So, another thing I noticed just now. I was wandering around Camp Searchlight enjoying killing all these pesky ghouls that, earlier today, wouldn't stay dead.

And I noticed that my radar seemed to think that there were several friendly NPCs all around me.
So I looked around and couldn't find any. Decided to just face one and run in that direction until I encountered it. After a moment, it whipped around my radar to the other side -- I'd run right 'through' it. I couldn't find a friendly NPC anywhere.

At first, I thought it was just another pesky crow (I hate the fact that crows show up on the radar as friendlies.. I think, "Yay, someone to talk to who might be interesting!" ... "Oh, bird." But that's a different topic.)
So like, I walked around this area where this green tick was and decided to try to use VATS to lock on to whatever was there that I couldn't see.

Sure enough, VATS did work... but it zoomed me in straight to the ground. I found something with no name and only two bars of health. And then my game crashed.

Might be something for you to look into?
I'd include a screenshot, but like I said, the game crashed.

There are NPCs in Camp Searchlight. Use the hatch in the abandoned church.

I know about those NPCs. I did the quests there, both looking for irradiated dog tags and helping that [censored] scavenge NCR supplies.
But using the hatch takes you away from the worldspace into a different cell. I shouldn't be able to see NPCs on my radar that're in a different cell.

These things appear to be deep underground, too. With no names.

Also, and it wasn't like in Camp Searchlight. I was out a little ways. The sky was still greenish, so not that far out.

nevermind, it sound like a havok issue blame them

Some AI fall through the terrain, I've noticed this on several occasions, being on pc I can tcl and kill them so they don't clutter my radar.

Oh, that's a good idea. I could use the console...
But that'd kill my achievements, wouldn't it?

Mmm, I went down there... but I couldn't see anything. No NPCs or anything.
Same issue though, when I lock on to whatever it is.. or is not :confused: it zooms into nothing. No name. 2 health bars. Then game crash.

There are several!
So it can't be just an NPC falling through the world geometry or whatever.

hmm, if memory serves- maybe it the turrets you can take control of to help kill the ghouls? was that camp searchlight?

maybe they fell into the scenery as was suggested before..