New California New California is a region of the wasteland that exists within a portion of post - War Southern California . It stretches from Shady Sands to the north to as far south as the Boneyard . In 2186 , it becomes the center of the New California Republic , one of the largest known factions in the wasteland . Background . Great War . Prior to the Great War and the destruction of the United States , the region of Southern California was populated with the cities of Los Angeles and Bakersfield . It was also known to have four vault s : 12 , 13 , 15 , and the Los Angeles Vault . When the Great War occurred , Southern California was hit particularly hard . Los Angeles , with its destroyed skyscrapers and skeleton - ridden streets , became known as the Boneyard . In the town of Bakersfield , the people hid within Vault 12 to survive the bombs . However , since the Vault ' s door failed to close completely , the vault dwellers succumbed to large amounts of radiation and turned into ghoul s , giving it its new name , Necropolis . At the same time , the surviving soldiers of Mariposa left their base and formed the Brotherhood of Steel within the Lost Hills bunker . A little further north , the town of Junktown was built from the ground up using pre - War cars . In 2092 , survivors that hid with the Los Angeles Vault came out to found the town of Adytum within the Boneyard . In the nearby ruins , the Blades gang and the Gun Runners formed and , later , the Followers of the Apocalypse migrated in from Dayglow . In the center of these locations , the Hub was founded in 2093 , quickly becoming the center of trade for all of New California . With a plutocratic city council and a heavily armed police force , the Hub became home to the three most powerful trading companies in the region : the Crimson Caravans , the Far Go Traders , and the Water Merchants . In 2141 , Vault 15 would open , releasing four groups : the peaceful citizens of Shady Sands and the raider groups known as the Vipers , Jackals , and Khans . Unity . Unbeknownst to most , the unattended vats of Forced Evolutionary Virus within the Mariposa Military Base began to spawn various mutants . One of those mutated was Richard Grey , becoming known as the Master . Coming up with the belief of the Unity in 2103 , the Master discovered a method of using the FEV to turn humans into super mutants and began to develop an army to conquer New California , while also forming the Children of the Cathedral , who worshiped him . In 2161 , Vault 13 , the last unopened Vault , suffers mechanical failures and sends out the Vault Dweller to find a replacement for their destroyed water chip . He successfully acquires the water chip within Necropolis ' Vault 12 , while solving various problems throughout New California , including saving Shady Sands ' Tandi . Upon discovering the threat of the Master , the Vault Dweller was sent out again to deal with the threat of the Unity . Meanwhile , the super mutant army attacked and destroyed Necropolis while searching for the Vault Dweller . Eventually , the Vault Dweller tracked down the Master within the Cathedral and Mariposa , destroying both sites and causing the mutant army to disperse . New California Republic . Thanks to the influence of the Vault Dweller , Aradesh , leader of Shady Sands , chose to open further relations with the rest of New California . The town expanded rapidly and later joined together with Junktown , the Hub , Boneyard , Dayglow , and recently formed Maxson to form a higher government , the New California Republic . After the Chosen One settled a problem with the New Khans , the NCR continued to expand and influence the nearby regions of Northern California , Baja , and the Mojave Wasteland . Inhabitants . Prior to the formation of the NCR , the towns of New California were mostly isolated with the only interaction being in the way of trade . While the Hub and Junktown are welcoming to outsiders , Shady Sands and Necropolis are distrustful of those they do not know . While the people of Adytum are welcoming , the security of the town are suspicious of newcomers . The Brotherhood of Steel takes this even further , allowing no outsiders in Lost Hills unless they accomplish a , believed to be , impossible task . Even in 2161 , law does exist . With Shady Sands creating a guard to defend against the Khans , Adytum trusting its safety to the Regulators , and Junktown and the Hub creating police forces to fight the crime within their cities . With the NCR , the state of law has expanded greatly . With the creation of the Army and the Rangers , the NCR has exiled the raiders of New California and policed the cities of the nation . However , loopholes do exist , as shown by the existence of a slave pen right outside the capital ' s walls . The most common forms of food are crops and brahmin . Shady Sands is self - sufficient with the other settlements trading with the Hub to get any food they need . Adytum was previously fed with its own hydroponic farms , but they ceased functioning by 2161 . The Water Merchants of the Hub supply a large quantity of the water needed throughout the region . By 2281 , the region continues to grow a great deal of food , but it ' s estimated that there will be food shortages by approximately 2291 due to growing populations . At the same time , water consumption and neglect have caused most of the lakes in the region to dry up . Appearances . New California appears in " Fallout " and " Fallout 2 " . It is also mentioned in " Fallout 3 " , " " , and " Fallout 4 " .