Understanding the Functionality of Supply Lines in Fallout 4
The functionality of supply lines in Fallout 4 is essential for managing resources across your settlements. Here’s how they work:
Establishing Supply Lines
- To establish a supply line, you need the Local Leader tier 1 perk, at least 2 settlements, and a free settler.
- Within the settlement where you want to create a supply line, open the Build menu, select a free settler, and then choose the Supply Line option to select the target settlement.
Resource Sharing
Supply lines allow settlements to share building materials and resources. Importantly, two settlements do not need to be directly connected to share resources. This means:
- Settlements share resources, reducing the need to collect and transport building materials for each individual settlement.
- All settlements in a supply line network share the same resources, including access to workshop inventory space.
- A player can deposit items in one workshop and retrieve them from another connected workshop—eliminating the need for a long trek.
Resource Types
The only remote resources accessible are those that can be used for crafting. Even then, you must use these resources in the crafting process:
- You cannot simply collect items like Purified Water or Blood Packs from connected workshops for personal use, but you can use them to craft items such as Vegetable Starch or Stimpaks.
- Furniture, walls, turrets, and other craftable items will not transfer via supply lines, except for crops.
Food and Water Dynamics
Nukapedia has indicated that food and water will be shared across supply lines for consumption by settlers, though the UI does not make this clear:
- Excess food and water production is not shown in an obvious way on the UI; for example, if Settlement B has a food shortage, it may be taking food from Settlement A, which has a surplus.
Provisioners
Provisioners are the settlers assigned to transport resources along the supply lines:
- They can patrol their routes and engage with hostile enemies but cannot die from those encounters—although they can be knocked down temporarily.
- You can give items to provisioners for them to take back to the settlement, which helps free up space in your inventory.
In summary, supply lines significantly enhance the efficiency of resource management across settlements by allowing seamless sharing of materials, food, and water, as well as facilitating crafting processes—all crucial to revitalizing the Commonwealth.
Effective Strategies for Connecting Supply Lines Between Settlements
To effectively connect supply lines between settlements in Fallout 4, follow these strategies:
- Setting Up Supply Lines: To set up a supply line, you need the Local Leader Perk. Enter build mode (Tab on PC) while in a Settlement and select a resident named “Settler.” Note that NPCs like Marcy Long cannot be used. Once selected, press the appropriate button to send them to another Settlement, making them a Provisioner with a pack Brahmin to carry goods.
- Function of Supply Lines: Supply lines send food and water to other Settlements and permit crafting without needing those items in the current Settlement. For example, having copper in one Settlement allows building in another connected Settlement.
- Using Defensive Hubs: Utilize one to three well-defended towns as a hub. If high defense is maintained, the towns won’t be attacked, preventing resource loss from other Settlements if happiness drops or an attack occurs.
- Hub-and-Spoke Model: The best layout involves setting up a supply line in a chain between settlements, creating a network that includes all settlements. Another effective strategy is designating one Settlement as the central hub, allowing all other Settlements to connect directly to it. This provides a reliable network even if one connection fails.
- Direct Connections for Security: For maximum security, you may choose direct supply lines between all settlements. This approach lets you encounter allies along the road, providing assistance in battles against enemies.
- Resource Management: Supply lines enable connected Settlements to share workshop inventories, simplifying crafting material management. Specializing settlements in specific resources and sharing through supply lines enhances overall efficiency.
- Utilizing Locations: The most effective management of supply lines is achieved using a hub-and-spoke model with a central hub, such as The Castle. This setup encourages closer settlement connections and establishes comprehensive supply lines to keep citizens satisfied.
Common Issues with Fallout 4 Supply Lines and How to Fix Them
Common issues related to Fallout 4 supply lines and potential solutions include:
- Inventory Sharing: Supply lines seem to only share inventories internally within the workshop menu. When entering the transfer menu of a settlement, that inventory is separate. Supply lines connect two workshops bidirectionally. If one supply line connects to either of the settlements, adding another supply line links it to both.
- Transfer Limitations: A common issue is that supply lines do not transfer weapons, armor, aid, ammo, etc., stored in benches. Therefore, they primarily link junk for settlement building purposes. This means if all junk and building materials are available at other stations, weapons and other stored items do not share across connected settlements.
- Connection Requirements: The system is designed such that each settlement must be connected with at least one line to effectively share resources. Connecting one settlement to another does not allow resources to share between those not directly linked. Therefore, a more complex network is needed for all settlements to access shared resources.
- Fixing Ghost Provisioners: There is a method to replace a ghost provisioner. You can use the command ‘player.placeatme 20593’ to spawn a settler. Note that settlers spawned this way must be moved to a settlement via the Workshop interface (default key “R” on PC) before they can be assigned to work. Additionally, a settler spawned in this manner can be assigned to a supply line and the home of an existing settler to take over that supply line, which helps fix bugged supply lines when the original settler isn’t found.
- Alternative Solutions: The supply line can still function without a settler, as there is no danger if no one is actually traveling that route. It’s possible to produce ghost supply lines with robots if desired.
- Troubleshooting Supply Lines: If a supply line is disrupted, consider rebuilding or troubleshooting it. Go to every settlement and note the wood/steel inventory amounts. Entering build mode and pulling out a quick structure may help numbers. Additionally, quick traveling to each settlement may update interrupted supply lines.
- Proper Connection Checks: Ensure workshop inventories are linked properly. that there is enough food and purified water in benches. Utilize local leader perks by investing points into charisma and the local leader skill to create efficient supply lines. Finally, avoid creating loops by sending supply lines from a central hub.
- Basic Requirements for Creating a Supply Line: You will need at least two allied settlements, at least one settler (working or unassigned) in one of those settlements, rank 1 of the Local Leader perk, and no pre-existing supply line between the two settlements.
