My issue with my main and initial settlement, Sanctuary, is I simply do not have enough occupants to hold down the fort. I require nearly all of my minutemen to farm, leaving me with virtually no defenses.

And so I ask: how can I recruit more characters to live at Sanctuary, to boost my security? Or is this impossible?

If impossible, can someone please give me some tips as to how to better manage my farming while also managing at least basic security?

Thank you.

(Any links to tutorials or what have you would be greatly appreciated! I know I could try to Youtube it but would rather hear legitimate recommendations from you guys. Searching Youtube for such information can often be variable and difficult to find what I am actually looking for. Thanks again.)

Just build turrets, it's better than guards

build the recruitment beacon. it will attract some. it is based on your current CHA score though, so no more than 10+CHA.

I was able to build a settlement recruitment beacon and attract more cannon fodder, I mean settlers.

You need to build a radio tower to recruit, it's in power misc. There are also people around the Commonwealth including a charming individual you knew from before the war

Oh, thank you ever so much for the help guys. I haven't gotten to the step yet to create a radio beacon. But, one last question. After creating this beacon and attracting further settlers - do these newcomer settlers remain permanent?

As for turrets. I am having trouble finding circuits. I have come across, i.e. military grade circuit boards. Do these too constitute as usable circuits for said turrets? And where are they most common?

Please forgive my newbie questions...

(I am still exploring and trying to collect these necessary components. I must admit to having a difficult time finding them. *Sigh*)

How about..


You look at the settlement items and actually read their description.


This takes around 5 minutes to see all them and saves all the faffing about listening to other people feel intelligent because they know the basics of a game.


Ifnot, well. I dont know. I am slowly loosing my faith in humanity.


The radio beacon (or something), in misc resorce items, when powered and turned on will slowly bring new settlers to that settlement


Or.. For defences? Try turrets. Or traps. Get inventive; setup a tripwire to start alarms, turrets and spotlights whenever enemys crossthe sanctuary bridge.


Im running a build with 8 char (allowing 18 settlers) yet i rarely go beyond 5-10 due to me making "personal" houses for each one and being lazy with the insane micro-management

Youtube is sometimes nice, but for information it is not ideal...

I use this Wiki - but be careful, this is Spoilers pure...

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Portal:Fallout_4

Did you know, that one settler assigned to a field of plants can do up to 6 units food? This are 6 to 12 plants, depending on the plant (Mutfruit plants give 1 food per plant, all other food plants give 0.5 food per plant). So every settler working on the plants can produce food for himself and 5 others.

Ideally you plant in batches of 6 food (6-12 plants). Then you assign one settler, and if the plants are planted together in a nice patch, he will automatically do all the plants, up to 6 food. So you have 5 settlers for other tasks. If you have more than 6 settlers, simply plant another 6-12 plants (6 food) and assign the next settler. The plant patches should be not to far separated, then one settler can do 6 food. You only need to assign her to one of the plants, which are shown red.

So you never should have not enough settlers for other task, because of the food. For every 6 settlers you need one for the food. With 7 settlers you will need 2 for the food, but if you plant more (12 food), 2 settler can do it and you can grow your settlement, without changing anything.