Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel drops you into the role of a commander, leading a squad of Brotherhood of Steel recruits through a brutal, post-apocalyptic wasteland. Forget the open-ended quests of its predecessors; this is a combat-focused RPG where your moment-to-moment gameplay involves tactical squad-based battles, managing your team's skills, and equipping them for survival. It's a gritty, atmospheric experience for those who love strategic combat and a rich sci-fi setting.
This guide is your go-to resource for mastering the wasteland. We'll cover everything from building your ideal character with the right stats and perks to conquering every mission, from the initial Bunker Alpha to the challenging final encounter against The Beast. Expect expert advice on combat strategies, weapon choices, and effective leadership to ensure your squad's survival and victory.
started with TB mode. But in CTB, nothing seems to change.
Compare the Fast Shot and Sniper perks in Fallout Tactics. Learn about their advantages, disadvantages, and optimal attribute builds for different combat styles.
The Fast Shot perk in Fallout Tactics offers more shots per round at the cost of targeted accuracy, while the Sniper perk is intended for precision but may be bugged. This section explores the trade-offs and provides recommended attribute builds for various playstyles.
- 1Fast Shot Perk: Costs 2 action points per shot, allowing 5 shots with 10 AP. Sacrifices targeted shots, which increase critical hit chance.
- 2Sniper Perk: Intended to increase critical hit chance, particularly useful for snipers. However, some players report it may be bugged and not provide the expected benefits.
- 3Attribute Recommendations:
- 4General: ST 6, PE 8, EN 6, CH 5, IN 6, AG 10, LK 6.
- 5Slayer (Melee): ST 8, AG 8.
- 6Sniper: PE 8 (minimum), IN 6 (minimum).
- 7Heavy Weapons Specialist: ST 9 (for Browning M2), consider lower Endurance.
- 8Alternative Sniper Build: ST 5/6, PE 8/9, EN 2 (exploit bug for 12 EN), CH 8, IN 9, AG 8, LK 6.
- 9Charisma: Appears to have no effect on the number of recruits obtained, even with low CH.
- 10Heavy Weapons: Browning M2 is a powerful long-range weapon but requires ST 9 and expensive ammo.
- 11Melee Combat: Effective when close, can stagger enemies, costing them action points in CTB or preventing attacks in TB.
- 12Tag Skills: Small Guns (essential), Energy Weapons, Big Guns (for rockets/chainguns/Browning M2), Lockpick, Unarmed/Melee (for Slayer), Bartering, Outdoorsman, Stealth (for Slayer).
- 13Bug Exploitation (Endurance/HP): A bug allows unlimited acquisition of items like Elixir of Life from certain random encounters by repeatedly trading and re-entering. This can be used to boost Endurance and HP significantly.
- 14Leader Build Example: Traits: Gifted, Kamikaze. Perks: Weapons Handling. Tags: Small, Big. Attributes: ST 6, PE 10, EN 5, CH 2, IN 10, AG 10, LK 2. This build can effectively use the Browning M2.
- Fast Shot is good for general combat, while Sniper may be unreliable.
- Consider increased critical hits and Bonus Rate of Fire perks as alternatives to Sniper.
- Melee combat requires careful positioning (sneak and cover) but can be very effective.
- Tag skills should align with your chosen combat style.
- Exploiting the item duplication bug can create powerful, high-HP characters.
having a second good pilot or gunner).
Learn how the Mutate! perk works in Fallout Tactics, including its effect on traits and squad customization. Duplication bug fixed in 1.25.
The duplication bug that allowed for item duplication has been fixed in version 1.25 of Fallout Tactics.
The Mutate! perk has the ability to alter your character's traits. If a character does not have any traits to begin with, the perk will grant them a new, free trait. While this might not be as impactful for your main character, it offers significant strategic potential for your squad members. Consider the possibility of building an entire team composed of squadies who all possess the Gifted trait, for example.
- Focus on using the Mutate! perk on squad members to maximize its benefit, especially if they lack starting traits.
- Experiment with different trait combinations on your squad to create specialized units.
- Be aware that the duplication bug present in earlier versions of Fallout Tactics is no longer functional as of version 1.25.
The mutate! perk (getting a trait for nothing) still works in 1.25.
Exploit Fallout Tactics' safe unlocking mechanic for infinite experience points. Works best with 30% lockpicking skill.
- At least 30% in Lockpicks skill.
- A set of lockpicks.
- 1Go to a level with a safe, such as Rock Falls or Pretoria.
- 2Position the character equipped with lockpicks next to the safe.
- 3Repeatedly use the lockpick skill (hotkey '2') on the safe. This will unlock and then relock the safe.
- 4Each successful lock or unlock action grants experience points.
- This method works best around level 12 to minimize the impact on your character's skills.
- The higher your Lockpicks skill, the more successful you will be and the more experience you will gain per action.
- You can gain more than the minimum 15 experience points per action; the amount is partly random and partly based on your skill. A character with 30% skill might gain up to 24 experience points per action.
with 80% in the lockpicking skill got a max of 47 points.
Discover how Charisma impacts NPC recruitment, perks, and group bonuses in Fallout Tactics. Learn about Leader, Divine Favor, and Team Player perks.
Charisma is often underestimated in Fallout Tactics, but it significantly impacts your group's effectiveness. While not directly used for charming, a high Charisma score allows you to recruit more and better-level NPCs sooner. This also accelerates your rank and promotion progression, granting access to superior equipment and companions.
For example, after completing the first mission twice, a character with Charisma (CHR) 2 had access to 5-6 first-level NPCs, while a CHR 7 character could recruit up to 11 NPCs, some as high as level 4. Having an NPC (non-player character — anyone the game controls, not you) with 99% small guns skill immediately available greatly aids gameplay.
Charisma also unlocks powerful perks:
- Leader (CHR 6): Provides a bonus of +1 Agility (AGI) and +5 Armor Class (AC) to all team members within your sphere of influence (excluding yourself).
- Divine Favor (CHR 8): Increases your best stat by +1 (potentially allowing a stat of 11) and boosts your perk rate to 1 perk every 2 levels.
- Team Player (CHR 4): Grants a +10% bonus to all rolls for team members within the influence of other team members.
The 'Brown Noser' perk also leverages Charisma to expedite ranks and promotions, providing access to NPCs and equipment beyond what is normally available at that game stage.
While a powerful solo character is appealing, a strong, high-Charisma group in Fallout Tactics ultimately makes the game easier and more enjoyable.
- Prioritize Charisma if you want to build a strong, well-rounded team early in Fallout Tactics.
- Consider the Leader perk for a significant boost to your team's Agility and defense.
- Divine Favor is excellent for enhancing your core stats and gaining perks faster.
- Team Player can provide a valuable boost to your entire squad's success rate.
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