188 Trading Post



The 188 trading post or 188 Slop & Shop is a location in the Mojave Wasteland in 2281. The trading post is located on the intersection of Highway 93 and Highway 95, directly north of El Dorado Dry Lake, west-northwest of Boulder City.

Background
The interchange of Highway 95 and Highway 93 has seen high traffic both before and after the Great War, especially after the New California Republic moved into the Mojave around 2274. However, a trading post wasn't established here until September of 2281, when a pair of traders from Primm set up shop here after the NCRCF prison break forced them to flee the city the wave of escaped convicts. Samuel Kerr and his daughter, Michelle, chose this location after realizing just how much traffic was going to flow up Highway 95 to Vegas now that the I-15 was shut down, adding to the usual troop movements between Hoover Dam and Camp McCarran. Capitalizing on their experience in Primm, they established the 188 Slop & Shop, offering food, water, supplies and repair services to travelers.

Through 2281, the 188 trading post became a hub of commerce frequented by soldiers, merchants, and NCR citizens either heading to New Vegas with pockets full of caps or returning back home with nothing but the shirts on their backs. Even the Gun Runners took notice and set up shop at the post to coordinate caravans in the field, with an independent arms merchant selling wares out of the back of her truck. It's not known which of the Kerrs came up with the clever name (adding the highway numbers 95 and 93 to equal 188) but the name caught on well.

Layout
The location is a small outpost made up of makeshift shacks and tents on a pre-War overpass, containing derelict vehicles and barrel fires. There is an arms merchant at the northwest end of the overpass, and Veronica, a recruitable companion, stands near the center by a picnic table. Facing Veronica is the merchant Samuel Kerr and his daughter Michelle who run a small shop cooperatively. Samuel is the bartender and can make equipment repairs.

Underneath the overpass is Alexander, a member of the Gun Runners, his bodyguard, and a young boy named The Forecaster who sits by the wall. Alexander will sell weapons, weapon mods, junk and ammunition to the Courier if a Guns skill check is passed. His offerings are not as broad as the main Gun Runner shop, but he sells items not commonly sold there.

There are a few NCR troopers wandering around a tent on the northern side of the overpass. Beds can be found here and used by the Courier. Later on, at high levels, some of these NCR troopers will be replaced with NCR heavy troopers equipped with various high-level weaponry such as heavy incinerators. The trading post may be attacked by legionary assassins searching for the Courier when they are in the proximity of the location.

Notable loot

 * Sunset Sarsaparilla star bottle cap - Lying on the bar.

Appearances
The 188 trading post appears only in Fallout: New Vegas.

Behind the scenes

 * The 188 trading post is based on the real world location of Railroad Pass Casino in Henderson, Nevada. The original junction of Highway 93 and Highway 95 was once located in front of the property before the present-day interchange between these two routes was constructed about one mile to the east in Boulder City, Nevada.