20 men, 10 Women and 1 Panther.

I'm trying to think of some legitimate plausible explanation for an experiment involving a set up like this.

I can't think of one. So I'm assuming it was a just for shits and giggles/see what happened type of experiment.

This is of course if you believe Vault 43 is cannon. As its only mention was in the comic about Vault 77.

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Feels like there was a bet on this vault also reminds me when Rooster Teeth debated if they could fight a tiger.

Taking into account that the director in charge of the vault project (that you meet in fallout 3) is a complete psychopath, I can picture that he did it for the lulz.

And honestly, compared with other projects seen, this one is downright tame.

If I remember correctly, there was a theory that it started out with the humans and women separated, and that survival in that vault, while still mechanically aided, was reduced to more mundane and tribal-esque styles, and then the oanther was released, emulating a man vs. nature type struggle.

Just a theory I saw though.

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This is of course if you believe Vault 43 is cannon.

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And honestly, compared with other projects seen, this one is downright tame.

Indeed, I mean, if they worked together 30 people would be able to deal with a single panther quite readily, even if they're just average joes.

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And honestly, compared with other projects seen, this one is downright tame.

Indeed, I mean, if they worked together 30 people would be able to deal with a single panther quite readily, even if they're just average joes.

Maybe it was a mega-boosted cyber-panther (like the cyber-dogs elsewhere in the series), and a test was for how fast it would Kill All Humans and/or cause an uprising against the dread cyber-cat menace, without any outside pressures reining in either side?

...Would be pretty dang hilarious if it was one of those Vaults that ended up perfectly fine and harmonious against all odds, must admit.

You get there, and it's all "ALL HAIL OUR GLORIOUS OVERSEER, SIR FLUFFY DE POM-POM!" or something like that, and then you/the protagonists need to do a quest a la Rex in New Vegas to help/hinder the cyber-panther somehow.

Donno. Think it could have worked. Some of that weird science type stuff the series is known for.