Powder Gangers

The Powder Gangers are a gang of escaped prisoners in the Mojave Wasteland

Background
In the distant past, the NCR Correctional Facility was the Jean Conservancy, a low-security all-female prison. When the NCR occupied the Mojave, it was commandeered to house prisoners on a work-release program. The inmates were tasked with maintaining a railroad alongside the Long 15 under military supervision, keeping the vital link between the Boneyard and New Vegas alive..

However, as the war with the Legion escalated, more and more prison guards were redeployed to the Colorado River against the warden's objections. This provided an opportunity that the inmates seized to stage a prison break..

Under the leadership of Samuel Cooke, a small group of inmates gathered weapons and explosives before rebelling against the NCR staffing the facility. Blasting their way out of the cellblock, they quickly overwhelmed what little NCR personnel were present at the site, killed the warden and established their own rule. The prisoner population dispersed, with some following Cooke into Vault 19, others staying with Eddie as Powder Gangers and some heading out to cause mayhem along the I-15.

The revolt shut down Highway 93 and the NCR's main road to Vegas. The situation worsened when the Powder Gangers stole Sloan's dynamite supply, shutting down Quarry Junction and inadvertently unleashing deathclaws on the quarry and the highway. Eventually, the gangers established a sizable presence outside the prison, with a ring of camps around it, focused on raiding caravans that tried to push through to Vegas and launch attacks to terrorize the local towns of Goodsprings, Sloan and Primm.

There are several groups of loosely organized Powder Gangers that organized quickly after the prison break. 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 southwestern part of the Mojave Wasteland, all the way down towards 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.

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, due to their harassment of Legion raiding parties. The Brotherhood of Steel has sent scouts to observe NCRCF, the activities of the Powder Gangers, and the NCR's reaction to those activities.

The group engaged in commerce with establishments in Nipton. However, even in Nipton before the massacre, the group visited opposite the NCR, the troopers at night, and gang members during the day, to avoid conflict. The Vault 19 group plan to join the Great Khans, at the behest of their leader, Samuel Cooke, indicating some level of respect is held for the Khans.

Locations
Mojave Wasteland: Hunter's farm I-15 NCR Correctional Facility Powder Ganger camp east Powder Ganger camp north Powder Ganger camp south Powder Ganger camp west Primm Vault 19 Whittaker farmstead

Appearances
Powder Gangers appear

Behind the scenes
The 215 Rail Line Powder Gang were also due to appear in Black Isle's canceled Van Buren. Commenting on the differences between the Fallout: New Vegas Powder Gangers and the 215 Rail Lain Powder Gang, Joshua Sawyer stated that the Van Buren faction had much more developed characters and were to play a larger role, while in Fallout: New Vegas, their focus in the game was greatly diminished.