Military site
Nellis Air Force Base
The Boomers' artillery-guarded home in a former air base. Survive the shelling, earn their trust and help raise a bomber from Lake Mead.
- Region
- Northeast Mojave
- Faction
- Boomers
- Danger
- High
- Map position
- 13 × 4
Nellis Air Force Base is home to the Boomers, a tribe descended from Vault 34 residents who left their Vault, settled in the old air base and armed themselves with salvaged heavy weapons, howitzers included. They distrust all outsiders, whom they call savages, and they shell anyone who walks up the road. Inside the fence the base is largely self-sufficient, with an irrigated farm between the runways, a biodiesel refinery and the solar-powered Nellis Array.
Getting in is the first challenge. The old road east from Fields' Shack runs straight through the artillery field, and a man named George bets you caps that you cannot reach the fence alive, an unmarked quest called Highway to the Danger Zone. Keep moving and do not stop until you reach the perimeter, where a guard and Raquel meet you. There is also an unmarked train tunnel east of Raul's Shack, sealed with two Very Hard locks.
Inside, Pearl leads the tribe and starts Volare!, the long project to raise a sunken B-29 bomber from Lake Mead. You earn the Boomers' trust through side jobs for Raquel, Loyal, Jack and others, and finishing Volare! brings them into the Second Battle of Hoover Dam. Argyll is the base doctor, the chef and munitions manager sell food and explosives, and Pete tells the tribe's history in the Boomer museum, where the Nellis snow globe is on display.
How to get there
Follow the old road east from Fields' Shack and run the artillery field to the perimeter fence.
Notable loot
- Snow globe - Nellis AFB (Boomer museum)
- Fat Man and mini nukes (carried by a Boomer near the tents by the mess hall)
- Key to the Vault 34 armory pulse gun case (filing cabinet in Pearl's barracks)
- Dean's Electronics (Loyal's house, owned)
- Duck and Cover! (Pearl's barracks, owned)
Related quests
- Volare!
- Highway to the Danger Zone
- Ant Misbehavin'
- Sunshine Boogie
- Young Hearts
- Missing a Few Missiles
- I Hear You Knocking
- Still in the Dark
Notable characters
- Pearl
- Raquel
- Loyal
- Jack
- Pete
- Argyll
- George
Tips
- Take George's bet before the run; a Barter or Speech check changes the payout.
- Giving Jack scrap metal raises your fame with the Boomers, and enough of it gets you Idolized.
- Save before the artillery run and do not stop moving until you reach the fence.
Collectibles and items here
- Weapon Grenade rifleIn Pearl's barracks, on the middle bookshelf against the southwest wall, with 12 40mm grenades and a copy of Duck and Cover!.
- Holotape Mission statement KH-792On the body of Paladin Raseleanne outside the main entry of Nellis Air Force Base, near some ruined houses. Boomer artillery can knock the body around.
- Key Col. Blackwell's keyIn Pearl's barracks at Nellis, in the right-hand filing cabinet against the southwest wall, together with the Inventory transfer order.
- Note Inventory transfer orderIn Pearl's barracks at Nellis Air Force Base, in the right-hand filing cabinet against the southwest wall, together with Col. Blackwell's key.
- Character ArgyllIn the Nellis medical station.
- Character Boomer chefIn the mess hall and munitions storage at Nellis Air Force Base.
- Character Boomer munitions managerIn the mess hall and munitions storage at Nellis Air Force Base.
- Character LindsayIn the Nellis schoolhouse, the Nellis children's barracks or the nearby tents. She sleeps in her dormitory at night.
- Character PearlIn Pearl's barracks at Nellis Air Force Base.
- Character PeteIn the Boomer museum at Nellis Air Force Base.
- Character RaquelNear the entrance of Nellis Air Force Base.
- Character Boomer teacherIn the Nellis schoolhouse at Nellis Air Force Base.
- Quest item Howitzer firing mechanismIn the gun cabinet at the back of the Nellis workshop.
- Side quest Ant Misbehavin'Once Pearl has started Volare!, talk to Raquel, the Boomers' master-at-arms, who usually keeps a lookout post near the main gate of Nellis Air Force Base.
- Side quest Volare!Make it through the Boomer artillery to the Nellis front gate; Raquel escorts you inside to meet Pearl, who starts the quest.
- Unmarked quest Bear NecessitiesAfter starting Volare!, talk to the Mini Boomer Lindsay, usually at the Nellis schoolhouse, the children's barracks or the tents nearby; she has lost her teddy bear, Mister Cuddles.
- Unmarked quest Malleable Mini Boomer MindsDuring Volare!, talk to the Mini Boomers, usually around the children's barracks and the schoolhouse at Nellis, and play along with their games.
- Unmarked quest Missing a Few MissilesAfter finishing Ant Misbehavin', talk to Raquel again at her post southeast of the Nellis hangars and ask how else you can help; she is low on missiles.
- Skill book Duck and Cover! (Explosives)Nellis Air Force Base, inside Pearl's barracks. The book sits among the other books on the shelf above the grenade rifle.
- Skill book Dean's Electronics (Repair)Nellis Air Force Base, inside Loyal's house. The book is on the long counter next to the ruined terminal.
- Skill magazine Patriot's Cookbook (Explosives)In the Nellis Boomer museum, on a shelf above Pete's bed, with a ¡La Fantoma! and a Tæles of Chivalrie.
- Skill magazine Patriot's Cookbook (Explosives)In the Nellis schoolhouse, inside the teacher's locked desk, with a Lad's Life and a Today's Physician.
- Skill magazine Patriot's Cookbook (Explosives)In the Nellis men's barracks, on a set of shelves next to a bunk.
- Skill magazine Today's Physician (Medicine)Nellis children's barracks, on a table just inside the entrance.
- Skill magazine Today's Physician (Medicine)Nellis schoolhouse, inside the locked teacher's desk, together with a Patriot's Cookbook and a Lad's Life.
- Skill magazine Tæles of Chivalrie (Melee Weapons)Nellis Boomer museum, on the shelf above Pete's bed, next to a ¡La Fantoma! and a Patriot's Cookbook.
- Skill magazine Fixin' Things (Repair)Nellis workshop, the building across from the northwest side of the hangars: on one of the workbenches.
- Skill magazine Fixin' Things (Repair)Nellis schoolhouse, on top of the teacher's desk with a Programmer's Digest and a Boxing Times.
- Skill magazine Programmer's Digest (Science)In the Nellis schoolhouse, on the teacher's desk with a Boxing Times and a Fixin' Things.
- Skill magazine ¡La Fantoma! (Sneak)Inside the Nellis Boomer museum, lying on Pete's bed.
- Skill magazine Boxing Times (Unarmed)Nellis schoolhouse, on top of the teacher's desk together with a Programmer's Digest and a Fixin' Things.
- Skill magazine Lad's Life (Survival)Nellis schoolhouse, inside the locked teacher's desk with a Patriot's Cookbook and a Today's Physician.
- Snow globe Nellis AFBNellis Air Force Base, inside the Nellis Boomer Museum. The globe is on the table to your right immediately after entering the building.