New California Republic

The New California Republic (NCR) is a federation of towns in California. The capital of NCR is the town of the same name (population: 3,000+), previously known as Shady Sands. It is west of the Rockies, in the middle-eastern portion of California (almost straight east inland from San Francisco). In 2241, the Republic consists of 5 states - Shady, Los Angeles, Maxson, the Hub, and Dayglow. As of early 2240s, the population is about 700,000 people. The NCR is arguably the largest known power group in the world of Fallout, and maintains the largest standing army.

Government


The government of the NCR is much like that of the pre-War United States, with a House of Congress staffed by elected representatives (Congressmen elected by their states). These representatives decide upon the President and Vice-President to head the council and govern the republic - under advice from the representatives, of course (NCR, at the time, has no existing term limits - Tandi was currently serving her tenth year at the beginning of Fallout 2). The titles for these representatives have ranged from "Councilor", "Counselor", "Councilman", "Representative", "Senator", and in particular, the Hub (in its own obstinate way) prefers to call their representatives "Governors" (there is a lot of friction between the Hub and Shady for a variety of reasons, usually related to trade rights and caravan routes). In any event, all titles are recognized and accepted outside of the council chambers, but within the chambers, the titles are occasionally used as insults and spark furious debates - nothing more than petty displays of each state trying to exert its independence.

Although nearly hitting a hundred years of age, Tandi has done more to unite the people of the wastes than any other leader born from the ashes of the Great War, and she is revered as a saint and even a "Great Mother" by some of the tribals outside of the Republic territories. Tandi's State of the Republic messages were famous for inspiring countless people to join the "service" and rebuild civilization. Under her rule, the republic has grown, and she has focused efforts on rebuilding the pre-War infrastructure to support the growing population, finding new forms of transportation and manufacturing, clearing roadways and rail lines, building forts, fostering caravans and trade in the Republic (and with other territories), and dealing with threats swiftly and efficiently. In all her years, she has never forgotten her roots in the small village of Fallout 1, and she has always strived to put the welfare of the common man above the wheels of progress.

There is little to no sexism in NCR (unlike most other territories in the wastes), most likely due to the community's origins in Vault 15 and Tandi's extended presidency. The republic also has shown little discrimination against ghouls and mutants, though many political analysts argue that this is because NCR has had limited contact with them (NCR had little contact with Necropolis or the Master's Army).

While Aradesh believed in the teachings of Dharma, Tandi always believed in the separation of church and state - and resisted any attempts to canonize the Vault Dweller within the city limits (the statue's fine, but that's it). Both Aradesh and Tandi that found politics and religion don't mix, especially when they got more exposure to the people of the Hub and visits from a few well-spoken members of the Followers of the Apocalypse. In any event, the NCR allows any non-psychotic religions within their capital (they are all for freedom of religion, as long as it doesn't involve human sacrifice or dipping people in Vats).

Military strength
The NCR's military is composed of several Divisions, including special cavalry and mechanized units. One of their "Special Forces" units consists of the New California Rangers, a select group that is pledged to protect the people of the Wastes much like the Texas Rangers of old. The Rangers are said to have numerous safehouses throughout the wastes, and they use these to strike at slavers outside of NCR territory (usually in the North). As expected, the two groups hate each other with a passion. NCR was also in the habit of establishing marshals in the major population centers in their territories, responsible for enforcing the laws of NCR throughout the Republic. Ghouls, super mutants, and humans were all known to serve in the NCR armed forces, even in the rangers.

History


The New California Republic was born out of the remnants of the survivors of Vault 15, a sister vault to Vault 13 that opened earlier and released its occupants out onto the wasteland. Abandoning their vault (after scavenging most of what they could from the surviving technology and collapsed lower levels), the former residents of Vault 15 founded the small walled community of Shady Sands, a town midway between Vault 13 and 15. In the period of Fallout 1, this community was led by Aradesh and his daughter, Tandi, eventually rose to become president of the sprawling New California Republic in Fallout 2. (Without the efforts of the Vault Dweller in F1, however, the raiders in the region — the Khans — would have claimed Shady Sands and stamped out the Republic before it even got started). At the time of Fallout 2, NCR's main resource are its great brahmin herds, which provide most of the wasteland with as much meat and leather as they require. The brahmin barons and ranchers in NCR (along with the Stockmen's Association) hold a great deal of sway with the caravans and the government.

The NCR's relationship with their old Vault has undergone some violent upheavals over the years. From nests of monsters, raiders, Vault 15 worshipers, ghoul scavengers, to more innocent (and not-so-innocent) Squatters and Salvage Teams and the Republic arguing over excavation rights, it seems to be difficult for the government or any other inhabitant of the wasteland to leave the area alone... because, well, it's a Vault.

The brahmin herders hatred of radscorpions is famous, and it dates all the way back to the founding of Shady Sands. Rumors of herds being attacked by talking deathclaws are unfounded.

Even though the relationship between the NCR and the Brotherhood of Steel was never without some tensions, it got much worse when Jeremy Maxson became the leader of the Brotherhood. He favored a return to power by wresting all advanced tech from the hands of "lesser people" by any means necessary. Some time after 2242 the war with the New California Republic was announced.

For years the war waged on and was considered a victory for the Brotherhood of Steel. However, no matter how many troops fell to the Brotherhood's superior technology, the NCR always seemed to have more replacements available. The Brotherhood, however, was not so fortunate. Being an elitist group, replacements were short in arriving. It soon became obvious that the Brotherhood was doomed to lose the war to the NCR's greater numbers. Morale at the bunker began to falter as the war seemed more and more hopeless. Eventually the inevitable happened. Lower ranking members of the Brotherhood began to desert their posts.

At some point between 2241 and 2253, Hoover Dam joined the NCR. During the war with the Brotherhood, the Dam lost contact with the rest of the NCR and it currently considers itself the capital city of the Republic.

The Hard Sell


NCR has a decent marketing and public relations department, and they are constantly sending couriers out into the wastes to nail up NCR posters or disseminate NCR propaganda. Famous among these is the frontiersman Thomas Moore, who bravely enough is out in the breach, currently passing out anti-Vault City and pro-NCR propaganda in the middle of Vault City.

Appearances
The New California Republic was first mentioned in the Fallout 1 end cutscenes for Shady Sands and it first appeared in Fallout 2, and was to appear again in the canceled Van Buren project. It appears again in Fallout: New Vegas.

Alternate versions
In one of the endings for the Brotherhood of Steel in Fallout 1, it is said that in the 2180s the Brotherhood, now called the Steel Plague, devastated the newly formed NCR and started a Dark Age that could last a thousand years. This ending is, however, not part of the canon Fallout background.

Inconsistencies


In Chris Avellone's Fallout Bible 6, a version of the NCR flag with one-headed bear, based on the old flag of the California Republic is shown. It is inconsistent with Fallout 2, where a two-headed bear can be clearly seen.