Fallout Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Fallout Wiki

Salutations, Commander! Sergeant RL-3, gutsy-class robotic soldier, reporting for duty!

Sergeant RL-3 is a Mister Gutsy that was created before the Great War and a possible companion in 2277.

Background[]

Sergeant RL-3 is a customized Mister Gutsy model, created by General Atomics[1] for mobile attacks prior to the Great War, and scavenged from parts by a wandering trader named Tinker Joe.[Non-game 1] It possesses a simulated personality unit, but due to issues with its programming, it is picky about the company it keeps.[2] Because of this, the robot refuses to travel with anyone it considers "too extreme," making it difficult for Tinker Joe to sell it.[3]

Interactions with the player character[]

Interactions overview[]

Interactions
Paving the Way
This character is a permanent companion.

Recruiting[]

Effects of player's actions[]

  • If Tinker Joe is dead and the player did not get the robot already, there is no way of obtaining him as a follower.
  • If separated from the player, RL-3 will return to Canterbury Commons after first being bought, regardless of the reason the robot is separated.
  • Neutral Karma will remain a requirement to recruit RL-3 back into the Lone Wanderer's group. Otherwise, the robot will refuse to join.
    • When attempting to re-hire him with low Karma, he will exclaim that he "cannot accept orders from an officer under a Court Martial."[4]
    • When one attempts to re-hire him with their Karma too high, he states that he "can't follow such an irresponsible officer" further saying "A soldier's job is to soldier. Not play hero."[5]
  • RL-3 is marked as essential until hired as a companion.

Inventory[]

Apparel Weapon Other items
Flamer
Plasma rifle

Stats[]

Combat Skill Attack Damage Attack Reach Turning Speed Foot Weight Speed Mult
50 23 96 150 3 110%

* Robots are considered creatures rather than non-player characters and thus have an additional list of stats present for creatures.

Notes[]

  • RL-3 is unable to Sneak.
  • Like all Mister Gutsies, he is also capable of hovering over the water.
  • His carrying capacity is 197.5 pounds.
  • He always refers to the Lone Wanderer as "Sir," regardless of their gender.
  • Due to a bug, he gains more and more hit points with the leveling up of the player and ends up with thousands of hit points, making him nearly invincible.
  • RL-3 can be asked to activate the purifier during the quest Take it Back!. If one does not have Broken Steel installed, he will refuse, and exhort the Lone Wanderer to finish the work their father started.[6]
    • If one does have Broken Steel installed, RL-3 will willingly start the purifier, aware that the radiation in the control chamber poses no threat to him,[7] and he will be referred to as a hero in the epilogue. When the game resumes after the epilogue, RL-3 will be waiting in the infirmary at the Citadel.
  • If one boards Mothership Zeta, RL-3 will wait next to where the player character is abducted from.
  • When in dark areas (such as Vault 87), RL-3's eyes will glow.

Notable quotes[]

Appearances[]

Sergeant RL-3 appears only in Fallout 3.

Behind the scenes[]

  • The line, "You're making me angry, you won't like me when I'm angry!" is a line from the 1970s TV show The Incredible Hulk.
  • The line, "Old war-bots never die; they just rust away." is a reference to an old Army ballad line, "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away," made famous by General Douglas MacArthur's farewell speech.
  • The line, "There's nothing I like better than making some other poor bastard die for his country," is based on the quote from American General Patton, "The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his."
  • The line "Kill them all, let God sort them out!" is based on a Latin quote (Caedite eos, novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius) from Cistercian church leader Arnaud Amalric, during the Albigensian Crusade.
  • RL-3's designation closely resembles the initials of actor and former Marine drill instructor R. Lee Ermey (RL-E).

Bugs[]

  • Xbox 360Xbox 360 One may not be able to talk to RL-3 when trying to rehire him at Canterbury Commons. If this happens simply reload the most recent save and go back. He should now talk to the player character, allowing one to rehire him as normal. [verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 With Broken Steel installed, RL-3 possesses a staggering amount of health at higher levels. At level 20 he has fully several thousand HP, more so than even a super mutant behemoth. This is due to a badly adjusted setting concerning RL-3's leveling, which grants him 350 HP per level gained. Dogmeat and Fawkes are similarly affected. This only occurs if Broken Steel is installed prior to meeting RL-3, otherwise RL-3's level does not scale and his health is fixed at 350. [verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 If in sneak mode, having the Robotics Expert perk produces the usual dialogue box with RL-3. However, selecting "Talk" does nothing. [verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 RL-3's plasma projector uses the laser rifle's firing sound, not the usual Mister Gutsy sound effect. [verified]
  • Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 When traversing over mountains, RL-3 may get stuck on, or in, a rock. [verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 Some events cause RL-3 to become hostile towards everyone (including the player character) indefinitely after ever being dismissed from the party. These include the destruction of the combat inhibitor, him witnessing Tinker Joe die, Crow's death in general (because RL-3 has some sort of scripted-in co-affiliation to Crow like he has with Tinker Joe) and investing any money in Crow's business during the Merchant Empire quest (because the game treats merchants one has invested in like they were dead in some regards). [verified]
    • PCPC RL-3 may remain frenzied even if his combat inhibitor appears repaired. To check, open the console, click on RL-3 (or enter prid 94285), and issue the getav aggression command. If it returns 3.00, RL-3 is frenzied, which can be repaired with setav aggression 1.
  • Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 RL-3 can be waiting in the Commons even if one did not purchase him and he can be hired for free. [verified]
  • Xbox 360Xbox 360 RL-3 will sometimes attack friendly or neutral non-player characters. He has a knack for attacking everyone inside of the Republic of Dave capitol building, and Scribe Yearling and the Brotherhood of Steel knights inside of the Arlington Library. What is odd is that one must walk to a certain spot in these areas before he will turn hostile towards them. To fix this, simply have RL-3 wait in an area away from these spots, but don't dismiss him. Conduct one's business and when it is concluded, reacquire him. (If one wants RL-3 in the Arlington Library to help them out with the raiders further in, just go another way that won't trigger this bug.)[verified]
  • PCPC Xbox 360Xbox 360 It is possible to recruit Sergeant RL-3 at the same time as another companion by dismissing your current companion, then speaking to Tinker Joe and purchasing RL-3, followed by quickly re-hiring your old companion before RL-3 speaks to you. This glitch works with Butch, Charon and Dogmeat. Leaving the Capital Wasteland to Point Lookout or the Pitt will need one to fire all companions. This glitch cannot be repeated. [verified]

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. The Lone Wanderer: "I'd like to buy a robot."
    Tinker Joe: "Of course you would, of course! Well, it just happens that I've got a beaut of a deal on this customized Gutsy. And it's not just "Mister" Gutsy - he's a full fledged sergeant! "Sergeant RL-3" to be precise, the pride of General Atomics International. Comes complete with a simulated personality unit, so he's good protection and good company, too! And all yours for just 1000 caps."
    (Tinker Joe's dialogue)
  2. The Lone Wanderer: ""Simulated personality"? Sounds like trouble."
    Tinker Joe: "To tell the truth, it is a little trouble. But he can't help the way he got built. General Atomics programmed the Mister Gutsy to be a good soldier, but their definitions were a bit vague. So a lot of units had... issues. So we got a gung-ho, robotic soldier that's picky about the company he keeps. But he seems to like you, so it'll be fine."
    (Tinker Joe's dialogue)
  3. The Lone Wanderer: "You just don't want to sell to me, is that it?"
    Tinker Joe: "Trust me, friend, Tinker Joe does not turn down the opportunity to make a sale. If that Gutsy would go with you, I'd sell him in a heartbeat. It's just that his programming's a bit off. He won't travel with anyone he considers "too extreme." And sadly, his version of "too extreme" seems to cover both sides of the coin - slavers and saints alike. Sorry, pal."
    (Tinker Joe's dialogue)
  4. The Lone Wanderer: "Time to head back into the fight, RL-3."
    RL-3: "Sir, I regret to inform you that this unit cannot accept orders from an officer under a Court MarshallIn-game spelling, punctuation and/or grammar!"
    (RL-3's dialogue)
  5. The Lone Wanderer: "Time to head back into the fight, RL-3."
    RL-3: "Sir, I regret to inform you that this unit cannot accept orders from an irresponsible officer! It is a soldier's duty to soldier, not to play hero!"
    (RL-3's dialogue)
  6. The Lone Wanderer: "Emergency directive, sergeant. Go into that chamber and turn on the purifier."
    RL-3: "Soldier, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. This is your fight! You gotta finish what your daddy started! Stand strong and get your ass in there!"
    (RL-3's dialogue)
  7. The Lone Wanderer: "Fine. You do it then. The code is 2-1-6."
    RL-3: "Now that's more like it! This unit is more than equipped to handle the harsh combat environment. Cycle that airlock, soldier, and we'll end this war."
    (RL-3's dialogue)

Non-game

  1. Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p. 96: "Sergeant RL-3
    Scavenged from parts by a wandering trader named Tinker Joe, Sergeant RL-3 is a RobCo Industries Mister Gutsy model, created for mobile attacks prior to the Great War. Utilizing both plasma and flame as its main weapons system, "Sarge" is always ready with a ready quip ("Pain is just weakness leaving the body! Hooah!"), but has an experimental "personality," making it difficult for Tinker Joe to offload him."
    (Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition Wasteland Census)
Advertisement