New California Republic Rangers

The New California Republic Rangers are an elite outfit of the New California Republic Army. The Rangers are a volunteer special force renowned as much for their shrewd reconnaissance capabilities as their bravery and combat prowess.

History
The Rangers were founded by Seth after Tandi and Aradesh created the New California Republic and eventually, by 2241, became one of the most powerful military forces in the wasteland. Forces on NCR territory were particularly concerned with the problem of slavery and actively fought it by any means necessary. In early years, the burgeoning republic was faced by a large volume of threats - from slavers and raider tribes, to roaming gangs and to the Wasteland itself. The Rangers were instrumental in protecting the frontiers, using their expertise to tip the balance in favor of the Republic when numbers and resources may not have been on their side.

Rangers were also the first to scout out Nevada and the Hoover Dam. In 2271, the Desert Rangers signed the Ranger Unification Treaty with the NCR Rangers at the Mojave Outpost, in which they agreed to become part of the NCR military in exchange for protection of Hoover Dam and Nevada from Caesar's Legion.

In 2277, Rangers under the command of Chief Hanlon were pivotal in turning the tide of the First Battle of Hoover Dam. In a cunning trap laid by them and NCR's 1st Recon, they lured the best fighters of Caesar's Legion into Boulder City. When enemy troops entered the city, it was blown up. In the aftermath, the remaining Legion survivors were gunned down by snipers. Although the NCR forced the Legion to retreat, the losses they sustained in defence of the dam prevented them from following up on their success.

By 2281, the NCR military had become well-established within the Mojave Wasteland. Operating from a large number of stations across the area, the Rangers remain ever vigilant for Legion raiding parties, as well as common brigands. However, despite the enormous threat posed by the Legion, many of the organization's best members had been reassigned to other posts off the front lines. A few were given the "prestigious" task of becoming bodyguards for the current President of the Republic, Aaron Kimball; others were sent off to Baja on an unknown mission.

Despite their ongoing dedication to their duty, even the Rangers are finding it difficult to retain their hold on a territory as expansive as the Mojave. Under the command of General Lee Oliver, the New California Republic Army has adopted a confrontational posture, entrenching itself on the banks of the Colorado River while facing Legion positions on the opposite side. Given ongoing manpower shortages and overstretched supply lines, this only made the Republic's strategic situation even more precarious than before. General Lee Oliver, however, greatly favors the rank-and-file soldiers of the NCR military, to the point where Rangers are routinely put in harm's way in favor of Oliver's power-armored shock-troops.

Organization
The Rangers are recruited from the best of the NCR military and even then, 80% do not finish training and drop out. This training is not restricted to the male gender as women can be Rangers too, and it's not uncommon for them to do so with success. Their training and conditioning is said to be as nearly as intense as that of the legionaries, albeit only more forgiving. The fruits of this intensity may vary as was the case with one female ranger who was able to best an elite centurion with her bare hands. Those that finish and are awarded the badge have proven that they are "quieter than a shadow and more ferocious than a deathclaw." Their superior training, superior weaponry and assortment of pre-War and post-War technology allows them to tip battles in NCR's favor even when a situation may see them outnumbered and outgunned.

The NCR Rangers operate almost entirely outside of the normal NCR army. The organization relies on the leadership of its veteran, more experienced Rangers, like Chief Hanlon. They do not follow normal military ranks and their known ranks are:
 * Ranger Recruit
 * Ranger
 * Veteran Ranger

However, a ranger by the name of Balmoral referred himself as a staff sergeant while he was in the Divide.

It is unknown how the Rangers are organized strategically. Chief Hanlon explains that the Ranger stations across the Mojave are tasked with patrolling the NCR's territory. They then report to the Ranger station, who then transmit the message to the Rangers base (Camp Golf in the Mojave) who will then analyse the threat and directly call reinforcements from the regular army. According to Balmoral's report in the Divide, it seems the Rangers are divided in battalions, then in companies, and finally in platoons, much like the regular army.

2241

 * Elise
 * Gond
 * Rondo

Various unnamed NCR Rangers make up patrols that circulate both around NCR itself and along major slave trafficking routes. They wear combat armor and carry several high end weapons like miniguns, assault rifles (ex. H&K CAWS), and sniper rifles. Around the NCR Capital, they can be found fighting random hostiles like super mutants and raiders, whereas on the slave routes they can be found killing slavers.

2281

 * Bryce Anders
 * Chief Hanlon
 * Ranger Dobson
 * Ranger Ghost
 * Ranger Gomez
 * Ranger Grant
 * Ranger Jackson
 * Ranger Keller
 * Ranger Stella
 * Ranger Stevens
 * Ranger Milo

There are also unnamed NCR Rangers and NCR Veteran Rangers present.

Relations with the outside
The Rangers, especially the Veteran Rangers, have a fearsome reputation with outside factions, as well as within the regular NCR military. In the Mojave, posters can be seen of them and some NCR troopers believe they "chew nails and spit napalm."

Technology
Rangers employ high end equipment (namely combat armor, various small arms, heavy weapons and occasionally, scavenged vehicles). Their regular patrol armor is hand-made in the NCR, while the elite black armor used by Veteran Rangers are based on pieces of pre-War LAPD riot armor. Ranger combat helmets are old pre-War gear that have built-in optics for low light conditions.

While the level of technology employed by the Rangers is quite impressive by the standards of the wastelands, it is still far behind the state-of-art equipment utilized by the Brotherhood of Steel and Enclave. Nevertheless, it is a testament to resources of the New California Republic that the Rangers are able to be so uniformly well-equipped, and even a Ranger on non-combat duties will easily defeat a group of Legionaries.

Fallout 2
NCR Rangers can be seen in random encounters and will usually leave the Chosen One alone, only attacking if they are a slaver. They also appear in New California Republic. If not hostile, the Chosen One even has the option of joining the Rangers as a member.

Fallout: New Vegas
The Courier can encounter Rangers throughout the Mojave, in various outposts and camps. They can choose to help them in various quests, such as updating their radio security codes or rescuing a member from Vault 3. If the Courier chooses to aid the NCR, a squad of Veteran Rangers will aid in the Second Battle of Hoover Dam. Alternatively, if they have a negative reputation with the NCR, they may send a squad of Rangers to kill the Courier.

Choices made in Fallout: New Vegas will change the fate of the Rangers. The ending can range from them dying to the last man and their organization being broken, to them being victorious and hailed as heroes.

Appearances
NCR Rangers first appeared in Fallout 2. They play a major role in Fallout: New Vegas and were scheduled to appear in the canceled Van Buren.

Behind the scenes
The Rangers are similar to, and possibly based on, the United States Army Rangers.