whyyy don't leave us hanging we need more, more!!!

Autumn had had the foresight to establish an effective series of klaxons around the Memorial and all were blaring loudly over the thundering sound of footsteps in all directions; Sutler followed the trooper outside and once exposed to the evening rays of the sun his jaw-dropped in astonishment. He watched agape as the huge cables of the Brotherhood’s crane disconnected one-by-one from the hulking figure of Liberty Prime, a prototype military robot that had never been completed before the war (if Sutler remembered the security files correctly). Sutler could see on the Arlington Bridge to the north bolts of green and red landing around the robot’s feet and grey figures moving ahead of the robot up to the first force-field barrier; he only had seconds to think.

“Arlington Bridge? This is Colonel Sutler, report. Over.”

“Mr President Sir, Sergeant Hamilton here,” reminding Sutler of his new position. “It’s taking pot-shots at us they’re either too low or to high but it’s getting closer and I’m not sure the field will be able to hold it back – either way it can shoot over it. Over.”

“My sentiments exactly Sergeant, withdraw, withdraw from the bridge immediately; get all of your men off that Bridge whilst you still have time. Report once exfil is complete; over and out.”

Sutler looked around him, the men were gearing up for a fight that wasn’t going to happen.

“All United States Army forces, withdraw to the Jefferson Memorial for extraction, I repeat, withdraw to the Jefferson Memorial extraction; let the mainlander filth have their damn purifier, nobody else is going to die for this thing.”

As Sutler started speaking howitzers begun barraging the area between the Pentagon and the Arlington Bridge and, craving a pair of binoculars, Sutler squinted across the Potomac to see if he could spy any confirmed kills between the explosions. As Sutler observed, troopers from the last-lines of defence were making their way through the force-field perimeter; Sutler closed his eyes, the defence of the facility was the first document he had read upon administering the virus.

Nothing in the document however had been conceived with this type of attack in mind, the 75^th Army Ranger Verti-Assault Teams which were presumably being radioed from Camp Glenn right now would be of little use; Sutler sighed, his place on the battlefield was more reserved to the radio now more than ever. He turned around and almost walked squarely into a hulking trooper who had evidently been about to engage him.

“Mr President Sir,” he said commandingly. “All civilian personnel are being evacuated through the tunnels to a suitable extraction point.”

“Don’t call me that again trooper and get out of my way,” the trooper saluted silently as Sutler pushed past him and sprinted down the long corridor into the Memorial, seeking the communications officer; the communications officer, it transpired, had been looking for Sutler and caught him half-way down the long corridor topside.

“Mr President Sir,” the officer said with a quick salute; he and Sutler were double-timing back to the communications equipment. “I have Verti-Assualt teams on standby at Camp Glenn but I was waiting for your authorisation before proceeding.”

“Terminate that order immediately; I need as many Vertibirds’ that can be spared for evacuation detail; scramble them immediately. Then I need a full-scale evacuation through the tunnels too west Arlington to begin immediately.”

“A full evacuation Sir? The Project?” Insubordination was extremely uncommon, but in this case Sutler understood. “We’ll win later soldier; not one more person dies for this heap of mainlander scrap. Make it happen and standby for further orders.”

“Mr President Sir,” it was Sergeant Hamilton on the radio. “We’ve cleared the bridge but the robot’s reached the barrier, it’s breaking through. Over.”

“I need a tactical appraisal Sergeant, if I wait till it’s broken through to shell the bridge and sink that bastard; what’s the chances it could make it across the bridge in-time, how fast is it moving? Over.”

“Can’t speak for the bridge but its moving fast, I fear it could catch us up on Ohio Drive before we make it to the Jefferson. Change in orders, over?”

Sutler mused quickly, he had re-read his own dossiers on the Brotherhood and the Pentagon at the start of Operation: Condign; Liberty Prime was a prototype for fighting in Alaska, it made sense for it to be somewhat resistant to the effects of condensation and freezing water – in any event the Potomac wasn’t deep enough to sink it.

“No, no keep moving Sergeant I’m not taking chances to-day; get out of there. I’ll see you back home. Over-and-out.” Disconnecting Hamilton, he immediately contacted the 1^st Artillery Battalion (of the U.S. Army Field Artillery Branch). “1^st Battalion this is C… President Sutler, cease-fire I need that bridge taken-out immediately; I’ll radio you once it’s time to leave, abandon your laser range-finder. Over.”

After Artillery command confirmed their orders Sutler gave the radio officer a pat on the back before making his way back outside, in the processing passing the mass of soldiers whom had evidently just returned from the closest defensive-positions; the roar of the guns began just before Sutler had made it outside.

“Warning! Red Chinese artillery barrage in-progress, all personnel should reach minimum safe-distance; possibility of mission hindrance…86%! Initiating tactical withdrawal and calculating new mission parameters.”

The voice of the machine was still audible over the screeching of the howitzer fire, the machine itself was physically indicating that personnel should retreat in-addition to taking cautious steps back. The bridge was a sea of flames, explosions kicking mounds of tarmac and shattered brickwork into the air and the Potomac river below – and the barrage had only just begun; trusting that the machine would at least not cross, Sutler didn’t pause to watch the bridge’s fate. Sutler stood and watched his remaining men flood into past him into the Memorial, the behemoth Liberty Prime continuing north to find another bridge; once Prime was far away enough Sutler radioed 1^st Battalion who – though disgruntled at having to abandon their equipment – complied and escaped through the tunnels.

Time was still ticking however and the decision of what would be done with the facility remained, it could be left to the Brotherhood whom would undoubtedly activate the device and though one could assume that they’d check for traditional traps first the notion of a viral apocalypse would allude them and a great-deal of their leadership would be annihilated; on the other hand the chamber could be flooded with deadly radiation again, with it the incubating virus in the hostile water killed, the facility reduced to rouble with plasma grenades thus ensuring that the Enclave’s plan remained secret from the unsuspecting mainland – a quicker and more justifiable destruction would be found as soon as Bradley-Hercules was online. Sutler opted for the latter option.

Giving Thomas Jefferson a final salute from outside the chamber, a trooper inside inputted the necessary commands and the chamber was flooded with deadly radiation; un-protected, Sutler was the first to leave the scene as the trooper in the chamber blasted his way through the airlock and turned to throw a pair of plasma grenades deep into the chamber – another trooper directing one at the filtration console. In the basemant, the computer mainframe and other machines important to the purifiers operation had been given the same treatment and melted in piles of radioactive slag. As the pools of radioactive water began to seep under the doorways, the manhole cover was pulled over the ladders that led into the depths of Washington D.C.; the retreating Enclave having followed them to a remote area across the Potomac, emerging from a sewer on the far-side of Arlington hadn’t been how Sutler had intended to end both his first day as President and the day of the Enclave victorious but he boarded the evact-Vertibirds’ knowing that nobody else had had to die in the name of Autumn’s twisted ambitions.

Just a shortie to-day, it may seem like an anti-climatic end to one of the major engagements of Fallout 3 but who's says that the major battles of that will be the same of this world

Not quite what I was expecting but still good none-the-less.

At least Sutler made the decision that Autumn could not. Evacuation and abandonment of the purifier.

No sane man would try and combat that thing, despite my main arguement being that in-game we see those Vertibird's come in behind it I saw no reason to have anything in the air at the start of this fight, nor how any commander could order such an attack given Prime's capabilities - it could just as easily have turned it's head 180 and blasted them out of the sky for all he knew. No need to risk Vertibirds' and men when as soon as Bradley-Hercules is complete it can be taken out for zero-cost, few more days and a few less widows.

I also have a small arc planned too, and other battles; given that niether Sutler nor Autumn are deranged in this reality there's no conceivable reason why either of them - even Autumn - would have tried to hold off Prime; even my Autumn - whom I will stress is in no-way meant to be an antagonist - wouldn't have ordered his men to hold out. Okay my Autumn might have done for a little until he saw the thigns power before retreating.

I agree. Let the Bradley do the work.



Which I think is the right decision story-wise. Him and Eden were always meant to be two sides of the same coin I believe in Fallout 3 anyway. Its just that the writing in the game didn't pan out.

With you taking the helm in this story-arc, the chance for the writing to come through is there.

Autumn will have his day, I'll say that much .

Well he's vindictive I'll give him that, is the purifier even salvageable after all that damage? I might have described the fighting with Prime as a few Enclave soldiers holding the line so the rest could safely retreat.

Nope, well the work needed would be so extensive as too basically be starting from scratch. The main chamber's has got great holes on both sides from the plasma grenades with incredibly lethal radioactive water pouring through the whole rotunda; all the gear downstairs too, just drop a plasma grenade on it and all that's left are the scorch marks.


Unacceptable casualities, nothing stops Prime - certainly not a few men - unless stopping is pausing to shoot; Sutler values everyone of his people's lives, it will come into play later. "No man left behind" and all that.

I think 101 is going to hate Sutler more then he did Autumn. Sutler destoryed everything his parents worked for Autumn is only responsible for his fathers death. Its not like they can find another GECK just laying around, though technically speaking the inventor is still alive but I doubt Braum would be very forthcoming.

Thats kinda the point, just slowing him down. Prime has the firepower to chase down and annihilate a fleeing enemy. I though it might be heroic if some of the soliders stayed behind to slow Prime down giving the others time to escape.

Whats the Point of pointless heroism if they were all going to die better to win glory in the flames of victory not the smouldering embers of defeat- does that sound like some sort of philosphy phrase about warfare?

Oh certainly, 101's not going anywhere soon I'll say that much; I imagine that they are both going to have words for one another on the day.


I was going to have the Sergeant hint at the matter when he was giving his status report, can't remember the exact wording but it was to the effect of, "but it's your call Mr President", i.e. the troopers would have stayed and fought if the order had been given. But really I thought, no [censored] it's the President's call, and there's no reason that the trooper would say that as he would have followed Sutler's orders regardless; once the order had been given to try and oppose it would be the dreaded insubordination. It's a problem that affects Sutler's ultimate ability to lead, he can't send his people into such risky scenario's and is much more likely to keep falling back on the super-weapons like Bradley-Hercules when shift and decisive action would serve just as much.

I did have a part where he's giving attack orders to the Vertibirds', he asks for their tactical appraisal and chances of success should he just send them in on an attack-run - ala what I always [censored]ed about what should have happened. Sutler's less than pragmatic decisions at the Memorial are definately going to come under some scruntiny and criticism from a certain other Colonel.

If this was more of a comedy story I could see this scene.
"He killed your father shoot him!"
"No, your father just gave his life to try and stop me, he destoryed everything your father lived and worked for kill him"

But seeing as this isn't a comedy that seems unlikely to happen.