So I found a handy trick written in a guide, no claims I thought of it but just passing it on here -

Once supply lines start up and going, and settlements get larger, I had hard time keeping track who was assigned to what - and the biggest first question of course was - who was assigned to something, and who is free?

The guide said just put a hat on anyone you've assigned, so you can tell at a glance if they are assigned, or free. So, awesome idea, and doing that is easy with the metric ton of extra gear you collect.

But I've also been arming my settlers, and not sure if they need ammo. Do settlers / NPCs / companions use up ammo in their inventory? Do you need to constantly replenish their ammo stock?

For regular settlers I guess not that big a deal since raider attacks won't be that often, but I also don't want to go around checking each every settler for ammo level after an attack.

Does anyone know if settlers use up / need ammo in their inventory for the weapons you give them? Or is it ala skyrim with basic arrows infinite for npc / companions?

Not sure about settlers but your companions starting weapon has infinite ammo. If you give them a new gun though, that requires ammo. So hang onto their original weapon for emergencies

How does one remember what their starting weapon was? Just leave it in their inventory at all times I assume?

The new settlers I attracted, generic no name ones that I setup as supply line Provisioners, they all came with standard pipe guns, and had a few rounds of .38 on them. I gave each enough to have 20 rounds, but from what you said, it sounds like the rounds they start with are just for show, and have infinite rounds for their basic pipe gun weapon?

Bit deeper question - do you know offhand if you take that basic weapon they start with and only mod it, not change to new weapon - would that mod count as some sort of 'new' weapon and no the settler doesn't have free ammo?

You can't take their starting weapon and mod it, to my knowledge. Certainly doesn't work for Piper, Danse, or Nick.

oh ok, problem solved then.

does anyone bother arming their settlers with more advanced weapons? or basically rely on turrets to repel attacks?

I arm the assigned guards with heavy mod weapons like the Gaitlin Gun or Flamer after moding them for max Damage, I have not seen their ammo go down after an attack. But watching Sturges tear it up with a Gaitlin Gun is awesome. I also put turrets around settlements, the higher up you get them the better range they have and can attack across the settlement if they have a clear LOS.

I absolutely arm and armor them up and hey use the stuff I give them! I tend to give them about 1-2 dozen of the ammo they need, but not sure if they actual use it or just need SOME of it in their inventory

Settlers, provisioners and any companion not with you but stationed at a settlement do not use ammo.

You can equip therm with the weapon of your choice and as long as they have at least 1 piece of ammo for that gun they will use it. Any active companion travelling with you can be given a gun to be used but they will need ammo for that gun. Don't give them an automatic weapon, they'll chew trough the ammo like Honey Boo Boo through dinner.

Thanks Gaijin! Gonna put that to use now. And I did try giving a Companion an auto a few days ago with 700 rounds... it was gone in about 30 minutes

Yes they need ammo. No they don't expend it.

Just give them at last one round and that will be fine. Works with grenades too as long as I know.

I did.

This is more or less what I ended up doing. I've revised it since I first came up with the system.

Guards have full sets of armour (minus headgear) and tasty weaponry, usually of the laser variety.

Farmers have regular outfits as well as hats and carry ballistic rifles.

Scavengers and provisioners also have full armour sets (minus headgear) but carry shotguns.

Shopkeepers have suits and dresses and carry ballistic handguns.

But becuase I have such good defences they don't get to use their shiny new guns at the settlements.

An Alpha Deathclaw wandered into weapons range of The Castle and was dead before a settler could sound the alarm.

4 MG & 2 Laser turrets at the main gate are more than enough to take one Alpha down.

I'm on my cheat run, so I give everyone plasma rifles. I thought they needed ammo, so I removed the auto barrels and gave everyone 5000 plasma charges.

Now I have to go back, turn those guns automatic, and... hell, I'll leave the ammo, so they'll be walking storehouses of plasma shots for whatever insane reason.

I've been converting everyone in the Castle to US Military clones (Military Fatigues, Helmets, Combat Armor) and I'm now in the process of arming each of them with Institute Rifles (Because I like the beam color). I've been giving everyone 50 rounds of ammo just for piece of mind's sake.

Heck, I've invested hundreds of caps into them already. A few hundred more on ammo - even for RP reasons - isn't going to hurt.

I have similar systems to those above, but I mod everything first because hey...you get experience for that! Might as well, right? I also rename every piece of armor and weapon to Sanctuary Leather L Arm, Sanctuary Sniper Rifle, etc...Huzzah for role playing!

Farmers wear Road Leathers and full sets of modded Leather armor, and each is armed with a fully modded weapon. Guards wear Combat Armor and helmets, and are all armed with a fully modded .50 cal sniper rifle. Scavengers wear road leathers, leather armor, welding goggles and a hard hat. Armor/Weapon merchants are dressed in military fatigues, general traders in athletic outfits, doctors wear lab coats...y'all get the idea. I can walk into any settlement of mine and know exactly what everyone is doing, even when they're not doing it, and them all being armed to the teeth is great. Super mutants attacked Sanctuary last night, and when I showed up to "help" Sturges was just finishing off the last one. Quest updated and I never fired a shot. Go Team Venture!

Trying to keep track of all this gear got tiresome, so I created a supply depot at outpost Zimoja. I stop there after an afternoon of looting and pillaging to drop off all my stuff, rename pieces I've looted that are already modded, mod some stuff and then stash it in one of 6 footlockers, each dedicated to a seperate armor or weapon type. Since the place is fully stocked with full sets of modded Sanctuary Leather, Combat, Metal and Synth armors and tons of Sanctuary weapons (yes, they all bear the Sanctuary moniker, its the master town after all) I send any new settlers here to gear up before moving them off to their actual home.