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- Caravan Rules You Need To Know
From the beginning of your adventure in the cowboy town of Goodsprings, you’ll be able to play a card game unique to Fallout: New Vegas. Caravan is first available when you meet Ringo, the source of a local manhunt.
Instead of turning him in to the Powder Gangers or helping the kind folk of Goodsprings, you can gamble your troubles away over a few rounds of Caravan. Afterward, it’s available throughout the Mojave and can be a great source of caps, if you know how to play. Here’s everything you need to know to win at Caravan in Fallout: New Vegas.
Caravan Rules You Need To Know
Caravan is a two-player game in which both players have three piles of cards, also known as caravans. The goal is to bring the total value of each pile to between 21 and 26 using your deck of cards.
If a caravan goes over 26, it is no longer valid and you can restart the pile.
You begin by placing down three cards, one for each pile. Then you add cards to the pile to raise its value. The second card you place down decides the direction of that pile – up or down. The following cards you place on the pile must continue in that direction.
The exception to this rule applies to cards of the same suit. These can be used regardless of whether they continue with the numerical direction or not. For example, you could place an Ace of Spades, then a nine and then a five without penalty if they are all the same suit.
Ace and 2-10 represent their standard numerical value. However, face cards like Jack, Queen and King do not increase value. Instead, they have special effects on the game:
- Queens reverse the direction of a pile. For example, if you have been going up and the last card you placed was 9, you can now place an 8 or lower to continue that pile.
- Kings double the value of the card they are attached to. This can substantially increase the value of a caravan.
- Jacks remove the card they are attached to. This helps reduce the value of a Caravan if you have exceeded 26.
You can use face cards on your own caravans and those of your opponent. This is especially important, as you can use Jacks and Kings to sabotage their caravans and secure yourself a victory.
Best Strategy
A Game of Caravan Fallout New Vegas
When building your caravans, start high and move down numerically. Using your high numbers early lets you get closer to winning the caravan, ideally before your opponent.
Kings are incredibly important, both for securing you a victory and sabotaging your opponent’s caravans. If they are currently winning a caravan, use a King to send them over 26, meaning that they will have to discard that pile and start again. This removes a lot of their cards from playing, giving you a significant advantage.
Building Your Deck
Caravan Deck Building Screen Fallout New Vegas
A caravan deck consists of 30 cards which you select at the start of your match. When building your deck, it’s important to remember that having cards of the same suit is a big advantage, as you will have more options when growing your caravan.
You can purchase more cards from various merchants throughout the Mojave, so always keep an eye out for cards of the suit you prefer.
If the majority of your cards are Diamonds, focus on finding more Diamond cards, for example.
With these tips in mind, you should be able to become a Caravan master. Soon, you will have a nearly unlimited supply of caps. That’s good news for you, because in the Mojave wealth holds a lot of power. Of course, you could also find the best armor in Fallout: New Vegas and use your strength to succeed instead.