, varmint rifles, and .357 Magnum revolvers.

Quests

 * Run Goodsprings Run: Side with Joe Cobb against the town of Goodsprings and help kill Ringo.
 * Eddie's Emissary: Earn the trust of the Powder Gangers in the NCRCF.
 * I Fought the Law: Run errands for Eddie in the NCRCF.
 * Why Can't We Be Friends?: Help Samuel Cooke or Philip Lem with a few tasks in Vault 19.
 * Booted: Free the enslaved Powder Gangers from the Legion camp.

Effects of player's actions

 * Completing Ghost Town Gunfight will earn negative reputation with the Powder Gangers.
 * If the player character has negative reputation with the Powder Gangers, groups of one to three of them will occasionally ambush them south of Primm and west of the Prospector's Den.

Notable quotes

 * - Trudy

Appearances
Powder Gangers appear in Fallout: New Vegas and J.E. Sawyer's Fallout RPG. The 215 Rail Line Powder Gang were also due to appear in Black Isle's canceled Fallout 3.