Fallout 3

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Release Date: October 28, 2008

Big Trouble In Big Town

Edit Page    Last Edit: 7 months 14 days ago


  1. Ask the people of Big Town about their capture friends.
  2. Rescue Big Town captives from the Super Mutants.
  3. Escort Red safely back to Big Town.
  4. (Optional) Rescue Shorty.
  5. Escort Shorty safely back to Big Town.
  6. Speak to Red about your reward.


  • Whiskey (x3)
  • Wine
  • Holotape
  • D.C. Journal of Internal Medicine
  • Brahmin Steak (x2)
  • Fancy Lads Snack Cakes
  • Iguana on a Stick
  • Pork N Beans
  • Crispy Squirrel Bits
  • Iguana Bits
  • Junk Food
  • Mirelurk Cakes
  • Chinese Assault Rifle
  • Keller Family Transcript
  • Big Book of Science
  • Nuka-Cola (M)
  • Microfusion Cell (M)
  • Mini Nuke
  • Combat Knife
  • 10mm Rounds (M)
  • .44 Magnum Rounds (M)
  • Energy Cell (M)
  • Purified Water (x2)
  • Rad-X
  • Stimpak (M)
  • Bobby Pin
  • .32 Caliber Round (M)
  • RadAway (x2)
  • Turpentine
  • Sensor Module
  • Wonderglue
  • Bottle Caps (M)
  • Laser Pistol (x2)
  • Pre-War Money (M)
  • Password For Lockdown Computer
  • Blood Pack (x2)
  • Jet
  • 5.56mm Rounds
  • Railway Spikes
  • Fat Man
  • 10mm Submachine Gun

Part 1

North (and slightly west) of Megaton is a nearly-abandoned settlement called Big Town. If you're familiar with the mission undertaken during the main part of the game (Picking Up the Trail), you'll have to encounter a settlement of children called Little Lamplight. Well, Big Town is the fabled place where Little Lamplighters are supposed to come when they're all grown up. But Big Town is in bad, bad shape. When you arrive there, you'll find that most of the buildings in what appears to be a settlement larger than Megaton are completely abandoned, with any remaining settlers huddled up together in the most fortified area of town. Just what's gone on here is still not clear. (If you need more specific directions on getting to Big Town, it's north and slightly west of the Springvale School, east and slightly to the south of Arefu, and south and slightly to the east of Paradise Falls, the slaver community).

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You don't have to stumble across this side quest randomly. We just mentioned the settlement of Little Lamplight that you have to visit during your main quest. When you first arrive there, you should find a teenage boy who is being kicked out of Little Lamplight, because he's too old to live there. He'll ask you to guide him to Big Town from Little Lamplight at that point, which you can optionally do. This is the other way you can pick up this side quest. But this side quest still exists even if you ignore that guy completely.

As mentioned earlier, most of the buildings in Big Town's vicinity are boarded up and abandoned. You have to seek out a makeshift wooden bridge crossing a tiny irradiated bog to find the actual settlement. This bridge is guarded by a nervous and tired man named Dusty, who will mildly interrogate you when you try to enter the settlement. It seems that no matter how you treat him, he'll let you in. Further speaking with him will reveal that Big Town's size, stature and safety has been cut down considerably recently due to Super Mutant raids from the Germantown Police Headquarters. Naturally, you're going to have to eventually take care of business there, but not before we explore Big Town a little more... or what's left of it, anyway.

Big Town has been decimated, but you should still explore. You'll only find five living people in the town -- Bittercup, Pappy, Kimba, Flash and Timebomb. Speak to each of these characters to learn more about their situation, their lives and childhoods, and most importantly, the perceived location of the Super Mutant hordes that are wreaking havoc on Big Town (the oft-mentioned slavers that also prey on Big Town don't play a part in this side quest). Once you pick anyone's brain about the location of the Super Mutants, which is at the Germantown Police Headquarters, the location will be added to your map and the objective to find where they are coming from will be fulfilled.

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The few survivors here are pretty hardened, so it'll take a lot of crap-talk to drive them over the edge. Generally, as long as you keep your gun holstered and don't fire it, you won't find much resistance from them. After all, as one of them so eloquently states, they've basically accepted death, since they live in an incessantly-decrepit state. Out of the few buildings you can explore that aren't boarded up, their makeshift town hall perhaps offers the most. You can find Whiskey and Wine in the fridge, a Toaster on the counter, and a Pilot Light in the oven, but little else of substantial value (and don't expect to find any weapons or ammunition -- that stuff is at a true premium here). The town's clubhouse has little else to offer, though you can sleep in the beds within if you desire.

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Earlier, we mentioned Timebomb. Timebomb is a character you'll learn about from some of the other Big Town survivors, but you won't meet him in the flesh until you visit Big Town's third and final exploration-worthy building, the abandoned clinic (the town's doctor has been kidnapped by Super Mutants). Timebomb will be on a gurney in the clinic, unconscious from severe bullet wounds and other injuries sustained in the last battle with the Super Mutants. When you try to examine him, you'll be given the opportunity to stitch him up yourself, which is a great idea if you have a high enough science skill. Otherwise, you'll risk killing him. Either way, getting him up will add him to the scant Big Town population, so consider doing it if you can. Unfortunately, you won't find many goods of value in the clinic other than a Bonesaw, Scalpel, Forceps, and even an Ophthalmoscope (for examining a patient's eyes). A valuable copy of the D.C. Journal of Internal Medicine and even a Holotape can be found by examining the back end of the structure before exiting.

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The Germantown Police HQ is located north of Big Town. Make sure that this quest is your active quest on your Pip-Boy so that you'll have a guiding arrow on your compass as you head north. As you go north, it won't take very long for you to run into some stiff Super Mutant resistance (you can throw some Raiders in there for good measure, as well). A lot of this fray will happen off of the side of a road, with a church out in the distance to the west. Use rock outcroppings and the like to guard yourself from Super Mutant aggression as you cap one, then another, then another, until they're all downed (treat likewise any other enemies you meet). While these Super Mutant represented the first line of outer defense for the Germantown Police HQ, you'll likely want to detour to the church you see in the westward distance.

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This is totally optional, but this is a good place to quickly visit en route to the Police HQ for multiple reasons. First of all, there's likely a straggling Super Mutant or two in the area, so this makes a good building to seek cover in or behind as you take them out. Secondly, this building is chock full of items -- you can find a Chinese Assault Rifle, a Big Book of Science, a Mini Nuke, some 10mm Rounds, Purified Water and more within the structure of the half-destroyed church. But perhaps most interestingly, you'll find one of the Super Mutant's prisoners within the building. This captive has nothing to do with our side quest, but you can free her if you want for a karma boost (she'll even offer up some items for your use). Clearing the church of foes and freeing the captive, above all else, acts as a good primer for your upcoming experience.

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Part 2

From the church, continue to head north, following the arrow on your compass for a more direct route, and keep your eyes peeled for enemies. You'll run into a variety of enemies here, from familiar beasts like Vicious Dogs to human enemies, such as Enclave soldiers or officers, and the odd Raider. You may even run into a stray Super Mutant or two. But believe it or not, your approach to the destroyed Germantown Police HQ (and surrounding environs) will likely be a quiet one in terms of the presumed Super Mutant threat in the area, especially if you thoroughly cleared out their ranks

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Welcome to Germantown. This disheveled, bombed-out town has little to offer you, but you should still search the periphery of the town quickly. As you walk around, tap the VATS button constantly to be sure that you have no threats surrounding you (like we said earlier, as long as you were thorough in your journey to Germantown, you shouldn't have to deal with any enemies outside). Once you're satisfied you've seen the town's periphery adequately, seek out the Police HQ entrance near the center of town, on the southern end.

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The Germantown Police HQ is surrounded by debris and an impassable chain link fence, making your journey difficult simply because you have to seek out the only way into the area (see the right side screen above). When you're finally in the police compound, you'll find more debris, likely no enemies, and plenty of tents that the Super Mutants pitched for their captives. Regrettably, you'll find no captives for you to free in any of the tents, but a thorough examination of the area will result in you finding a computer you can browse (no hacking required), as well as one tent in particular chock-full of items. Stimpaks, a Bobby Pin and more can be found in there, so be sure to search thoroughly. Also, feel free to recoup lost health by sleeping on any of the beds in the various tents you encounter.

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So, how do you enter the Police HQ itself? Considering the Police HQ is the only building still standing in Germantown, you would think finding the door into the building is easy, but it's not. While there's a door that you can pick on the ground floor if you have an extremely high lockpick skill, you'll likely want to seek out the staircase on the west side of the building that leads to a door on the second floor. It's this door that will act as your conduit in and out of the building. Lock and load, and then head on inside.

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As soon as you enter, walk forward a bit, and then take a knee. You'll hear a pair of Super Mutants speaking in a room ahead and to your left, and as long as you don't make any noise or otherwise make your presence felt and known, you can hear the entirety of their conversation. It appears they have two prisoners from Big Town here, and they'll even let you know (vaguely) where they're being held. Once you've heard and processed that information, it's time to move on. So, bear right and through the door directly adjacent to the entrance into the building to begin exploring.

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This room is pretty much completely devoid of any goods, but a computer is within that you can hack if you're an exceptional hacker (otherwise, you're going to be out of luck there). You can also find a lone Pack of Cigarettes in a filing cabinet in the room. Once you've finished scouring this initial room, leave via the other doorway, which will lead to a corridor that meets perpendicularly with the previous corridor. Ahead and to your right, once you've reached the intersection, is a door leading into the room where the Super Mutants are sitting in wait. Your best bet here, since both are relatively powerful Brutes, is to plant a couple of mines at the doorway (staggering their position so that one explosion doesn't negate the other). Then, shoot off your gun to get the Super Mutants' attention. They'll run out at you, running over the mines you planted.

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The mines, if properly placed, will do devastating damage to the Super Mutants, and at the very least they will slow them down. You can use these extra precious few seconds to then enter VATS and go for headshots on both foes to nullify the threat. Once they're downed, run into the large room they were guarding. You won't find much of value, but there is a medical kit on the wall which holds some RadAway and a Stimpak. Back in the corridor, enter the adjoined labs on your right and search for more goods, including Turpentine, a Sensor Module, some Wonderglue, and a few Bottle Caps. Also, as you've likely noticed by now, there's traps and mines everywhere, so keep moving and keep an eye out for those as you scurry around.

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Proceed down the corridor after the aforementioned rooms are thoroughly examined. The pathway will shift heading forward to the right, and then you'll have two more rooms, one right across from the other on the corridor, to examine. The room on your right has a safe in it, which carries Energy Cells, a Laser Pistol, some Pre-War Money and more. But it's the Password For Lockdown Computer sitting atop the desk in this room that's of the most interest, so be sure to grab it for later. As for the room on the other side of the passageway, you won't find much of value, except for the contents of the medical kit on the large table within. You should find a Blood Pack and a couple of Stimpaks when you search it.

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Part 3

The next intersection of corridors is the final one you'll encounter on this, the second floor of the Police HQ structure. Don't bother going to your right at the intersection. Instead, immediately head to the left and explore this elongated room, populated by an equally elongated table in the center. Other than being covered in Gore Bags and a million other bloody organic pieces, you'll find an ammunition box, medical kit and more on the far side of the table. Grab the Vacuum Cleaner there if you can carry it, and add the .32 Caliber Rounds, Stimpak, Blood Pack and RadAway before heading back to the previous intersection. Head forward from there, and bear right with the linear pathway. Then, go through the door to access the staircase that will lead us to the ground floor of the building.

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Begin running down the flight of stairs ahead of you. You'll find a mine planted as the stairs turn and continue to proceed down to the ground floor. This makes things difficult, since if you don't disarm it, the explosion will go off, alerting a nearby Super Mutant Brute to your presence. Either way, that Super Human Brute needs to be dealt with, so let him come to you, keeping the high ground on the staircase. Once he's dead, you can then breach the corridor he was guarding. First, head right and swing left into the room there. This was the police control room. Read the last recordings on each computer within to read some interesting (and funny) interactions between Germantown residents and the dispatchers. Then, work your way into the corridor via the door ahead and on your left (search the innocuously-placed suitcase within this room to grab some Nuka-Cola and Sexy Sleepwear as well).

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From here, continue across the corridor until you reach what appears to have been a classroom before the nuclear devastation. There's little to see in this room, but it's an important room to find. Not only can you grab a Carton of Cigarettes from within, but you can also draw Super Human Brutes and Super Human Masters patrolling the area into this room instead of fighting them in the narrow corridors of the HQ's first floor. This will make your life a lot easier, especially if you plant mines and fortify the room before drawing your enemies into it. When that's done, you'll also want to seek out a pair of bathrooms on the ground level. There are some Gore Bags with goods for you to grab, and one of the toilets even contains a vial of Jet, if you're daring enough to grab it.

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All that's left to see now is the holding area. It's down the only yet-unexplored wing of the first floor, so begin heading down there now (chances are, you've nullified the entirety of the Super Mutant threat on the first floor, so you should be able to walk around with relative immunity). When you reach the holding area, immediately approach the computer on the desk by the door. With the password you found upstairs, you can access the computer program and unlock all of the cells. The cell immediately adjacent to your position is where Red, Big Town's medic, is being held. Speak to her and free her. You'll have some options as to just what you're going to do with her. We told her to stay put (though you could arm her and bring her with you if you so desire).

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Now it's time to breach the basement to free Shorty, the other Big Town resident being held here. Run around the floor until you find the door to the basement, and head on downstairs. This initial corridor has two doors along it, one leading left and the other leading right. First, head through the door on your left. In this large, gore-filled room, you can find a lot of stuff, including Microfusion Cells, a Laser Pistol, some Rad-X, a Stimpak, and more. But it's the corridor adjacent to this room, otherwise isolated, that's of real interest. Pick the lock on the only door along that corridor and explore the room beyond it. You'll find a 10mm Submachine Gun, Railway Spikes, myriad 5.56mm Rounds, and perhaps most importantly, a Fat Man. The Fat Man is indeed a heavy weapon, but it's how you will be able to shoot those ultra-valuable and ultra-powerful Mini Nukes you've found along your journey. So even though it's heavy and takes up a lot of inventory space, don't leave without it.

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Now it's time to go back to the corridor and head to the right. This initial room is completely empty (save for a random item here and there), but just like the room on the other side of the corridor, it's the pathway off of the room that's of real interest. But first, head to the north end of the room and explore the locker room off of it. You should at least be able to grab a Cherry Bomb from within. Do you hear the screams of Shorty, the other captive? You're close! Breach the corridor leading to the kitchen where he's being held, and down the Super Mutant holding him at gunpoint. Before freeing him, examine the pantry for more goods. You can also find foodstuffs (like Mirelurk Cakes, Pork N Beans and Fancy Lads Snack Cakes, plus more) in the two fridges. A pair of Pilot Lights can be found in the ovens, and another Fire Hose Nozzle on the wall. Now, ready to go? Head back upstairs with Shorty in tow. Stop by Red's cell to release her, and then use the door directly adjacent to the holding area (which was locked from the outside) to get out of here quickly.

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Now, once you're outside, you might find yourself having to fend off a Super Mutant or two, but otherwise things should be relatively quiet. Don't let the game's verbiage fool you -- you don't have to actually walk back to Big Town. Once the coast is clear, all you have to do is teleport instantly to Big Town. Once you're there, Red and Shorty will leave you and all of the objectives, except the final one, will be fulfilled. Now, all you have to do is find Red. She'll either be in her clinic, or in the town hall. Either way, speak with her, and either accept or decline her reward. That will wrap up this side quest, though if you want to continue to help Big Town against the Super Mutants, you're welcome to do so at your convenience.

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