On the main quest mission, 'Ring-A-Ding Ding!', I triggered the sequence where Benny escapes to the Legion, which resulted in me being approached by Vulpes Inculta and offered 'The Mark of the Legion'.

At this point, I took a serious detour from the main quest, and completed numerous side quests, including 'Oh My Papa', with Karl, the Legion's ambassador to the Great Khans getting shot by Papa Khan. Now, when I try to return to the main quest on "The House Always Wins, I', I have to retrieve the Platinum Chip from Caesar, but I'm attacked on site by the Legion whenever I get close to his camp.

I might be able to fight my way in (or just cheat my way in, I suppose), but I don't want to be put in a situation where I have to kill Caesar and mess up the plot arc of the Legion versus the NCR. To go all the way back and retrieve the Platinum Chip from Casear before doing any of the side missions would mean losing over 15 hours of gameplay and who knows how many side quests, so that's something I would really rather not do unless it's absolutely necessary.

Does anyone have any ideas? Can you retrieve the Platinum Chip without killing Caesar? Does anyone know what would happen if Caesar were killed before the main quest has advanced even mid-way?

Thanks.

If you like you can go ahead and wipe out the entire legion (including Caesar) and it will have no affect on the plot line at all!

Is this information accurate? I too would like to know if it's okay to kill Caesar without harming the main storyline.

Its okay to kill Caesar without harming the main storyline, except the Legion storyline that is. The final Legion opponent is Legate Lanius, who is not in the fort anyway.