ok so what i want to know is whats happening on the map after some of the factions get destroyed, so for instance in fallout 3 after you wipe out the enclave they are all over the place with patrolls and outposts still, after the institute, BoS, or railroad are destroyed do they dissapear from the map all together, are they patrolling the map etc, i just want to kow what i'll be dealing with if after the main quest, i plan on siding with the minutemen so far, thanks in advance for any hints and tips

It's still roughly the same. I've heard the patrols are less frequent. The synths may disappear altogether if you destroy them, I'm not are though the BoS remain

I wiped out the BOS on a play through and I've run across them doing hit and run raids on one of the Super Mutant settlements. I also had some BOS attack one of my settlements. Unfortunately for them. I'm cheating on this play through so everyone has Automatic Plasma weapons and Corsair armor, and there were heavy laser turrets every 5 feet around the place. Didn't go too well for them.

holy spoilers

Ahhh the spoilers not the spoilers ahhhhhh!!!

To be fair the thread title was enough of a warning. But yes wrong forum.

Damn, I sided with them on my first playthrough and because there were so many damn patrols killing everything making it pointless to do any side missions, I started again with the idea of destroying them. So if I do, not only do the patrols stay, they will now attack my settlements as well. *sigh* I hope a mod turns up getting rid of the BoS after the main plot has been finished.

Once the airship is taken out patrols will decrease