First thing you can do in Camp McCarran is… well, loot everything in the exterior portion of the abandoned airport. There’s too much loot to go over in detail, but the barricades and tents have plenty of Ammo Boxes, First Aid Boxes and Footlockers from which you can obtain Caps, weapons, chems and ammo, if you’re willing to tank your Karma by excessive stealing.

When you’re done robbing the NCR, head over to the south-western most tents outside of the Camp McCarran Terminal building. In the smaller tent you can find a mercenary named Little Buster, who thinks himself a famous bounty hunter after a month on the job and a pair of successful hunts. Really, however, he’s a layabout who spends more time dreaming about how to get out of work than he does actually working. On the plus side, however, you can play relatively low-stakes Caravan with him and steal his unique Cram Opener weapon.

I Dont Hurt Anymore¶

Outside a larger tent to the north you’ll find Lieutenant Gorobets. Ask him about the First Recon team, then question him about Betsy and Sterling to find out that the former had a rather nasty encounter with a Fiend named Cook-Cook. Since then, her demeanor has become problematic to the point where it may jeopardize her career. Learning this starts the quest I Don’t Hurt Anymore.

Once you have this quest, head into the nearby tent and talk to the First Recon snipers, who include Bitter Root, a former Great Khan who is disillusioned by his former life. Succeed at a [Speech 30] check for some bonus XP, then ask about his past to learn some more about the Great Khans and the Bitter Springs massacre.

Corporal Sterling is a former ranger who - after suffering an injury that knocked him out of the rangers - became a sniper. He’s got the unique La Longue Carabine , which has to be reverse picked-pocketed (plant a weapon of greater value on him so that when he equips the new weapon, the old one can be stolen, although it’s very difficult to succeed at stealing this weapon) or taken from… well, his cold dead hands.

10 of Spades is a stuttering newbie working his way up through the (card) ranks, who will tell you about his and Corporal Betsy’s run-in with Cook-Cook. After talking to all the other members of this First Recon squad, talk to Betsy, endure her constant sexual babbling, then tell her she needs to get help. If you succeed at a [Medicine 40] or [Speech 60] check she’ll agree to get help, otherwise, you’ll have to do a bit more work. Talk to 10 of Spades and ask him about how they might convince Betsy to get help, then talk to Bitter-Root about Usanagi. Corporal Sterling will, for his part, diagnose her with chronically wounded pride. After you’re done talking to them, return to Betsy and tell her the rest of First Recon wants her to get help, then share one of their anecdotes to convince her to get help.

However you do it, after Betsy has been convinced talk to Lieutenant Gorobets, who will instruct you to pay Doctor Usanagi a visit at the New Vegas Medical Clinic. Do so (you should know where it is by now) and tell the good doctor that Betsy is coming, which will complete this quest.

Three-Card Bounty¶

Return to Camp McCarran and head to the terminal building to the south, outside of which you’ll find Major Dhatri. He doesn’t mess around with what he wants; there are three Fiends in the area he wants dead, including Violet and her dogs, Driver Nephi, who killed many a good NCR Trooper with a golf driver, and Cook-Cook, a pyromaniac rapist (and reputedly a fine cook) whose victims you’ve recently finished helping. Pick a target (Cook-Cook makes a fine first choice) then prepare to head out… but remember, don’t damage the head if you want the full reward.

Talk to Little Buster at Camp McCarran to learn about Queenie, a Brahmin that Cook-Cook is sentimental about… a sentimentality that may be exploitable. After you have this intel, leave Camp McCarran and head south-west, past the El Ray Motel, and across a bridge leading over the four-lane highway below… more or less the same route you took to reach Griffin Wares Sacked Caravan earlier. This time, however, when you reach the train tracks west of the bridge continue west along the road, then follow the rubble blocking your way to the west, head between two building, then continue west to find the ruins where Cook-Cook has set up shop.

If you circle around to the western end of the ruins you can find Queenie, who, if killed, will cause Cook-Cook to go berserk and attack his allies. This can be troublesome, however, as his allies may not take care to avoid damaging his head. On the other hand, he’s got several Fiends with him, and they can put up a bit of a fight… unless you stay at a distance and snipe them with the Gobi, which they have little answer to. Once Cook-Cook is dead, take his head, then loot the ruins, as you can find the “Recipe - Cook-Cook’s Fiend Stew” on a metal shelf. Before you return to Camp McCarran, head south to find the South Vegas Ruins West Entrance, beyond which you’ll find many Fiends, and the entrance to Vault 3… which shouldn’t yet of interest to you, but it will be soon. It’s also a nice fast-travel point for the next target.

Return to Camp McCarran and claim your Cook-Cook bounty, then offer to kill Violet, who happens to be located in a trailer park south-west of the South Vegas Ruins West Entrance. Hey, how about that? Before you go, however, talk to Corporal Betsy and tell her about Cook-Cook’s demise. This will put her in a foul mood, but she’ll give you $100 NCR (x3) and $20 NCR (x4) for your trouble.

Fast-travel to the South Vegas Ruins West Entrance and head south, south-west around the ruins leading to Vault 3, perhaps discovering Poseidon Gas Station along the way. When you’re near the fenced-off trailer park, pull out trusty old Ratslayer and start picking off Violet’s dogs, including her favored pet, Violetta, then Violet herself. Once they’re dead, claim Violet’s Head and loot Violetta for Violetta’s Brain. Yuck. After that, search the metal shacks on top of the trailers to find some Ammo Boxes, a First Aid Box, a Doctor’s Bag and two Super Stimpaks on some metal shelves, and some Footlockers on the ground nearby.

Two down, one to go. Return to Camp McCarran to claim the bounty on Violetta, then take up the contract for Driver Nephi. Driver Nephi is dangerous up close, so he’ll suggest you get the First Recon snipers to help you out, and still offer to pay the full bounty for it. If you want to go this route talk to Lieutenant Gorobets and ask for their help, then either offer to be bait or just bring the squad along. Once done, leave Camp McCarran and either fast-travel to the South Vegas Ruins West Entrance and head south around the ruins enclosing Vault 3, or just follow First Recon to their sniping spot.

If you took the First Recon squad with you, they’ll head south, then south-west from Camp McCarran until they reach the Samson Rock Crushing Plant. From here head north-west to find Driver Nephi in some ruins south-east of Violet’s trailer park. Your goal here is to lure Driver Nephi near the plant, where the First Recon team can take out Nephi. Afterwards, if you talk to Lieutenant Gorobets and he’ll give you 300 Caps, a reward rounded up by the entire team. On the other hand, if you want to chose to take on Nephi alone… well, his prowess is greatly exaggerated. He does have a lot of friends, however, so whittling the numbers down a bit from a distance might be safer. Kill Nephi, one way or another, and loot him for his unique golf driver and his head, then loot the ruins he occupied to find a Grenade Box [Average] on some metal shelves and some other, minor loot, then return to Major Dhatri for your final bounty.