Fallout 4 beginner guide: Sanctuary, Red Rocket and Concord
Follow the opening route and turn scavenged equipment into a reliable early base.
Unmodded Fallout 4 base campaign, using standard non-Survival rules. PC publisher screenshots show the original game. Far Harbor, Nuka-World, Automatron, workshop DLC, Creation content and Fallout 4 VR are not required; DLC-specific differences are labeled. Survival has separate saving, travel, hunger and ammunition-weight rules.
Return from Vault 111 to Sanctuary
After leaving the vault, return to the ruined neighborhood and speak with Codsworth. Search the nearby houses and follow his direction toward Concord. Sanctuary’s workshop and existing crafting stations make it a useful place to store scavenged junk, review equipment and plan a trip without carrying every collected object into the next fight.
Meet Dogmeat at Red Rocket
The Red Rocket truck stop between Sanctuary and Concord introduces Dogmeat and another workshop location. Speak to the dog to take him along, then inspect the station before continuing. Use the companion command and trade options to understand what he is carrying; a companion inventory is separate from the materials stored in a settlement workshop.
Help the survivors inside the museum
In Concord, Preston calls from the Museum of Freedom. Clear the raiders inside and speak with the group upstairs. Sturges describes the power armor plan, including the fusion core behind the basement security gate. The rooftop suit and minigun support the street battle; take cover and handle the raiders before exposing yourself to the larger threat.
Return with materials and a focused loadout
After the Concord encounter, check back with Preston and bring supplies to Sanctuary. Deposit junk through the workshop, keep ammunition for the weapons you actually use, and examine available upgrades at the workbenches. In standard difficulty you can save freely; use a separate save before a major expedition or an unfamiliar quest decision.
This opening follows standard difficulty. Survival changes saving and travel enough to require a separate preparation plan.
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