Experimental MIRV

The  is a unique Fat Man launcher that can be found in the bomb shelter area in the National Guard Depot on a table near the remains of the skeletons of the Keller Family, who play a central role during the player's acquisition of this weapon. This weapon is clearly and without a doubt the strongest weapon in the game, bar Mysterious Stranger's .44 Magnum.

When fired, this weapon causes massive damage in the form of eight Mini Nukes. A random shotgun spread seems to be the path they take, usually 6 or 7 in a semi-tight group and one off in the distance. If aimed correctly, this weapon will kill anything in one hit, even Super Mutant Behemoths. The player must obtain holotapes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the Keller Family Transcripts before the player can gain access to the secure section of the depot housing the weapon. It will only fire eight Mini Nukes at once, no more, no less.

MIRV is a military term for Multiple Independent Reentry Vehicle (or Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle). It is a collection of nuclear weapons carried on a single intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Using a MIRV warhead, a single launched missile can strike several targets, or fewer targets redundantly.

Practically, there may never be any justified or legitimate reason utilize the Experimental MIRV's awesome destructive power. But it may serve some entertainment value: Try shooting all 8 Mini Nukes straight up in the air, and see how long you can survive when the rain of death begins to fall. Or if you're in an especially bad mood, just stand within 200 feet of an office building and fire away, letting the radioactive breeze ruffle your hair. It's sure to brighten up your day.

Bugs

 * You can enter V.A.T.S. if you have fewer than 8 rounds. It will 'click' 8 times over the course of 20 seconds then exit V.A.T.S. with no action point loss. Note: This can be used for a short-lived god mode, useful if you're standing next to burning cars.


 * Sometimes, on the Xbox 360 version of the game, NPCs in towns attacked with the MIRV remain hostile after reloading the game. The best way to prevent this is to save outside the town, enter it, blow it up, and load the save. If it happens, rebooting your console may help, as it will clear all data in your console's RAM.

Entertainment Value

 * For the PC version, open up console and enter "TGM" to toggle god mode, granting unlimited ammo, invincibility and other fancy stuff. You can get over five shots before the first ones detonate. Use your imagination.
 * Standing on a ledge and firing the MIRV at your feet will launch your character's body (corpse, to be more specific) spinning ludicrously high, sometimes even allowing you to see the outer edges of the map.
 * Try spawning 10 or 20 Super Mutant Behemoths, and let rip with the MIRV.
 * Toggle God Mode, and fire straight up in the air, and cause the biggest meteor shower you can imagine. Then search the area for the (more than likely) dead enemy(ies).
 * Remember why the MIRV exists: For shits and giggles.