Fallout 3 Walkthrough - Big Trouble in Big Town

The quest "Big Trouble in Big Town" isn't too hard by itself, but it needs a little setup. I beat this using an old save with my character at level 16 with the Broken Steel add-on. The only weapons I used were common ones. This should keep the guide relevant for everyone.

As a side note, there are 2 other unmarked quests tied to this one. "A Sticky Situation" is a simple escort mission that you can get by agreeing to escort Sticky out of Little Lamplight. If you can't find Big Town, then this isn't too bad of a way to do it.

There's also a very important side quest that makes the whole affair in Big Town worthwhile. Inside Red's Clinic, there's an unconscious man called Timebomb. If you have at least 40 points in Medicine, then you can heal him. Once the whole ordeal is over, you can talk to him and receive the Lucky 8 Ball. This gives a +1 boost to Luck whenever it's in your inventory. You might want to wait until after the end to heal him though. If he dies in the attack, then you won't get it.

It isn't too hard to find Big Town. You can follow the river north of Springvale School and find it. I've included a picture to give you a better idea. It's easy to spot once you get close, since it's a large town with a lot of ruined houses. There's only one entrance across a bridge. Just move around the perimeter until you find it. It doesn't matter what you tell Dusty, since he'll let you in anyway.  

Feel free to explore the town if you want. There isn't much to see though. You need to look for either Pappy or Kimba. They can both advance the quest by telling you where Red is being held. Naturally she's at a supermutant base to the north. It can never be easy. You need to get to Germantown Police HQ for your little rescue mission. It would seem like heading north would be the logical course, but it's not. You will have to walk right past Hallowed Moors Cemetery. This is a bigger super mutant hideout and there's usually at least one super mutant overlord if you have Broken Steel. If you don't mind a fight or haven't been there before, then go ahead and go as the crow flies. There's a piece of the Keller Family Transcript and some loot, but you'll need to fight hard to get it.

If you have a waypoint further up, like Minefield or Paradise Falls, then I suggest you start there and move in from the side. It's a lot easier. You should be able to see the large police building from far away. It's well marked and full of leftover tents from the refugee camp that the Red Cross set up after the bombs fell.

 I'll note that I seemed to have had an oddly easy time for this mission. There just weren't many super mutants around, but I thought there were when I played through it awhile ago. So...stay alert. You'll face some array of leveled super mutants. Super mutant overlords can spawn here, so bring some serious weaponry if you're above 20. I saw one at level 16 though.

You need to go over some part of the broken fence or head into the camp area. There's some medical supplies left, but you can feel free to ignore it. There are 2 possible points of entry into the police headquarters. There's a door on the ground floor that you can lockpick if you have 100 points in it. If you have enough points, then feel free to do it. You'll get to skip a few battles on the top floor but also miss a little loot. It's your call. The other door is a broken wall with an exposed stairwell. Climb up the stairs and go along the ledge to find the door to the top floor.

This is just an office area. There should only be 2 super mutants here, and they're actually having a conversation. You can swing around the door way and take out both of them. The hunting rifle is still effective, but the shotgun is naturally a bit better in these close quarters. Either way, use the office walls as cover and take them out. You should then be free to explore the area. Just be careful, since there are a lot of mines. They are a little hard to spot in the ruins, so look for the red light. They are also placed in strategic areas, so don't just run up to the first aid kits or the safes.