What do you think the best settlement location to establish a home base is?

I like the Starlight Drive In, because it has a large open space, a small water puddle in the center that can be used for a water purifier and a small garden area near the workshop shed. I'm working on building a mega structure there.

And I'm using the Red Rocket garage as my personal hang out, when I need to get away from all the hussle and bussle LOL

I wish I could save my recreational building that I made in Sanctuary as a whole set and then transport it to the Drive in base...

The Castle also has some great potential. I just claimed it and need to see how I can build that into a great base.

You'd like Spectacle Island

What are you looking for?

I was after privacy so I first tried Murkwater Contruction Site but the insect noises got on my nerves, Coastal Cottage is quite isolated but I left as the view was a bit sub par. I'm currently in the process of moving into Spectacle Island.

If you were after a more trading/settler style of base I'm enjoying upgrading Abernath Farm. Its got quite a large population and I like the idea of the Abernath's turning into master traders for the Minutemen.

Yeah I just saw that in a video. I myself like the castle as my main base, then I have also built up minutemen outposts at Coup manor (or whatever it's called) and the Lighthouse they are setup like military outposts everyone decked out in combat armour and fatigues. and I have built up the red rocket site as a tradepost. Only use sanctaury as a place for settlers to come then I send them where I want them.

I like Hangman's Alley because I like closed-in, tight spaces and if you don't unlock one door and un-chain another then there is only one doorway into the area. Granted, there's not a lot you can DO with it since there's precious little dirt to farm/water, but it's very close to Diamond City and it's right in the middle of town.

There's a two-story house just across the river from Malden (across the field from Covenant) that would be great except for the gaping holes in the gabled roof that I cannot see to patch. Still, I was able to place two Water Purfiiers on either side of the back dock, and plant plenty of food in front, and with the river against one side, there's pretty much only the two road paths to guard.

The Slog has a pool for water purifier, plenty of food, and has a river against one side (the Forged are on the other side, though, so that can be annoying and give the turrets a work-out). It has a remarkably intact stone building, though, with a nice flat roof.

Greyditch is amusing /useful for the robot gardeners and the fact you can make a stairway to get on top of the two overpass levels above it.

EDIT: Oops! Thanks for the heads-up, Agrona! It is, of course, GrayGARDEN.

Oh sweet! Love island settings. Can't wait to discover that one

Now there's a great idea! I turned off the Sanctuary beacon and only have the one at the drive in going. Maybe I just pack up Sanctuary all together and move then all into a different place. If I pack up my turrets and store them in the work shop and I have a supply line going from Sanctuary to the Drive In, I should be able to use all the stuff I store, right?

Yea, heard of Hangman's alley, only set a "toe" in there, on my way to Diamond City. I think an Urban settlement would be cool to have.

And LOL Greyditch... hope there are no fire breathing ants where you are! It's a cute little farm, all run by Mr. Handy's and woah, build a stairway to the overpass! Cool idea!!

I like hangman's alley personally although your gonna have to build above the ground to get the most out of it.

It has the biggest building area and most free space to boot

I like Warwick. The large buildings in place are large enough for all the beds you could ever want and I believe they shield you from RAD storms. There is only one narrow way in so there is no need to build any walls. Setup resources, defenses and stores and you are done.

The one drawback is how far south it is and getting there means you have to wait tell you are higher level to acquire.

Nice, I rather build my own buildings and I wish I could have scrapped all the houses in Sanctuary. Most of them let rain through the roof, which I try to patch as best as I can LOL

Sounds like a great and defensible place! And speaking of RAD storms. I found this root cellar in Sanctuary and that's pretty much the only safe place when a Rad storm hits. Granted, the houses don't offer much protection, but I though I might be safe in the sturdy Red Rocket Garage, but I still get Rads in there, not a lot, but still. We have to be in a interior loading cell to NOT be affected by the RAD storms at all? Well, it is a game, I guess it makes sense, but I worry about my settlers. I don't want them turning into feral ghouls. LOL

I'm still in the early stages of the game, I'm savoring it. Just wandering, almost randomly. Anyway the Red Rocket is fun and can be built up quite well. I thought my defenses would never be tested, as all they had smoked was a Blowfly or two, but I had just put another turret above my stairs when the entire place lit up. I could not see what they were firing at but it seemed to be circling the place, then boom , a big one, I took rad damage and WTF.

So I look around and find this on my stairs:

http://carnagepro.com/f4/supersuicide.jpg

A Super Mutant Suicide guy. Stopped on the first landing. I was pleased.

I like The Red Rocket, you can go in the root cellar at The Red Rocket if the storm is bad and I like not having settlers.