You're standing on the observation deck at Hoover Dam. The wind is whistling, the NCR troopers are sweating in their tan armor, and President Aaron Kimball is about to land his Vertibird. This is it. This is You'll Know When It Happens, the quest where Fallout: New Vegas basically turns into a high-stakes secret service simulator. Honestly, the first time I played this, I was a nervous wreck. You’ve spent dozens of hours wandering the Mojave, and suddenly, the fate of the Republic’s leadership rests on whether or not you notice a guy in a jumpsuit acting a little weird near a backup generator.
It’s stressful. It’s buggy. It’s classic Obsidian.
The quest triggers late in the game, specifically if you’ve aligned yourself with the NCR, Mr. House, or the Independent (Yes Man) path. If you’re a Caesar’s Legion devotee, you’re playing the mirror version of this mission, Arizona Killer, which is a whole different brand of chaos. But for the rest of us, the goal is simple: keep Kimball alive. The problem is that there isn't just one way for him to die. The Legion is creative, and if you aren't paying attention, that Vertibird—Bear Force One—is going down in a ball of fire before the President even finishes his stump speech.
How to Actually Start You'll Know When It Happens
You don’t just stumble into this. You’re usually sent here by Ambassador Crocker or Colonel Moore. They’re worried. Rumors of a Legion assassination plot are everywhere. When you arrive at the dam, you’ll need to talk to Ranger Grant. He’s the guy in charge of security, and frankly, he’s a bit overwhelmed.
If your reputation with the NCR is trash, you’re going to have a hard time. They won't let you carry weapons in the secure areas unless you have a high enough speech skill or a solid standing with the Republic. It makes sense, right? Why would they let a wandering mailman with a Gauss Rifle stand five feet from the President? If you’ve been playing both sides and your NCR rep is "Wild Child" or worse, bring some Stealth Boys. You’ll need them.
The Threats You're Looking For
Most players think there’s just one assassin. There aren't. There are multiple layers to this hit, and you have to be proactive to stop them all. It’s not just about shooting a guy in the head.
First, there’s the bomb. If you have a high enough Repair skill (50+) or Explosives skill (50+), you can check Bear Force One after it lands. One of the engineers is a Legion plant. He’s rigged the bird to blow the second Kimball tries to take off. You have to sneak up there or find a way to get the guards to look the other way while you defuse it. If you don't? Boom. Quest failed. Kimball is chunky salsa.
Then there’s the sniper. This is the one that usually gets people. If you look up at the towers behind the stage, you might notice something off. One of the NCR snipers has been replaced. If you head up into the towers, you’ll find the real sniper dead and a Legionary waiting to take the shot. You have to take him out quietly, or better yet, before he even gets the chance.
Wait. There’s more.
If you manage to stop the bomb and the sniper, a third assassin is waiting in the crowd. He’s dressed like an NCR engineer. He’ll charge the stage with a combat knife if the other plans fail. It’s a desperate, last-ditch effort, but it works surprisingly often because players tend to relax once the speech starts. Don't relax. Watch the engineers.
The "Perfect" Run (Without Getting Shot by the NCR)
Look, the easiest way to handle You'll Know When It Happens is to use the terminal in the visitor center. If you have a Science skill of 50, you can hack it to see the security logs. This gives you a massive heads-up.
I usually bring Rex. Dogs have a nose for this kind of thing. Literally. If you bring Rex or have the Animal Friend perk, you can sometimes sniff out the imposters faster than you can by clicking through dialogue.
Another trick? The ladders.
There are ladders leading to the various vantage points. If you’re playing an Independent Vegas run, Ranger Grant might be suspicious of you. I’ve found that using a Stealth Boy right before the Vertibird touches down allows you to move between the towers and the landing pad without triggering the "you're trespassing" AI script that occasionally bugs out and makes the entire NCR army turn hostile on you for no reason.
Why This Quest Is So Glitchy
We have to talk about the bugs. It’s a New Vegas article; it’s mandatory.
Sometimes Kimball just... stays on the Vertibird. He won't get off. Sometimes Ranger Grant forgets he’s supposed to talk to you. I’ve even seen Bear Force One do a weird physics dance and explode upon landing because it clipped into a piece of geometry.
If things seem stuck, try waiting an hour (in-game). If that doesn't work, you might have to reload a save from before you entered the Hoover Dam area. This is why you save often. In a game from 2010 running on an engine held together by duct tape and hope, your save file is your best friend.
The Moral Ambiguity of Saving Kimball
Does Kimball deserve to be saved? That's the question New Vegas wants you to ask.
The NCR is overextended. Kimball is the face of the imperialist push into the Mojave. Many characters, including some within the NCR military like Chief Hanlon, think Kimball’s death might actually be better for the Republic in the long run. If he dies, he becomes a martyr, sure, but the drive to hold the Dam might falter, saving thousands of young NCR lives.
If you're playing for House or Yes Man, you save him mostly because you need the NCR to stay stable enough to provide a customer base for the Strip. It’s cold. It’s calculated. You aren't saving a man; you're protecting an asset.
Breaking Down the Assassin's Tactics
The Legion isn't just a bunch of guys in football pads. They’re smart.
The use of an "engineer" as the primary assassin is brilliant because, in the chaos of a presidential visit, who looks at the guy in the jumpsuit? Everyone is looking at the Rangers in their black riot gear. The Legion exploits that.
- The Sniper: Positioned in the rear tower, he has a clear line of sight to the podium.
- The Saboteur: He doesn't need to be near Kimball; he just needs to be near the Vertibird for ten seconds.
- The Knife Specialist: He’s the backup. If the "clean" kills fail, he goes for the messy one.
If you have the Perception stat boosted (use some Mentats if you need to), spotting these guys becomes significantly easier. High Perception highlights things that your eyes might miss in the low-res textures of the dam.
What Happens If You Fail?
If Kimball dies, the quest fails, and you move into a different ending state for the game. The NCR's morale is shattered. General Oliver is distraught. But the game doesn't end. That’s the beauty of New Vegas—failing a major quest doesn't give you a "Game Over" screen; it just changes the story.
You’ll hear about it on Radio New Vegas. Mr. New Vegas will report on the tragedy with his usual silky-smooth voice, and the political landscape of the Mojave will shift. If you're trying for the "best" ending, failing this quest is a major setback, but if you're roleplaying a character who maybe "accidentally" let the President get stabbed? It’s a valid narrative choice.
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Practical Steps for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re sitting at your desk right now about to start this mission, here is exactly what you should do to ensure Kimball doesn't end up as a footnote in history:
- Clear your inventory. You want to be fast, and if you’re overencumbered, navigating the stairs and ladders of the dam is a nightmare.
- Get a Silenced Weapon. If you have to take out the sniper or the engineer, you don't want to alert every NCR trooper and start a massive firefight. A silenced 12.7mm SMG or the Ratslayer works wonders here.
- Talk to everyone. Before the speech starts, walk up to every NPC you can find. Sometimes their dialogue lines change, or they act twitchy.
- Check the roof. Don't just stay on the ground. The most dangerous threats are the ones with the high ground.
- Save your game before talking to Ranger Grant. Seriously. Do it.
Once Kimball finishes his speech and his Vertibird clears the airspace, Ranger Grant will thank you, and you’ll get a nice chunk of XP and NCR fame. You've successfully navigated one of the most tense political moments in the wasteland.
Now, go find something to kill. You’ve earned it.
Key Insights for the Mojave Diplomat:
The easiest way to spot the assassin is to watch the engineers. If one starts moving toward the stage while everyone else is standing still, that’s your guy. Also, don't forget to check the backup generator behind the visitor center; sometimes a Legionary will try to sabotage that to create a distraction. Keeping your ears open for the sound of a silenced pistol or a scuffle in the towers is just as important as watching the President. Experience tells us that being reactive is a losing strategy—be the one who clears the towers before the bird even lands.