Obtain the Experimental M.I.R.V. in Fallout 3

In Fallout 3, there are many destructive weapons available to you with which you can dominate your enemies. But nothing screams over-the-top, power-hungry nuclear annihilation like the Experimental MIRV. It's a unique variant of the Fat Man nuclear launcher that fires 8 mini-nukes at once. When fully repaired and with the Big Guns skill at 100, it'll inflict 1,690 damage per nuke (a total of 13,520 damage in a single shot!). Needless to say, this is the most powerful weapon in the game, and is therefore hidden quite well. This article will tell you how to obtain it in a manner as hassle-free as possible.

Steps

Finding the Pass-codes

Before you start searching for the MIRV, you first need to find the 5 Keller Family Transcripts, which each have a number for the access code so you can get the weapon later. This article will cover the transcripts in numerical order (i.e Keller Family Transcript 1, 2, 3 ...), but they don't need to be picked up in any specific order. You simply need to get all 5 tapes and listen to them.

Keller Family Transcript 1: VAPL-58 Power Station

  • Location: Located in the western part of the Capital Wasteland. Northwest of Vault 101, Southwest of Arefu, East of Jalbert Brothers Waste Disposal.
  • How to get the tape: Once you arrive at the VAPL-58 Power Station's sub-station building, look to the North where you'll find some power lines. Travel to the 3rd power line to find 2 angry ghouls. Eliminate the ghouls, then you'll find a wooden bookshelf on the Northern end of the power line. The 1st transcript will be on the bottom shelf, but it might be hard to spot because there's a lot of grass in that area.
  • 'Other notes: If you want an extra mini-nuke, head inside the sub-station and look up at the ceiling light on the Eastern side of the building (the one closest to the door).

  • Audio log: "Tina, it's me. Your brother? Alex? Listen, mom would kill me if she knew I was contacting you, but she's being an impossible bitch right now. You have to come home. Do you understand me? This thing with China... it's not going away. We're going to try to get into one of those vaults. If that doesn't work, well... I have a backup plan. There's this secure bunker... another sort of vault... inside the National Guard Depot and... Look, no matter what it takes, the whole damn Keller family's gonna ride this storm out, but you've got to get your ass home. Now!"

Keller Family Transcript 2: Hallowed Moors Cemetery

  • Location: Near the center of the Capital Wasteland, along the Potomac River. Southeast of Paradise Falls, North of Big Town, East and slightly North of Arefu.
  • How to get the tape: Once you arrive at the cemetery, you'll be greeted by approximately 3-5 Super Mutants (one with a mini-gun) and 1-2 Centaurs. Eliminate them and head into the chapel through the front and look at the podium on the left (North on the compass) where you'll find the 2nd transcript.
  • Other notes: On the Northeastern end of the chapel is a flat bench with a small wooden box and other miscellaneous items on it. Look inside this wooden box on the Northeastern bench to find a mini-nuke. Also, there is a human captive at the Eastern end of the chapel. If the captive isn't dead already, you can "activate" the captive and release him/her for 50 XP (Experience Points).

  • Audio log: "Paul, it's me. Tina. I heard back from my sister Candace. We couldn't get into a vault. 101, 87, didn't matter -- all full to capacity. But my brother Alex is a soldier and... he sort of stole the pass code for a secure Army bunker. He did it for the family. But they caught him. Before they took him into custody, Alex he sent each of us one number of the four-digit code. That way, we all have to be together to get in. He gave me number "5" -- the day of my birth. So I guess what I'm saying is... I'm still leaving. It's been fun. Kind of. Oh, and I'm not pregnant. So no worries."

Keller Family Transcript 3: Grisly Diner

  • Location: Located in the Northeastern portion of the Capital Wasteland. North of the Temple of the Union, East of Greener Pastures Disposal Site, Southeast of Old Olney.
  • How to get the tape: Once you arrive at Grisly Diner, head in through the front and look for a doorway East across the entrance. Go through that doorway to the back of the diner. Turn left (North) and look for a metal table with a few bottles of Whiskey and a cutting board. On that table will be the 3rd transcript.
  • Other notes: There will be a lot of landmines around the diner, so watch your step. Also, shortly after you enter the diner, a group of raiders will swarm in and attack you, so expect some company.

  • Audio log: "Mom, it's Candace. Oh my God, it's really happening. I can see the cloud... it's so big... Mom, I'm so scared. I'm heading to the vault now. I'll do whatever I can to get inside. My number of the passcode was "7", right?"

Keller Family Transcript 4: Rockbreaker's Last Gas

  • Location: Located near the lower Western end of the Capital Wasteland, South of the West end of the Potomac River. Northeast of Little Lamplight, Northwest of VAPL-58 Power Station (where the 1st transcript is located), Southwest of MDPL Mass Relay Station.
  • How to get the tape: Once you arrive at Rockbreaker's Last Gas, look West to find a shack on top of a cliff. Travel to the top of the cliff and enter the "Abandoned Shack". Loot the place if you want (there's some pretty good loot in here, including the "Victory Rifle" in a "Very Hard" locker), then look North to find a workbench which will have the 4th transcript on it.
  • Other notes: Depending on how far you are in the game, there may or may not be Enclave troops at the gas station when you arrive. Also, depending on your karmic level, you may or may not be intercepted by factions (i.e Talon Company Mercs, Hitmen, Regulators) when you exit the abandoned shack, so have your weapon ready.

  • Audio log: "Ralphie, son, this is your father! We can't get into the goddamn Vault without you! Get your ass over here now! My "4" is useless without you, boy..."

Keller Family Transcript 5: Anchorage Memorial

  • Location: Located on a small island in the Southeastern portion of the Potomac River. East and slightly South of Wilhelm's Wharf, Northeast of Grayditch, Southeast of Farragut West Metro Station.
  • How to get the tape: Once you reach the statue, head North across the river, then follow the sidewalk Northwest to a disabled truck and a tent. As you get near the tent, watch out for Super Mutants (one of them usually has a mini-gun) and Centaurs. Kill any enemies in the area, then head inside the tent where you'll find the 5th and final transcript on a table with a ham radio on it.
  • Other notes: There is a human captive in the tent, which you can release for an extra 50 XP.

  • Audio log: "Candace, it's Ralph. Tell dad there's no way in hell I'm spending nuclear Armageddon trapped with him in a fucking closet. You can have my number. It's "6". Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a mushroom cloud to walk into. Have a happy holocaust!"

Finding the Weapon

  1. Now that you have all the pass codes, it's time to find the weapon itself. Unfortunately, the weapon is hidden deep within the National Guard Depot. The National Guard Depot (which lies on the Northern fringes of the downtown D.C area) are full of hostile robots, gas leaks, turrets, and confusing twists and turns. Fortunately, this article will help you obtain the weapon with as little hassle as possible. You need to travel through a few rooms in order to get inside the Armory, so this tutorial will cover the most direct route to take.

National Guard Depot (Exterior)

  • Before you even get inside the National Guard Depot, you'll be greeted with laser fire from 2 robots (usually Protectrons) by the entrance. Eliminate them, then head inside.

National Guard Depot (Interior)

IMPORTANT: From sections 1.2.2 to 1.2.6, the steps will be accompanied by color-coded photos. The colors and their respective representations are as follows: Red line = Route Path; Filled yellow square = Starting Point; Filled green circle = End Point; Empty blue circle = Turrets; Purple line = Doorway Used/ To Be Used; Empty orange circle = Important Button/ Monitor

  1. Once you've entered, turn left (East) and go up the stairs.
  2. Jump over the pipe, stay along the outer edge of the floor and go through the West doorway.
  3. From the door you just walked through, turn immediately left, then right at the end of the room and go through the West doorway.
  4. Turn left around the corner and go forward until you reach the stairs. Watch out for turrets guarding the hallway.
  5. Go downstairs and head East through the doorway, then cut through the room to enter the Depot Training Wing. Be cautious in this area as there is usually a Sentry Bot patrolling right outside the East doorway.

Depot Training Wing

  1. Head East through the giant hole in the wall, then turn left and go through the North doorway.
  2. Turn left (West), then right (North) at the end of the hallway, then right through the East doorway. Watch out for a turret in the hallway.
  3. Cut through the room via the North doorway, then turn immediately right (East).
  4. Keep traveling East to the end of the room, then turn right and go through the South doorway. Cut through this room to enter the Depot Offices.

Depot Offices

  1. Head straight through the South doorway.
  2. Once you've passed the doorway, be on the lookout for enemies to the West (including 2 turrets on the ceiling). Eliminate all enemies in the area, then head down the stairs, turn left (West) and head up the West staircase.
  3. Turn left and go through the South doorway. Cut through the room and head up the stairs.
  4. Turn right, then move along the North side of the large wooden table in the middle of the room.
  5. Keep moving West with caution; there is a Sentry Bot up ahead. Eliminate the Sentry Bot, then head up the rubble and through the West doorway. After that, turn North to find a door that will lead back into the Nation Guard Depot.

National Guard Depot (Revisited)

  1. Head West to find a switch on the wall. Activate the switch.
  2. Once activated, you'll spot a door down below to the Northwest marked with spinning yellow lights. Jump down there and go through that door, but be careful because there will be one more robot guarding the door (usually a Sentry Bot).
  3. Head North through the door and locate the switch on the wall.
  4. Activate the switch, then head down the newly opened stairwell to the National Guard Armory.

National Guard Armory

  1. Head South, activate the switch on the wall, and take what you want from the armory.
  2. After you're done looting, head South to find a monitor (Bunker Access Terminal) next to a large metal blast door. Activate the monitor, and it'll ask you to "Enter Access Code". If you've listened to all the tapes, the door will open once you select the "Enter Access Code" option.
  3. Go South through the newly opened room and follow the linear path. As you're walking, be on the lookout for a Glowing Ghoul. Eliminate the Ghoul.
  4. After the Ghoul is killed, look for a table with the Experimental MIRV on it. It shouldn't be hard to find, as it has the MIRV, 5 neatly stacked mini-nukes, and a "U.S Army: 30 Handy Flamethrower Recipes" skillbook under a bright light around the middle of the East corridor.
  5. Congratulations! You now possess the most destructive weapon in the game.

Tips

  • There are also a few skill books scattered in the Depot, so you might want to keep your eyes out for them.
  • The "Small Guns" bobblehead is located in the National Guard Armory. Might as well grab it while you're down there.
  • There are a lot of robots in the National Guard Depot, so it might be helpful to have the "Robotics Expert" perk before heading inside.

Warnings

  • Be sure you have at least 8 mini-nukes or the weapon will not work.
  • Make sure you have at least 30 WG (Weight) of free space in your character's inventory before you obtain the Experimental MIRV, otherwise you'll be over-encumbered.
  • While in the National Guard Depot, beware of gas leaks. If you cause a spark in the presence of a gas leak (i.e. firing your gun, detonating a landmine or a grenade), a gaseous explosion will ensue and you'll be knocked down as well as losing some of your health (and no doubt alerting your presence to nearby enemies).
  • Obviously, don't be too close to the M.I.R.V.'s blast radius or you'll end up either dead or near dead.

Things You'll Need

  • A copy of Fallout 3 for your desired gaming system
  • The 5 Keller Family Transcripts
  • 8 mini-nukes
  • 30 WG of free inventory space
  • Determination

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