As you play the game, you may find patrols wandering the Commonwealth. They also frequent the locations added by this mod and may visit your settlements, Diamond City, and Goodneighbor. Normally the patrols contain three minutemen, though they may also have a dog and can potentially have an eyebot playing Radio Freedom. (Note: Due to how it was implemented, Radio Freedom will only play if you have the unofficial patch or who's the general installed, or are tuned in on your pipboy). These patrols will fight monsters and hostile factions, and may be killed in those battles. Don't worry! They respawn over time, so you can carry on without worry that the mod will run out of patrollers.
When patrols enter combat, they may call for help using a flare gun. Nearby patrols can respond to this, so it won't be unusual to see the flare gun in the distance or notice a patrol sprinting past you. Similarly, if a patrol member dies, other members of the patrol may call for heavy support by using an artillery smoke grenade. You can even hear the announcer over the radio for this like you would for your own artillery requests. You don't need to worry about this blowing your cooldowns, because their use of the flare guns and artillery is on a separate timer from yours.
As a special note, you may also encounter patrols guarding some settlers, who will ask to live in your settlements. Similarly, you may also encounter patrols escorting a trader, who will be willing to barter with you.
8 comments
What I finally figured out was that I'd forgotten to set up any defenses at the settlement. After I popped up my first turret, the MM broke up and started instantly marching away. Of course the settlers tried to follow them. 😂 I'm assuming once I leave for a bit and come back, they'll sort themselves all out.
Works great with We Are the Minutemen AND Militarized Minutemen (at least as so far as I can tell).
I guess if I have any criticism, it's that I was a little disappointed to see that they were already camping right in front of a few locations I'd yet to discover, such as the Nahant Oceanic Society and right near the giant satellite place where all the SuperMutants hang out near Finch Farm. It sorta breaks the illusion of wandering into an abandoned place that nobody's been for decades, thus making me feel slightly less, hmm...significant? Venturesome? Authoritative? Being able to plant a flag in a location, even if it was a pre-built shack that you somehow activate ("I should assign someone to this..."), so it gives the illusion of having at least a little control over where to pitch one of these camps would be way cool--though probably a nightmare to script. In lieu of that, I'd say between the wandering patrols and the camps, maybe thin them out by about half?
EDIT: I've also got the Roadside Pines settlement mod by kahvoz....
I know mine are set up in a way that would allow it, and Tenhats follows the same guide that I do. Pra's should work too, as should anything uploaded by Yagichan. Ragoda I can't speak for, however.
Of course, it could be that I really have just misunderstood. It occurs to me that if they followed supply routes, they'd only spawn in after you'd set them up. Any help would be appreciated!