From: The Commander
To: Starship Council
Subject: Brotherhood of Steel Outcasts- General Assessment and personal recommendation

The Outcasts, as they like to be called, are a rather unique faction. Even though they are Outcasts they are not truly that. This question depends on who you ask, if you ask most of the Brotherhood on the West coast The Outcasts would probably be considered the primary Chapter of the Capital Wasteland, but others would say that Lyons is. The latter impression would also be reinforced by the fact that the Lyons has completed both goals, the original to secure the technology of the East Coast (which has been done through the war with the Enclave) and protect the people of the wastes (this later goal will most likely be overlooked now thanks to Lyons Acquisition of much of the enclaves Technology).

History:
The Outcasts were officially formed a year before I left the vault which is 2276. The Outcasts are made up of most of the remnants of the original force that came with Lyons from the West Coast. Their departure was done because they believed that Lyons had lost sight of their original goals. To their point of view The Outcasts were right. But when the Outcasts broke away from Lyons they broke one of the brotherhoods highest laws. The Members of the chapter must listen to their Elder no matter what; that is until the Elder is challenged. This challenge is a task to prove that the decision of what the elder has done is wrong. Mostly this is getting support of the senior members of the Chapter. Since Casdin, had no real proof of this the only honorable thing to do was admit defeat. Instead, he left the chapter with his supporters and broke another law by raiding the Citadel's Vault of technology. They then made base at Fort Independence (the name of the fort is somewhat ironic). They forced out the occupying raider group who had been attacking the Outcasts ever since. They were then named "Outcasts", by their former brothers and sisters; they instead took it as a badge of Honor. They then painted their armor red and black to distinguish themselves from the chapter they no longer served.

In the eyes of the Outcasts they are the true chapter of the Capital Wasteland. They have upheld the Original brotherhoods ideal to the letter. I have had relations with this group several times; I was hired as a mercenary to recover Tec from the wastes. This was done because they were basically only able to hold down the fort and send a few squads into the wastes (they may have also been impressed by me showing that I was more intelligent than they would usually assume, that and I had a Pip-Boy; which you can only get in a vault). I also encountered a group in a bunker that held vaults of Pre-war Tec. This group was frustrated that they could not enter the vault. I helped them by going through a simulation of Battle of Anchorage that was barley historically correct. When the vault was opened a group of the Outcasts stationed there tried to kill their Leader, Protector McGraw, he had made a deal that I could keep any of the equipment in the first vault that I opened. This first vault was mostly a display vault but had a few items that helped in my later adventures. The Traitors to McGraw did not even want to share a single bit of Tec, thanks to the suit of Power armor that the Specialist(their counterpart to scribes) helped me put on. And a nice Gauss Rifle I was able to save the Specialist and Protector. They were very grateful for the assistance, this was the first time that I felt gratitude from the outcasts but even then they only called me "The Next Best Thing".

Organization:
Like Lyons Brotherhood, the Outcasts wear the standard T-45d's, retextured for their own faction with some exceptions to the Protectors. To compensate for the schism of the two groups the Outcasts supplement their forces with reprogrammed Robobrains, Sentry bots, and Protectrons painted the same as their armor.
In addition to procuring and stockpiling technology from the Capital Wasteland ruins, they also analyze and reverse-engineer what they find, leaving logs at their bases that record their work.
Their main bases of operations are Fort Independence, and the Outcast underground outpost. While the Brotherhood of Steel patrols the Ruins of D.C. the Outcasts patrols are common in the Capital Wasteland.
They have three ranks; these are just a more adapted version of Lyons form of the Brotherhood Rank system. It is Protector, which is the same as Paladin, the next is Defender which is their equivalent to Knight, and then the last is Specialist, which is the same as a Scribe.

Relations:
To the typical wastelanders they are unpleasant. Though not hostile, they assume every waster that they encounter is ignorant and primitive. Although the Outcasts are unpleasant they will help the typical waster in fighting wildlife and raiders, however this seems more as self preservation, they are helpful nevertheless. When I first met the group at Fort Independence, they were under attack from a group of raiders, even though they did not need me I helped anyway, I then spoke to "Defender Marie Morgan of the Outcasts", a guard of Fort Independence and, like other Outcasts, she insults all wasters that she talks to. Fortunately I seemed to have responded to her correctly since she replied "glad to see that there is someone else out here that can keep up". I had then been immediately introduced to the leader of the Outcasts. He offered a job to bring them any technology that I recovered in the wasteland. After keeping some items for myself I started turning in Tech in return for mostly stimpack's since this resource is very rare in the Capital Wasteland. I eventually earned their trust and allowed to explore the base but they were wary of me in the lower levels.

Relations with other factions: They are hostile to the Enclave for good reason, but they are also hostile to their former brothers, which is understandable, but what really concerns me about this is that I have heard Elder Lyons say to literally go out of their way to avoid the Outcasts. The main brotherhood none the less attacks the Outcasts on sight. I do not know if this a mutual hatred of each other, or from orders from Casdin to attack the main brotherhood and they are defending themselves.

Technology:
The Brotherhood Outcasts are formidable opponents. They are one of the most technologically equipped opponents in the Capital Wasteland, only behind the Enclave, and about equal to the East Coast Brotherhood of Steel. They have access to the Capital Wastes more uncommon weaponry though they use common weaponry as well. The more common weapons are 10 mm submachine guns, R91 assault rifles, 5mm Miniguns, and the common Frag grenades and mines.
The more uncommon equipment includes the common Capital waste Laser weapons, typically the AEP7 Laser pistols, and the AER9 Laser Rifles, also Flamers, Missile launchers, and Gatling Lasers. They also have rare forms of melee weapons, like Rippers, Super Sledges, and Power Fists.

I have also seen Outcasts carrying other weapons that they usually don't have access to like Plasma rifles, Sniper Rifles, the Chinese Assault Rifles, and Combat shotguns. These are probably taken from fallen enemies and I know for a fact that the Plasma Rifle is from Enclave kill squads.

Thanks to my assistance to them at the underground Outcast outpost, the vault I got into had many forms of weaponry which were already common to the Outcasts but there was also some unique technology in there. There was a unique Chinese stealth suit but from my experience in the simulator that is the only version that was in D.C. Other tech in there included a custom T-51b which I got a suit of. It can be assumed that the other vaults have access to more of these and probably will compliment any T-51bs that are left over from the West Coast. The other more dangerous is a special energy Weapon the Prototype Mark II Gauss rifle also known as a coil gun. As with the Power armor it can be assumed they have access to this type of energy weapon as well. This Technology will make them far more powerful in combat and suggest caution when dealing with them in the field.

Personal Assessment: The Brotherhood Outcasts are not a group to be trifled with. They have more drive to get what they want then Lyons, but they are not as paranoid as the West coast Brotherhoods. The Outcasts will probably see our group as just another Enclave, but if diplomatic talks are made with the group things might turn for the best. But beware I once saw a squad of Outcasts gun down a surrendering Enclave kill squad, all they wanted was some water. My recommendation will have me personally to talk to the Protector and show him how their past Ally has risen to the heavens. I would suggest a tour of the Olympus itself. But beware even this suggestion has its dangers; Irons could use this group with the promise to make them the Main chapter of the Capital Wasteland. Though this would be more of empty promise and to just use them as cannon fodder even though Irons is powerful and influential. I doubt that even he could convince Lost Hills to make the Outcasts the primary chapter. Even if they do Lyons would not abandon the Citadel and since Lyons has greater military forces then the Outcasts. Even with the support of Lost Hills there is also the distant issue and their weakened state. The best situation is to get a truce between Lyons and Casdin and/or reintegration. But if that is not achieved then we should at least get them to be neutral in the events to come. As a special note, though I disapprove of this, if the Outcasts do ally with Irons, The Outcasts will more than likely attack Lyons and with the support of Irons they will be able to hold their own against them. If this happens then if we offer assistance Lyons, he will sooner or later accept and an alliance will be formed.

PS. I have earned the trust of the outcasts and have shared some pretty advance technology with them. I also assisted them in getting access to custom T-51b armor, Gauss rifles and possibly a very large munitions store. I believe that I have earned enough for them to at least talk to us and not to side with Irons right away. I have also made a personal connection to two of their senior members. Being Protector McGraw, and Specialist Olin when I helped them put down a rebelling and saving their lives at the same time. Protector McGraw is Casdin's second in command in a sense head Paladin. Specialist Olin is the highest Specialist, and in a sense is Head scribe.

Also I sympathies with the group, they have the strength and will of a brotherhood chapter they lack the manpower to actually do anything. They have left their brothers and have no contact to home. Their only goal being to wait and gather strength slowly and try to make contact with home. This follows the old M.O. of the brotherhood but I have seen and heard individuals in the group express their frustration and loneliness of waiting and it is one of the things that accumulated to the small rebellion in the outcast outpost. They are lost and this can be a double edged sword if we and Lyons offer them a home, this might temper them. But if Irons succeeds the promise of going home will be more than enough to sacrifice their lives for an empty promise.