Life in the Fallout Vaults

How did people survive for 200 years underground?

In the Fallout series—a sprawling universe of post-apocalyptic adventure—vaults are underground shelters built by the Vault-Tec Corporation to protect humanity from nuclear annihilation. The story goes that America and China were at war, and this led to a huge, global-scale launching of nuclear missiles. Before everyone hit the launch button, America saw what was coming and a company called Vault-Tec was commissioned to build a series of vaults around the country.

The goal was to provide as much living space as possible for anyone who signed up for a place before the missiles were launched. The vaults were to be lived in for however long it took until the surface radiation dissipated and it would be safe to return to normal surface life. No one knew about the effects of the radiation or the kind of creatures it would create, and not all the vaults were normal living spaces.

The Purpose of Vaults

Vault-Tec marketed its vaults as humanity’s salvation, designed to shelter select groups during a nuclear catastrophe. However, the majority were secretly created to conduct experiments on their inhabitants. These tests ranged from studies on isolation and group dynamics to more nefarious trials, such as forced social engineering or exposure to radiation.

A minority of vaults, like Vault 8 (later Vault City), genuinely fulfilled their mission of protecting and reintroducing humanity to the surface world. The success of vault dwellers depended significantly on whether their particular vault was part of an experiment or truly designed for survival.

The Challenges of Long-Term Survival

Living in a vault for centuries introduced challenges far beyond mere survival. These included food production, mental health management, resource maintenance, and social stability. Here’s a closer look at these aspects:

1. Sustenance in a Closed System

Most vaults came equipped with hydroponic systems to grow food and recycle water. Hydroponics allowed plants to grow without soil, relying instead on nutrient-rich water solutions. This method was space-efficient and well-suited for underground conditions. Despite this, the limited variety of crops and reliance on artificial light meant food supplies could be monotonous, leading to nutritional deficiencies or psychological dissatisfaction. One way the vault-dwellers would supplement their fertilizer supplies would be to compost the dead and turn them into plant nutrients.

Vaults also employed water purification systems to ensure a clean water supply. However, these systems required constant maintenance. A single failure could jeopardize the entire vault’s population. In Fallout 1, the protagonist’s journey begins because Vault 13’s water chip breaks down, highlighting the vulnerability of these systems.

2. Technology and Maintenance

The vaults were technological marvels, equipped with state-of-the-art life support systems, automated machinery, and computers. However, over two centuries, equipment degradation became a critical issue. Maintaining these systems requires a robust understanding of engineering and an adequate supply of spare parts. In some cases, the vault’s inhabitants developed innovative solutions to prolong the lifespan of their technology. For example, Vault 8 utilized its advanced GECK (Garden of Eden Creation Kit) to create Vault City, a flourishing settlement.

(The energy system that powers the entire vault. powered by fusion cores and capable of lasting for hundreds of years, hopefully)

In other vaults, technological decay contributed to disaster. Vault 11’s story, where the inhabitants were subjected to a horrific moral test, illustrates how over-reliance on faulty systems could lead to societal collapse.

3. Mental Health and Isolation

Spending generations underground, cut off from the outside world, tested the mental resilience of vault dwellers. Isolation often led to depression, anxiety, and paranoia. Vault-Tec sometimes exacerbated these issues deliberately: Vault 106, for instance, exposed its inhabitants to psychoactive drugs, causing widespread hallucinations and madness.

Even in less experimental environments, the lack of natural stimuli could weigh heavily. Without sunlight, seasons, or fresh air, many vault dwellers struggled to maintain their sense of time and identity. Over the years, traditions and rituals evolved to give structure to their lives, such as Vault 101’s Overseer-led government and its strict rules against leaving the vault. These effects would be easier on the later generations as they wouldn’t have anything to compare vault life to.

4. Social Dynamics

Managing a population confined in a small space for generations posed unique challenges. Social hierarchies often emerged and were influenced by Vault-Tec’s governance structures. The “Overseer” played a central role, acting as the vault’s leader and enforcer. However, this concentration of power frequently led to corruption or rebellion.

In Vault 19, dwellers were split into two factions based on arbitrary color designations, fostering division and paranoia. Conversely, Vault 15 emphasized diversity, housing people of different backgrounds and ideologies to encourage cooperation. While some vaults, like Vault 15, succeeded in fostering unity, others descended into chaos due to clashing personalities, resource disputes, or oppressive rules.

5. Ethical Dilemmas and Experiments

Vault-Tec’s experiments often forced inhabitants to confront moral quandaries. Vault 11’s population was coerced into sacrificing one person annually to prevent the supposed destruction of the entire group. This system created a culture of fear and betrayal, ultimately leading to the vault’s collapse.

Vault 87’s experiments on Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV) transformed its inhabitants into super mutants, stripping them of their humanity. These vaults highlight the dehumanizing lengths to which Vault-Tec went to study human behavior and biology.

Power sources

The vaults were powered by a relatively small battery known simply as a fusion core. There are no reliable sources as to how much power one of these things holds, but some of the vaults seem to rely on a single core. To power a vault, with all its growing lights, air systems, and other high-energy usage equipment, a fusion core would have to hold several hundred gigawatts of power to last for 200 years, which seems impossible for such a small device. All fusion cores found around the world were produced before the bombs dropped, so how they were made and charged in the first place is a mystery.

(The mysterious fusion core, holding a huge amount of power and only produced before the war)

Adaptation and Resilience

Despite these challenges, many vault dwellers displayed remarkable ingenuity and resilience. Here are some examples of how they adapted:

1. Innovation and Self-Reliance

Over time, vault inhabitants often developed advanced technical skills to maintain their equipment. In Vault 101, for instance, the protagonist begins their journey with a Pip-Boy, an advanced wrist-mounted computer that epitomizes vault technology. These skills proved invaluable for those who eventually ventured into the wasteland, where technological know-how could mean the difference between life and death.

2. Culture and Community

Isolation fostered tight-knit communities, with unique cultures and traditions. Vault 21, for example, revolved around gambling, with disputes and decisions settled by games of chance. This created a sense of unity and order, even if it was unconventional.

Storytelling, music, and art became vital tools for preserving sanity and passing the time. Vault dwellers often clung to pre-war artifacts, like holotapes and books, as connections to a lost world.

3. Reintegration with the Surface

Not all vaults remained sealed for 200 years. Some, like Vault 8, opened when it was safe, contributing to the rebuilding of civilization. Others, like Vault 101, remained closed indefinitely, leading to tensions between those who wanted to explore the outside world and those who feared it.

For those who emerged, the skills and technologies developed in the vaults often gave them a significant advantage in the post-apocalyptic wasteland. These individuals became traders, settlers, or leaders, helping to shape the new world.

The Legacy of the Vaults

The vaults in the Fallout series are more than just shelters; they are microcosms of human society. They explore themes of morality, survival, and the human condition under extreme circumstances. While some vaults succeeded in preserving life and fostering innovation, others became grim reminders of humanity’s capacity for cruelty and folly.

Ultimately, the survival of vault dwellers depended on a combination of robust systems, strong leadership, and the adaptability of the human spirit. Their stories remind us that even in the darkest times, people can endure, innovate, and hope for a better future.

For players and fans of the Fallout series, the vaults remain a powerful symbol of both salvation and experimentation—an enduring testament to the resilience and complexity of humanity in the face of annihilation.