The Minutemen: Fallout 4's Settler Militia Explained

The Commonwealth Minutemen are a volunteer militia in post-war Massachusetts that defends settlements from raiders, super mutants and anyone else who preys on ordinary people. They take their name and look from the militia of the American Revolution and promise to protect the people "at a minute's notice". When Fallout 4 begins in 2287 they have almost disappeared, and the Sole Survivor can bring them back as their General. (Fallout 4)

The Minutemen's glory days#

The Minutemen were founded as a citizen militia: farmers and settlers who would drop everything and come to defend each other. Their reputation grew after they helped defend Diamond City from a super mutant attack. They made Fort Independence, a coastal fort in South Boston known as the Castle, their headquarters, with an armory, a radio transmitter and heavy artillery. (Fallout 4)

How the Minutemen fell apart#

In 2240 a mirelurk queen came out of the sea and overran the Castle. General McGann sealed the armory to keep its weapons safe and died inside. The Minutemen carried on without a headquarters, but their command was loose: a general at the top and colonels who led their own groups. After the death of their last strong general, rival factions argued over who should replace him, members drifted away and calls for help went unanswered. (Fallout 4)

The final blow came at Quincy. When Gunner mercenaries attacked the town, Colonel Ezra Hollis brought his Minutemen to defend it and called for reinforcements that never came. A former Minuteman named Clint, who had joined the Gunners, led the attack. Hollis was executed and most of the town was killed. Preston Garvey led about twenty survivors away, losing people all the way north. (Fallout 4)

Preston Garvey and the new General#

When the Sole Survivor reaches Concord, Garvey and the last of the Quincy survivors are trapped in the Museum of Freedom by raiders. The Sole Survivor can save them using a suit of power armor and a minigun, then take on a deathclaw in the street outside. The group settles in Sanctuary Hills, and Garvey offers the player the title of General. (Fallout 4)

From then on, the Minutemen questline is about rebuilding. Garvey sends the General to help settlements under attack, and each one that joins becomes part of the network. With enough allies, the Minutemen retake the Castle from the mirelurks in Taking Independence, restore Radio Freedom and get their artillery back. Ronnie Shaw, an old Minuteman who left during the bad years, returns to show the General the sealed armory. (Fallout 4)

The Minutemen use whatever they can find, but their signature weapon is the laser musket, a hand-cranked laser rifle. Their flag shows a musket and a lightning bolt with stars on blue. (Fallout 4)

Where the Minutemen stand with the other factions#

The Minutemen care about settlers, not ideology. They'll work with the Brotherhood of Steel or the Railroad, and they stay friendly with the General whichever faction the player chooses for the main story. Garvey worries the Brotherhood will become one more power ruling the Commonwealth, and if the General turns against the Brotherhood, the Minutemen can shoot down the airship Prydwen with artillery. (Fallout 4)

Raiders are the enemies they won't deal with. In the Nuka-World add-on, if the Sole Survivor leads the Nuka-World raider gangs into the Commonwealth to take over settlements, Garvey refuses to work with them. (Fallout 4: Nuka-World)

The Minutemen ending#

The Minutemen can finish the main story on their own. If the Sole Survivor is banished from the Institute, synths and Coursers attack the Castle in Defend the Castle. After the Minutemen hold, the General leads them into the Institute in The Nuclear Option, plants charges on its reactor and destroys it. The Commonwealth is left in the hands of its settlements. (Fallout 4)