Fallout Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Fallout Wiki

Now, see those sarsaparilla bottles on that fence there? Take this and try to hit a couple of 'em.Sunny Smiles

Back in the Saddle is a tutorial quest in Fallout: New Vegas.

Quick walkthrough[]

Tutorial Quest: Back in the Saddle 
Talk to Sunny Smiles at the Prospector Saloon
Follow her outside and shoot three empty bottles. She will provide you with a varmint rifle and ammunition. 
Accompany Sunny to Goodsprings source, clearing three wells of geckos along the way. 
Choose to end the tutorial without finishing the rest of the available quest. 
Leads to: They Went That-a-Way
Reward: Talk to Sunny for 50 XP and 50 bottle caps
Leads to: By a Campfire on the Trail

Detailed walkthrough[]

Once the player character has been cleared to leave by Doc Mitchell, completing Ain't That a Kick in the Head, he will mention going to talk to a woman named Sunny Smiles to get help finding the ones who attacked them as well as to learn how to survive in the Mojave Wasteland.

Upon leaving Doc Mitchell's house into the town of Goodsprings, one can immediately notice and talk to a roaming Securitron named Victor, the one who rescued the player character from the grave they were buried in. He does not have any useful information other than pointing out the Goodsprings Cemetery where he had found them. Walking the street to the east takes one past the Goodsprings General Store (which has a workbench and reloading bench up against the east wall as well as the first of several Mojave Express dropboxes). To the right of the general store is the Prospector Saloon, with Easy Pete seated out front. He can be spoken to, offering some background information including about the New California Republic and Caesar's Legion, but knows nothing about the attackers; though he does offer a warning about the man in the checkered coat being dangerous.

Entering the front door of the Prospector Saloon, the player character will be immediately greeted by Cheyenne, Sunny's dog, and Sunny herself. She tells the player character that the Doc informed her of their coming. One has three responses to Sunny: saying she can teach them will progress the quest while asking for directions will mark the location of Primm on the map and asking about work will get Sunny to gift some bobby pins and a Locksmith's Reader along with directions to a hidden stash.

Taking the first option has Sunny request the player character follow her to the rear side of the Prospector Saloon. Once meeting her there, she will give a varmint rifle (it is automatically equipped) along with a supply of 5.56mm rounds. A shooting tutorial ensues, teaching how to shoot a firearm, aim down the sights, and crouch to steady one's aim. After shooting 3 of the Sunset Sarsaparilla bottles on the fence, Sunny offers the player character an opportunity to help her clear away an infestation of geckos around the Goodsprings source as further training. One can accept or decline, the latter of which ends the tutorial immediately but results in the loss of some potential rewards.

After agreeing, Sunny gifts an additional 60 5.56mm rounds, then runs to the southeast along with Cheyenne, in the direction of the Goodsprings source. There are three wells that Sunny wants cleared of geckos, the first one she will suggest sneaking up to them for a surprise attack. One has the option of using and learning about V.A.T.S., but it is not necessary for killing the geckos. Once the geckos are dead, talk to Sunny again and she then points out the remaining two wells. Unlike the first one, both Sunny and Cheyenne will join in attacking the geckos here.

Once the geckos at the second well are finished off (there is a shovel leaning against one of the pipes for a decent early-game melee weapon), going to the third one reveals that the geckos there are in the middle of attacking a Goodsprings settler, and if not killed quickly, they will kill her. But, if the settler survives after the geckos are killed, she can be talked to and express her thanks along with gifting 3 bottles of purified water. Additionally, saving her will reward a significant boost of fame in Goodsprings, introducing the reputation mechanic. If the Goodsprings settler dies, the player character will not receive the reputation boost or the purified water, but can loot her body for a cleaver, field hand outfit and a handful of caps. Sunny has unique dialogue if she lives or if she dies.

Either way, after protecting the Goodsprings source and talking to Sunny again, she gifts a sum of 50 caps and optionally offers to teach the player character how to use resources to make their own supplies, starting By a Campfire on the Trail. One can decline, for which Sunny will then immediately direct them to return to the Prospector Saloon to talk to Trudy, saying she will be able to help them start looking for the man in the checkered coat.

Quest stages[]

StageStatusDescription
3 Talk to Sunny Smiles in the Prospector Saloon.
4 Meet Sunny Smiles behind the Prospector Saloon.
10Quest finishedShoot 3 sarsaparilla bottles outside the Prospector Saloon.
20 Follow Sunny.
30 Kill the geckos at the well.
40Quest finishedTalk to Sunny Smiles.
50 Kill the geckos at the other wells.
60Quest finishedTalk to Sunny about your reward.

Notes[]

  • If Cheyenne is killed during the gecko fight, Sunny will appear distraught in the next conversation, then apologize to the Courier for her display of emotion.
  • During the quest, one can finish it by talking to Sunny at three different points:
    1. After shooting the bottles.
    2. After killing the geckos at the first well.
    3. After killing the geckos at the two other wells.
  • The bottles will not appear until the Courier follows Sunny to the back of the building.
  • The bottles that appear here cannot be picked up or taken.
  • The bottles can be shot down by the player with any ranged weapon.
  • A bark scorpion that hangs around Goodsprings Cemetery may randomly wander near the saloon.
  • If the player runs out of ammunition, they can talk to Sunny and be given 30 additional 5.56mm rounds to use. This can be exploited by stashing your ammo in one of the nearby sarsaparilla crates laying on the side of the general store (or otherwise removing the ammunition from one's inventory) and then getting the additional ammo from Sunny.
  • There is a small chance of a Powder Ganger walking through the hunting area. The player character can kill him which may cause a second Powder Ganger to attack later. Finally, a third Powder Ganger may attack while on the road leaving Goodsprings.
  • It is almost impossible to save the settler if one only follows after Sunny. To have the best chance of gaining the fame and purified water rewards, after killing the geckos at the second well, do not wait for Sunny and immediately run to the third and kill the geckos quickly.

Behind the scenes[]

The title of the quest is a reference to the song "Back in the Saddle Again" by Gene Autry.

Bugs[]

  • PCPC If you already have a varmint rifle, you will lose it and any mods it was equipped with, and it will be exchanged for the default one you are handed as part of the quest, even if the one in your inventory is not equipped. To preclude this, drop yours on the ground, wait for her to hand you a varmint rifle and tell you to shoot the bottles, then pick yours up again without incident.[verified]
  • Xbox 360Xbox 360 There is a bug that may happen if you finish the tutorial after the shooting lesson, and then fail the quests Run Goodsprings Run and Ghost Town Gunfight before you talk to Trudy, the option that ends the quest may not work and the quest may never end.[verified]
  • PCPC Xbox 360Xbox 360 It is possible for the mission to not continue automatically. If a random critter appears outside the saloon when you follow Sunny and she moves to attack she will not give you the rifle or the mission unless you push her back to where she was standing when you come out of the saloon.[verified]
  • Xbox 360Xbox 360 If you already own the varmint rifle she gives you, you may auto equip the one you already have instead of receiving a new one.[verified]
  • Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Sometimes, the distressed settler will not talk to you after saving her and she will just back away towards Goodsprings, knife drawn and crouching.[verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 Once the settler is saved and out of harm's way, she may continue to yell for help when interacted with.[verified]
  • PCPC Making a healing powder at a campfire and then starting the quest by talking to Sunny will cause her to immediately end the quest as though you had gone through it normally. The sarsaparilla bottles, geckos, and Goodsprings settler never appear, and she does not give you a varmint rifle or ammunition.[verified]
  • Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Sunny will sometimes move to the chairs outside the front door of the saloon. If asked for training there, she will not walk to the backyard. Entering and exiting the bar again will teleport her there and fixes this.[verification overdue]
Main quests
Act 1Ain't That a Kick in the Head · Back in the Saddle · By a Campfire on the Trail · They Went That-a-Way · Ring-a-Ding-Ding!
Act 2Wild Card (Wild Card: Ace in the Hole, Change in Management, You and What Army?, Side Bets, Finishing Touches) · The House Always Wins (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII) · Render Unto Caesar · Et Tumor, Brute? · Things That Go Boom · Kings' Gambit · For the Republic, Part 2 · You'll Know It When It Happens/Arizona Killer
Act 3No Gods, No Masters · All or Nothing · Veni, Vidi, Vici · Eureka!
Side quests
New California RepublicAnywhere I Wander · Back in Your Own Backyard · Bitter Springs Infirmary Blues · Boulder City Showdown · Can You Find it in Your Heart? · Climb Ev'ry Mountain · Don't Tread on the Bear! · Emergency Radio · Eye for an Eye · Flags of Our Foul-Ups · Hard Luck Blues · I Don't Hurt Anymore · I Put a Spell on You · Keep Your Eyes on the Prize · Medical Mystery · No, Not Much · Pressing Matters · Restoring Hope · Return to Sender · That Lucky Old Sun · The White Wash · There Stands the Grass · Three-Card Bounty · We Will All Go Together · You Can Depend on Me
Caesar's LegionBeware the Wrath of Caesar! · Caesar's Favor · Caesar's Foe · Caesar's Hire · Cold, Cold Heart · I Hear You Knocking · The Finger of Suspicion · We Are Legion
The StripBeyond the Beef · Bye Bye Love · Classic Inspiration · How Little We Know · Pheeble Will · Talent Pool · The House Has Gone Bust! · The Moon Comes Over the Tower
Freeside & Outer VegasBirds of a Feather · Bleed Me Dry · Debt Collector · G.I. Blues · High Times · Someone to Watch Over Me · The Coyotes · Wang Dang Atomic Tango
BoomersAnt Misbehavin' · Sunshine Boogie · Volare! · Young Hearts
Great KhansAba Daba Honeymoon · Cry Me a River · Don't Make a Beggar of Me · Oh My Papa
Powder GangBooted · I Fought the Law · Run Goodsprings Run · Why Can't We Be Friends?
Brotherhood of SteelEyesight to the Blind · Still in the Dark · Tend to Your Business
OtherCome Fly With Me · Crazy, Crazy, Crazy · Ghost Town Gunfight · Guess Who I Saw Today · Left My Heart · My Kind of Town · The Legend of the Star and A Valuable Lesson · Unfriendly Persuasion · Wheel of Fortune
Companion questsED-E My Love · For Auld Lang Syne · Heartache by the Number · I Could Make You Care · I Forgot to Remember to Forget · Nothin' But a Hound Dog · One for My Baby
Unmarked questsA Bit of Slap and Tickle · A Final Plan for Esteban · Access Powers · All Fired Up! · An Ear to the Ground · Andy and Charlie · Arachnophobia · Arizona Scavenger · Barton the Fink · Bear Necessities · Big Winner (Atomic Wrangler, The Gomorrah, The Tops, Ultra-Luxe, Vikki & Vance) · Bounty Killer (I, II) · Brotherhood Bond (I, II) · Caching in at the Cove · Cajoling a Cudgel · Claws Mended · Claws Out · Dealing with Contreras · Defacing the Humble Stone · Democracy Inaction · Don't Poke at the Bear! · Eddie's Emissary · Exhumin' Nature · Fight Night · Flogging a Dead Corpse · Friend of the Followers · Gland for Some Home Cooking · Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger · Hat's Entertainment · Help for Halford · Hidden Valley computer virus · Highway to the Danger Zone (I, II) · Honorary Rocketeer · I Love Bananas · Iron and Stealing · Keith's Caravan Charade · Laurifer Gladiator · Lenk's Bad Debts · Lily and Leo · Long-Term Care · Malleable Mini Boomer Minds · Maud's Muggers · Meeting an Equal · Missing a Few Missiles · Most Wanted · Not Worth a Hill of Corn and Beans · Old School Ghoul · A Pair of Dead Desperados (I, II) · Papers, Please · Pistol Packing · Playing on the Old Joana · Powder to the People · Power to the People · Razzle Dazzle! · Reach for the Sky, Mister! · Rest and Resupply · Ringo's Caravan Rules · Rotface's Loose Lips · Saving (or Savaging) Sergeant Teddy · The Screams of Brahmin · Silus Treatment · Short-Term Treatment · Smooth-Talking Criminal · The Star Showdown · Strategic Nuclear Moose · Straus Calls · Strip Search · Suits You, Sarah · Tags of Our Fallen · A Team of Moronic Mercenaries · Thought for the Day · Tourist Traipse · Trudy's Radio Repair · A Trusted Aide · Useless Baubles or Fancy Trinkets? · We Must Stop Beating Like This · We Must Stop Meeting Like This · Wind-Brahmin Wrangler · You Gotta Break Out a Few Eggs · You Make Me Feel Like a Woman
Add-on quests
Dead MoneySierra Madre Grand Opening! · Find Collars (8: "Dog", 12: Christine, 14: Dean Domino) · Fires in the Sky · Strike Up the Band · Mixed Signals · Trigger the Gala Event · Put the Beast Down · Last Luxuries · Curtain Call at the Tampico · Heist of the Centuries · Big Winner, Sierra Madre
Honest HeartsA Family Affair · Arrival at Zion · Bighorners of the Eastern Virgin · Chaos in Zion · Civilized Man's Burden · Crush the White Legs · Deliverer of Sorrows  · Departing Paradise · Flight from Zion · Gathering Storms · Gone Fishin' · Happy Trails Expedition · Prisoners of War · Retake the Bridge · River Monsters · Rite of Passage · Roadside Attraction · Sanctity of the Dead · The Advance Scouts  · The Treacherous Road · The Grand Staircase · Tourist Trap
Old World BluesAll My Friends Have Off Switches · A Brain's Best Friend · Coming Out of Her Shell · Field Research · He Came... And Went · Influencing People · Midnight Science Fiction Feature! · Old World Blues · On the Same Wavelength · Picking Your Brains · Project X-13 · Sonic Emitter Upgrade · Welcome to the Big Empty · What's in a Name? · When Visitors Attack! · X-2: Strange Transmissions! · X-8 Data Retrieval Test · X-8: High School Horror! · X-13: Attack of the Infiltrator!
Lonesome RoadThe Reunion · The Silo · The Job · The Launch · The Tunnelers · The Divide · The Courier · The End · The Apocalypse
Advertisement