HELIOS One

**HELIOS One** is a pre-War Poseidon Energy solar power plant that used to, and potentially still could, generate and provide power to the New Vegas Strip and other regions as well. It also contains the control system for two experimental satellite weapon systems, the Archimedes 1 and Archimedes 2.

## Background

Pre- war, it used to be a research and development facility for the U.S. Military. It was used as the two Archimedes orbital satellite's experiment field. Centuries after the Great War, it was found by the Mojave chapter of the Brotherhood of steel. The elder at the time, Father Elijah, tried to unlock the secret to the plant. However, the New California Republic arrived in the Mojave and posed as a threat to the Brotherhood there. Father Elijah refused to relocate and as a result, half of the chapter was killed during Operation: Sunburst carried out by the NCR. However, the Brotherhood turned the automatic defense system of the facility on before leaving and as a result, the NCR commanded that the tower is locked down.

## In Dust

Years following The Fall, the NCR seemingly abandoned the facility and it was taken over by a large group of cannibals.

While their also cannibalistic neighbours in Novac seem to have adopted the installation as part of their Mo-Tel cult, moaning the crucification of "Heliodoro, Son of Branimir And His Kinsmen" by foul tribesmen, it is unknown, in what way groups are related.

With tower's automatic defense system still fully functional, the site poses a considerable risk to Survivors wishing to explore it.

## Layout

### **Power plant**

The power plant is a large pre-War solar-power plant. After the fall, cannibals have taken over the facility and NCR presence is nowhere to be found. Cannibals populate the interior as well.

### **Mirror yard**

Behind the main building are the solar collection tower and an array of computer-controlled mirrors. There are two mirror control terminals in small shacks, and several tents set up next to them. The western terminal is guarded by mines, bear traps, and a rigged shotgun, while the eastern terminal is guarded by dogs. Both terminals seem to no longer serve their former purposes. Cannibals sleep nearby the tents, with their beds out in the open.

### **Solar collection tower**

Inside the solar collection tower are three automated turrets, a few protectrons, a mister gutsy prototype, sentry bots and a non- hostile mister handy called PYTHON. It is very dangerous as the robots, especially sentry bots and turrets have high hp and high damage output. There are fair amounts of meds and lots of ammo, especially energy cells and 5mm bullets that can be looted from the robots.

## Tactical Considerations

The cannibals outside can be easily picked off one by one as there are many good places to snipe them. Inside the power plant, as there are five cannibals right in front of you when entered, using a stealth boy and blowing their pants up is the best choice because they all come rushing at you, filling you with lead and nails right as you enter. The cannibals in the mirror yard can be killed from a distance. Killing them at night is a very good strategy since most of them would be sleeping.

The solar collection tower is a very dangerous place as three automatic turrets on the ceiling near the entrance will all shoot once in range, quickly killing the player. It is advised to frenzy one of the turrets and then attack them while distracted. Another is dash into the nearby room to hack the console and let them attack other robots, thus saving some ammo. The sentry bots can be destroyed by the pulse grenades that can be looted in the power plant. The protectrons can be easily taken care of while not taking damage as their accuracy is very bad.

## Notable loot

* A large amount of 5 mm ammo and energy cells can be looted from the robots in the solar collection tower.
* about six pulse grenades can be looted from the power plant building.

## Notes

* As with all other quests of the base game, DUST seeks to disable quests related to HELIOS One. Thus HELIOS One can no longer activated, and forced activation by for example using the console may lead to complications.
* It may be speculated, that since the defense systems are still fully functional, the Courier never visited the installation, or at least never tried to fully explore it.
* Black Rock Cave starter has access to Paladin Toaster, an anti robot gauntlet, from beginning. Thus ambitious unarmed player can make a beeline to this facility right away, a dangerous undertaking.