Van Buren/Special Encounters

Special encounters can be found all across the American Southwest in 2253.

General information
Unlike the Fallout and Fallout 2 special encounters, Van Buren ' s special encounters have no pop culture references and instead, are based around references and themes present within Van Buren itself. They are usually non-combat based and also used to explain the games plot. An instance of this being used can be found in the S.O.R. -1000 Gamma in which a damaged robot can give a holodisk explaining certain things about the B.O.M.B.-001 and its function.

Accessing
Most of the encounters are only located near a specific area such as the Bloomfield Space Center. Van Buren also records previously visited locations, and will not spawn the encounter again if they have already been discovered by the player character.

B.O.M.B.-001 EPB (Escape Pod Beta)
Encounter can only be found close to the Bloomfield Space Center.
 * Minimum level to visit: Unknown.
 * Map Circle name: Unknown.
 * Loot: a few medical supplies.

This encounter will drop the Prisoner into a small desert field with an escape pod from the B.O.M.B.-001. It looks as if the escape pod had a rough landing based on the impact slide and crater. There is a lot of debris from the pod lying around, but the pod is still pretty much intact, and the markings B.O.M.B.-001-EPB is still clearly written on its side. A bit more investigation will reveal robot treads around the area, but there is no robot to be found. All onboard electronics are not functioning, but there are a few medical supplies.

Glowing Ghouls
Encounter can only be found close to Denver.
 * Minimum level to visit: Unknown.
 * Map Circle name: Unknown.
 * Loot: Unknown

Poor souls who wandered until they reached Denver, pretty weak.

Lost Enclave Patrol
Encounter can only be found close to New Canaan.
 * Minimum level to visit: Unknown.
 * Map Circle name: Unknown.
 * Loot: Broken down weapon parts.

Six Enclavers humorously lost in northern Utah. One wears a suit of Enclave combat armor similar to Arcade Gannon's. The others wear bits and pieces of leather armor or metal armor. They are carrying mixed and matched weapons and a lot of broken tech.

The leader (in combat armor) will approach the Prisoner and ask him if he knows the way to the MacArthur Army Base. If the Prisoner is at all hostile or "weird" to the Enclavers, they will become defensive and will fight back. If the Prisoner is helpful, the Enclaver will give them some junk, specifically broken down weapon parts) and head out.

New Canaanites
Encounter can only be found close to Burham Springs.
 * Minimum level to visit: Unknown.
 * Map Circle name: Unknown.
 * Loot: Good/Bad reputation, general Loot.

A group of New Canaanite merchant-missionaries. There are only four of them: one man, one woman, and two children. They are walking with two brahmin. They are friendly folks, and are willing to trade with people who don't have a horrible reputation.

The Prisoner can trade with them, escort them to their destination (randomly chosen between Hoover Dam, Fort Abandon and the Ciphers) for Karma. Bullying them into turning over all of their goods, or outright murdering them entails a big Karma loss.

NCR/Powder Ganger Standoff
Encounter can only be found close to Burham Springs.
 * Minimum level to visit: Unknown.
 * Map Circle name: Unknown.
 * Loot: NCR 9mm submachineguns.

Somewhere in the wilderness of Utah, members of the 5th Engineering Company spotted power gang [sic] members prowling for caravans. They followed the group to this ramshackle gang hideout, where a shootout began.

By the time the Prisoner arrives, they are having a standoff. Dead brahmin, rangers, dogs, gangers and overturned carts are everywhere. The powder gangers are up against a cliff wall and the NCR soldiers are trying, in vain, to flank them. Since this is a gang hideout, there are traps everywhere and snipers are just waiting to pop brave NCR heroes. The Prisoner can talk to the powder gang, sneak around and disarm the majority of the traps, fix damaged NCR 9mm submachineguns (the guy carrying them was blown up by a mine), or storm in and kill the gangers.

If the Prisoner wants to support the gangers, he can rally the powder gangers to attack the soldiers, sneak up to the NCR munitions wagon and blow it up (causing huge damage to the soldiers,) volunteer to heal up the gangers, or just attack the soldiers outright.

S.O.R. -1000 Gamma
Encounter can only be found close to The Bloomsfield Space Center.
 * Minimum level to visit: Unknown.
 * Map Circle name: Unknown.
 * Loot: Holodisk.

This is the former occupant from the Escape Pod Beta encounter. This robot is S.O.R.-1000 Gamma from the B.O.M.B.-001. When the Prisoner arrives in this run down rocky area, the S.O.R.-1000 Gamma (its designation,) is treading along erratically, making beeps and whirr sounds. Every once in a while, it will blurt out, "No one is left, need new program parameters."

If the Prisoner approaches the little robot, it will wig out and attack, saying, "Intruder alert! Sterilize intruders!" Killing S.O.R. and searching him will garner a holodisk giving a bit of information about the B.O.M.B.-001 and its function.

Swarm of mantis
Requirements:the Prisoner kills off the giant mutant bats living in the Blackfoot Village caves.

5-12 hungry mantises.