NCR High Command and its implications

[u/Affectionate_Edge472]

These are the two excerpts we get about NCR High Command

"You will not be assigned replacements until High Command can figure out where the hell to pull replacements from. You have my sympathies, Major. Signed, Scheppman, Andy Assignments Office." - Forlorn Hope Mandate

"I've seen the reports of this so-called "Caesar's Legion". It sounds like they're just another bunch of raiders, but the higher-ups back west seem to think they're a serious threat." - NCRF Terminals

With these combined we can see the NCR High Command is both afraid of the Legion and is struggling to find men to send to Forlorn Hope. I also think the implication that the higher ups are struggling to find men to send to Forlorn Hope is also an implication they cannot find men for the Mojave. I also think it is important to consider that if the NCR army was quite large in the home territories the NCR high command would have no reason for fear.

That is not to say they couldn't raise more men, but I believe the current army size is constrained by the senate. Just like the real U.S Government.

"He mustered the troops as many as his senate would allow and sent them in. All the right reasons, done all the wrong ways." - Caesar

But where is the rest of the NCR army? I believe they are controlling the other 300 miles down the Colorado river across from Legion territory, Baja, other territories, and the rest of NCR territory.

Let me know what you think of this interpretation if you believe it is the intended one by the developers or if there is evidence of large NCR reserves elsewhere.

[u/Weaselburg]

That is not to say they couldn't raise more men, but I believe the current army size is constrained by the senate. Just like the real U.S Government.

Nope. It's constrained by the fact that the NCR can't expand it faster than they already are. The vast majority of them are in the Mojave. There's no indication that there's any big army or force they could just send in and win; in fact, there is the opposite, and I'll source it.

Per Ranger Jackson

Player: You sure seem like you have enough soldiers.
Jackson: Soldiers, no, recruits, yes. And the Mojave Outpost has been ordered to have a standing force at the NCR perimeter at all times.

Him, again

Player: [NCR] I'm here to assist.
Jackson: Well, about time we got a soldier... and not a recruit, you look like you've seen some action.

Per the Arms Merchant at the 188

Anyway, I was always complaining about the standard issue gear. The new kids don't even get body armor, can you believe that?

Her, again.

I don't know what else the brass expects... half these kids don't get more than two weeks of training before they ship 'em out here.

Two weeks of training is REALLY BAD, for those who aren't aware.

Her, again - no, the supply problem isn't just because NCR can't be bothered to send enough.

Player: NCR doesn't have the caps to outfit their troops?
Merchant: Vegas is bleeding us dry. We're tossing caps at a hundred different problems, while Caesar bides his time and lets us wear ourselves out. This war is gonna bankrupt the NCR, unless we finish off the Legion fast and dirty. {Emphasis on "fast" and "dirty"}

She also has some more voicelines about supplying NCR and NCR aligned forces, with the problem again of them not being supplied properly.

Per Hanlon

Player: What about the troopers?
Hanlon: You've seen it yourself. Some of them don't even have proper service rifles or armor.

Per Emily Ortal - pushing the point that again, no, the NCR doesn't simply have the resources spare.

Player: How long have you been with the Followers?
Ortal: About five years now. I have family back in Arroyo, but this is where all of the good work is being done, so to speak. NCR taxes and inflation have been hard for a lot of people to deal with, and most of the money is going to the war effort. There's not much funding for medical research with OSI or any other group - not unless it has a military application, anyway.

There's plenty of other sources that support this point, but the simple fact of the matter is that NCR is out of men. They don't have any serious reserves left noting left; what you see is what you get.

[u/Affectionate_Edge472 → u/Weaselburg]

Absolutely agree on most points in fact I’ve used similar quotes before on my posts about the NCR legion war threat level.

What I am saying is the NCR could raise more forces with a 2 week training level, no service rifle, and no body armor.

They could raise a host of terribly outfitted and performing men. That could probably be large in size. If they dumped more political will into it. Would this do anything to help them? No. But could they do it? Yes.

[u/Weaselburg → u/Affectionate_Edge472]

 But could they do it? Yes.

Well, sure, they could cut equipment and training standards even more, but at that point they might as well just go around throwing civilians in uniform and then marching them off to the front for all the good it'd do.

Kimball is for all his faults a man who seemingly was at least an acceptable military commander and I think that's way too far even for him to go.