Powder Gangers The Powder Gangers ( sometimes referred to as Powder Gangsters by Johnson Nash ) are a chain gang of escaped convicts operating in the Mojave Wasteland in 2281 . Background . The NCR Correctional Facility is the dominant location of the central Mojave Wasteland . In the distant past , it was the Jean Conservancy , a low - security all - female prison . Under recent NCR control , it was used to house prisoners on work release . The prisoners worked the railroad parallel to the Long 15 under NCR trooper supervision , maintaining the vital land link between the Boneyard and New Vegas . Eventually , prison guards ( NCR troopers ) were pulled away to run Colorado River border patrol . When the guard staff was low , the prisoners executed a daring and violent coup . Because the rail crews often used explosives ( typically ) to blast through rock or get rid of train cars that were locked / fixed on the line , the prisoners inevitably acquired small amounts that they hid in their cells . When they made their break , they blasted their way out . The interior of the prison was clearly the scene of a large riot where the prisoners used explosives , improvised weapons , and stolen NCR trooper equipment to break through multiple walls and scatter through the desert . A lot of the prisoners weren ’ t in on the escape plan formally ; they just got caught up in the moment . Consequently , a lot of them didn ’ t really know where to go when the dust settled . A large contingent of Powder Gangers can be found in Vault 19 though many squatted in the prison and have been informally raiding since then . Organization . There are several groups of loosely organized Powder Gangers , many remain in the prison and have been raiding surrounding areas under the leadership of . There are factions of Powder Gangers spread far along the south - west part of the Mojave Wasteland , as far down as Nipton . The smaller groups of Powder Gangers are all lead by a strong or cunning underboss , like Joe Cobb . A large contingent of Powder Gangers can be found in Vault 19 under the leadership of Samuel Cooke , although there they are identified as escaped convicts . Relations with the outside . Due to their hostility , the Powder Gangers have little to no friendly relations with outside groups . They are hated by both the NCR , whom they were former prisoners of , and Caesar ' s Legion , for harassing their raiding parties west of the Colorado River . The Brotherhood of Steel also seems to dislike them due to interfering with patrols near and in Hidden Valley . Neutral relations are not completely unheard of , as seen in Nipton , although they are very rare . The willingness of Samuel Cooke ' s group in Vault 19 to join the Great Khans suggests at least some respect is held for the Khans , though no formal relations exist between the two groups without intervention from the Courier . Technology . The favored and most common weapons among the Powder Gangers are explosives , primarily the powder charge s and dynamite which they acquired during their time in prison and escape . However , they also have a large arsenal of guns ; some stolen , others looted from dead NCRCF guards . Their guns tend to be weak ; they carry single shotgun s , 9mm pistols , varmint rifle s , and . 357 Magnum revolver s . Appearances . Powder Gangers appear in " " and J . E . Sawyer ' s " Fallout " RPG . The 215 Rail Line Powder Gang were also due to appear in Black Isle ' s canceled " Fallout 3 " .