Brief refresher: The Enclave was around before the bombs dropped. It was a shadow organization of politicians and corporate execs who felt only
they had the will/right/whatever to determine the course of the country. Not much has been named in the way of specifics, but it's pretty clear Vault-Tec was one of the companies involved, as were, probably, General Atomics, West Tek, L.O.B. Enterprises, HalluciGen, and Nuka-Cola, amongst others. There's a lot that can be gleaned from all the games thus far that paint a picture of those in the military and government who hadn't known about this catching on to what was happening right under their noses and trying to stop it. And then the bombs fell.
The T-51 model of power armor was the "tried-and-proven" drastic improvement over the T-45, and was in wide issue by late 2077. It saw its first action in the Battle of Anchorage, when the Chinese invasion was repelled, and continued to be issued to more units back in the States as our troops counter-invaded back into China. T-60 power armor had already been developed before the T-51 was rolled out (this is the military, after all), and was beginning to see the first batches of production units being issued to units on the East Coast. They had also developed a number of prototype "X-01" suits of an even more advanced armor design that were being field tested and shown around as demonstrators when the bombs fell. As I said, the post-War Enclave spent many decades with what they had left trying to replicate that last design. Yes, their "Mark II" was lighter and stronger and such than their Mark I, but we need a side-by-side comparison with the X-01 to see how either of them stack up.
FEV research started in California at the West Tek facility. It was moved to the more secure newly-built Mariposa Military Base in 2076. The troops sent to protect the scientists didn't know about the experiments. When they
did find out, the CO committed suicide, and the XO -- Roger Maxson -- interrogated and then executed the scientists, and declared himself and his men as deserters from the U.S. Army. That was on October 20, 2077. He was puzzled to get no response. Three days later the bombs fell. I can easily connect the dots that the Enclave sent people to get backups/earlier versions of the FEV (or just data) from West Tek and get it to a more controlled facility -- Vault 87. They had plenty of time after finding out about their losing Mariposa. The research at Mariposa was never finished (at that time, anyway). The Vault 87 development chain went one way, and when the Master found what was at Mariposa, his went another. At some point, the Institute found or was given the results of Vault 87's research and were tasked with/tried to figure out how to keep the East Coast version of super mutant from losing so much of their intellect and continuing to grow as they aged. My uncertainty of their role is due to feeling the Institute would make a darn good Enclave research base. It ticks all the boxes. But nothing says they are. Indeed, the Enclave is strangely absent from the Commonwealth...
Oh, and as for Ghouls... I've picked up from the games that continued exposure to radiation is what drives them Feral. Typically. Oz, in Nuka World, is the only non-Feral Glowing One I've ever seen. I've wanted to dig further into that, but haven't had the time. But I can easily see a water purifier helping keep that process at bay. With no more access to clean water, they'd eventually all either leave or go Feral. If they were trapped there, they'd go torpid, the way we see other Ferals do. So long as there's no new outside stimulation -- like a Chosen One coming into their underground town -- they'll remain in that state indefinitely. Mind gone and not moving ever again sounds a lot like death to me.
I can make it all work pretty easily.
--Jonah
