How to get the unique “Recompense of the Fallen” Dog Tag Fist in Fallout: New Vegas

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The Recompense of the Fallen is a unique version of the Dog Tag Fist that can be found in Aurelius of Pheonix’s office in Cottonwood Cove.

Quick tips before you set out to get the weapon:

Legion-controlled area. The entire area is flooded with Legion soldiers. If you have a negative reputation with them, you may want to wear a Legion disguise. Alternatively, get ready for a fight.
- Bring Boone. If you are planning on getting into a fight here, it’s recommended that you bring Boone with you as your companion, because killing the enemies here while he’s your companion allows you to unlock new dialogue with him, as well as gain points toward his companion quest.
Come during the day. During the day, Aurelius of Pheonix’s office will be empty, making it easier to take take the weapon without being seen.

Acquiring the Recompense of the Fallen

To acquire the Recompense of the Fallen, you must first make your way to Cottonwood Cove, a Legion encampment located east of Camp Searchlight, right by the Colorado River.

Cottonwood Cove on the world map | Fallout: New Vegas — *Cottonwood Cove on the world map*

Once there, look for a two-story building as seen in the image below. Take the metal staircase on the right side of the building up to the 2nd floor.

Building with the weapon, the staircase is pointed out by an arrow | Fallout: New Vegas — *Building with the weapon, the staircase is pointed out by an arrow*

Next, walk past Aurelius of Pheonix, and go through the metal door.

Door that leads to Aurelius’ office | Fallout: New Vegas — *Door that leads to Aurelius’ office*

Once inside, you’ll see a table in front of you. You’ll find the Recompense of the Fallen inside.

Desk that houses the weapon. View from the entrance to the office | Fallout: New Vegas — *Desk that houses the weapon. View from the entrance to the office*

The weapon inside of the table | Fallout: New Vegas — *The weapon inside of the table*

Comparing the Recompense of the Fallen to the Dog Tag Fist

The Recompense of the Fallen deals more damage than the Dog Tag Fist (25 vs 20)
The Recompense of the Fallen attacks faster than the Dog Tag Fist (1.89 attacks/second vs 1.58 attacks/second)
The Recompense of the Fallen has higher durability than the Dog Tag Fist (745 attacks before breaking vs 495 attacks before breaking)

Tips for using the Recompense of the Fallen

Due to the weapon not having a skill requirement of 0 and a Strength requirement of 1, it can be used as a very early-game weapon, or even later on in the game if you decide to use unarmed weapons as your secondary weapon type.
Thanks to the weapon’s low encumbrance of 3, it can also be carried around without it overburdening you, even on hardcore mode. This makes the weapon useful as a tool for the dispatching of weaker enemies, such as mole rats or radroaches.

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