Aiding the Outcasts

Aiding the Outcasts is the first main quest in the Fallout 3 add-on Operation: Anchorage. It is also an Xbox 360 and PC achievement as well as a PS3 trophy.
The Brotherhood of Steel Outcasts are trying to acquire advanced military tools, and the only way to enter the vault containing these relics is by completing a military virtual reality simulation only the Lone Wanderer can enter. In the simulation, the Lone Wanderer fights in the Battle of Anchorage, tasked with defending Alaska from invading Red Chinese troops.
==Quick walkthrough==
==Detailed walkthrough==
===Investigate the Outcast distress signal===
After installing the add-on, the Lone Wanderer receives a message about an Outcast distress signal, which automatically adds the quest to the Pip-Boy.
From the emergency signal, the Lone Wanderer learns that Defender Morrill is asking anybody capable of receiving the signal for support at Bailey's Crossroads. Bailey's Crossroads can be reached via Bailey's Crossroads Metro just northeast of the Red Racer factory. This is a fairly standard tunnel system occupied by a few feral ghouls.
===Help the Outcast soldiers===
At Bailey's Crossroads, a battle is taking place between super mutants and Brotherhood Outcasts. Depending on what the player is wearing, Morrill will either tell them to keep their head down, or will mistake the Lone Wanderer for a Brotherhood Outcast if they are wearing Outcast power armor. Morrill and the Outcasts with him will be hostile if they are wearing Brotherhood power armor. This initial interaction can be missed, as Morrill may rush forward to fight the super mutants before they can greet the player. The battle progresses through a building until the group reaches the Outcast outpost guarded by mark IV turrets.
Once there, Defender Morrill, will talk with the player. Depending on what they are wearing, how he greets the player will change. If they are wearing anything that is not Outcast power armor, he will ask the player why they are here, before noticing their Pip-Boy. With Outcast power armor, depending on if the player arrived in Bailey's Crossroads wearing it or took it off of a dead Outcast will change how he treats them. If the armor was taken off a dead Outcast, he will angrily tell the player that he saw what they did, before noticing their Pip-Boy. 
If they were wearing it when they first arrived in Bailey's Crossroads, he will continue treating the player as if they are Outcast reinforcements, asking where the rest of their detachment is. The player can lie and say they are on their way, try and boss Morrill around, or admit to him they are not an Outcast. If they tell Morrill the truth, he will ask where they got the armor and why they are wearing it, and depending on the player's response he may turn hostile. Otherwise, he will notice their Pip-Boy after the initial shock wears off.
After this dialogue, he asks the Lone Wanderer to enter the outpost and speak with Protector McGraw.
At higher levels, Morrill and the two Outcasts with him are likely to die while fighting their way to the Outcast outpost. If Morrill and his group are turned hostile, the turrets and Outcast above the outpost will also be hostile, but the Outcasts inside will not be. 
If at any point the Outcasts inside the outpost are turned hostile before entering the simulation, the objective will change to explore the VSS outpost. The quest marker will direct the player to Specialist Olin, and it is still possible to go into the Anchorage Simulation after taking the neural interface suit from her body.
===Talk to the leader of the Outcasts===
At the bottom of the elevator is Defender Sibley and another Outcast, and depending on if Morrill is alive one of two conversations can be heard during the elevator ride. If Morrill is alive, the unnamed Outcast will be complaining to Sibley about Protector McGraw's orders not to just kill the player and take their Pip-Boy, and Sibley will tell them to follow orders. With Morrill alive, Sibley will not hold a conversation with the player, and will order them to keep their weapons holstered and follow him.
If Morrill is dead, the Outcast will say that Morrill has not checked in, and wonder who is in the elevator, with Sibley telling them not to fire without an order from him. Sibley will ask who the player is, and will not be too happy with any of their responses, except when wearing Outcast power armor (which causes him to assume that the player is the reinforcements they are expecting) or making use of the Black Widow perk option (which causes him to use a less harsh tone with the player). Regardless the result is the same, and Sibley will order the player to follow him to McGraw.
Depending on if the player follows him to Protector McGraw or runs ahead to reach McGraw first, two conversations will play out. McGraw will either thank Sibley for leading the player to him, and then dismiss his concerns about using them to access the tech cache, or berate him for not keeping closer control over the player. After this conversation, McGraw speaks to the player. 
If Morrill is dead, he will first ask the player what they are doing there, before noticing their Pip-Boy. If Morrill is alive, then he will mention Morrill telling him the player had a Pip-Boy. After greeting them, he explains that there is some high-tech equipment locked away, and only someone utilizing a Pip-Boy can complete the VR program and gain access. This VR program is a simulation of the Anchorage Reclamation. The simulation's safety measures have been disabled; dieing in the simulator means death in the real world as well. He tells the player character he understands if they do not want to risk it, but that if they are interested in helping to follow Sibley to Specialist Olin.
===Enter the simulation pod===
Olin can be found in the room with the simulation pod. She hands over a neural interface suit, which according to her is required to be able to participate in the simulation. After putting the suit on, open the simulation pod and activate it. This quest is concluded and the Lone Wanderer will then be inside the simulation at the beginning of The Guns of Anchorage.
==Rewards==
* 100 XP
==Quest stages==
==Notes==
* The emergency radio broadcast is heard approximately 3 to 5 minutes after leaving Vault 101 (when starting a new game after installing Operation Anchorage), regardless of storyline progress. Continuing a current game after installing Operation: Anchorage will bring up the broadcast almost immediately. Completing the simulation prior to any other quests will allow equipping power armor and gaining levels inside the simulation.
* The emergency signal has a very large broadcast range, and can still be heard clearly 500 kilometers to the northwest, in The Pitt. Also the signal can be heard in Mothership Zeta.
* The Outcasts at Bailey's Crossroads will turn hostile if the Lone Wanderer harms one of them, accidentally or otherwise. This may cause frequent reloading of saves for those that pay little heed to where their attacks land. This can also be solved by simply yielding.
* Showing up at Bailey's Crossroads wearing a suit of Outcast power armor will make the Outcasts treat the Lone Wanderer as an Outcast officer. At least, until Protector McGraw recognizes that they are not one of them. Afterward, the greetings given by non-player characters still address the Lone Wanderer as an Outcast. This does not apply to the unique version of Outcast power armor from Branchtender Linden.
* When McGraw first asks the Lone Wanderer to enter the simulation, they can say "Great, more psychotic little girls," referencing the experience in Tranquility Lane. McGraw, understandably, is rather taken aback by this option.
* If the Lone Wanderer has infiltrated and killed the Outcasts in Fort Independence, there is a dialogue option when talking to McGraw along the lines of "having killed his buddies at Fort Independence and now it is his turn" which in turn makes the Outcasts hostile. The Lone Wanderer can still enter the simulation after killing Specialist Olin and taking the neural interface suit.
* Similar to the above statement, earning Casdin's trust before going to the outpost yields a dialogue option along the lines of "having dealt with [the Outcasts] before. Fort Independence, right?", to which he will explain it is their main base of operations.
* If the Outcasts outside do not radio ahead, Defender Sibley can be heard talking to an unnamed outcast about the lift.
* Companion Star Paladin Cross may go haywire and kill the Outcasts.
* With Broken Steel, it is possible to encounter three super mutant overlords (with a super sledge, Gatling laser and a tri-beam laser rifle spread between them) on the way to the Outcast base, even at low levels. They can be quite troublesome (if not fatal) for low level player characters and will almost guarantee the deaths of the initial three Outcast members. On the other hand, this can provide early access to some rather advanced equipment.
* Any companions will not descend into the base, but will rather remain outside. This can cause problems if there are further attacks by enemies, as these companions could easily end up dying. To avoid this, they should be dismissed before entering the Outcast base.
* Entering McGraw's room before Sibley's lead makes it possible to listen in on an altered conversation where Sibley is berated for not keeping a closer eye on the Lone Wanderer and letting them wander the base.
==Bugs==
* If you have completed the first part of the mission, and Defender Sibley is leading you to the Outcast commander, leaving will cause a very odd bug. Sibley will follow you, and will occasionally appear in the oddest places. He has been encountered in the Enclave mobile platform (Broken Steel), outside Rivet City, Raven Rock, the Citadel, in the Republic of Dave, Megaton, Tenpenny Tower and even into DLC areas, such as Point Lookout. 
* It is possible that after downloading Operation: Anchorage at the start of the game, the radio transmission will not be received making it impossible to enter Bailey's Metro. 
* Occasionally the radio signal may be received without having the quest added on the Pip-Boy. 
* After completing the questline and opening the armory door, it is possible that the quest "You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head" will appear as completed after activating the power armor on display. 
* You may get stuck in the elevator and have to reload an autosave, but do not wait too long or the game will autosave and you will be stuck in the elevator. This bug occurs more often when having Dogmeat as a companion. 
* After you follow Defender Sibley and enter the pod, the screen could freeze either on the loading screen or right when you enter the simulation. 
==Gallery==
Defender Sibley.jpg|Defender Sibley
Protector McGraw.jpg|Protector McGraw
Specialist Olin.jpg|Specialist Olin
Sim ChairOA.jpg|Opened simulator
Category:Operation: Anchorage quests
Category:Operation: Anchorage achievements and trophies
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