[I thought better here in Spoilers, given the large number of location names given.]

So, if you do NOT go to Concord, ever, the entire Minuteman quest line never starts. But you can still go to locations and become able to build settlements. Build-your-own-empire kind of thing. My most recent game started out by building the SH settlement (naturally). Then over to Abernathy Farm. Then Starlight Drive-In. Followed by Tenpines. Now I'm at Weston water treatment plant winning over Graygardens. No problem building up my settlement network in my own name.

Now I'm wondering: Given how hard-scripted the Minuteman quest line is -- save them at Concord, build SH settlement, recruit and expand existing settlements, develop new sites for settlement, take back the Castle, etc -- what happens if ALL of those things have been done before ever having met Preston in Concord? Do all of those accomplishments all of a sudden become Minutemen accomplishments and assets? Forget that; this is my empire!

Good question,

in the last game I did the greygarden quest as I found the location myself. In this game I was sent to it as it was another random settlement quest, same with the quest with the forged in the first game.

I did claim sanctuary before going to concord and it had no effect on the minutemen. You can do so with any settlement who is empty or has an fixed quest to it.

Not sure about the ones with only random quests except that killing everyone let you take over.

The castle is the only issue here, it might have an secondary quest to simply start up the radio for the minutemen if the castle is claimed.

yeah I wonder that as well. When the Minutemen are finally told Concord is cleared for them to leave, I wonder what happens next?

I already have many farms in my favor, some are even under the "protection" of the BoS. I also cleared and fortified the Castle.

I guess you could always say "No" to joining them? But then they will be hanging around my fortress of solitude in SH.

I think it MIGHT mess up the game somewhat.

I went ahead and cleared out the castle really early, like shortly after I was able to settle at SH because I wanted a fortress. I don't remember if I took the castle before or after meeting preston.

But now I'm at a point where I've done his first two main quests (I think) and I CANNOT get him to give me the "taking the castle" quest which would be a walk in the park at this point as I have a full on settlement in the castle.

he simply keeps sending me to nordhagen and somerville to help them out.... when I help them, he sends me back there.

I'm not sure, if you get the castle and most of all artillery support without the MM line.

This time round I waited quite a bit before going to Concord and recruited the villages I consider worthwhile before speaking with Preston. But I don't think, you can use the full potential if you never go to Concord.

You can get the castle without Preston, but unfortunately not the artillery

-walk up later on in full X01-
"CHERREH SUIT OF TEE FOWTY FIEHV POWAH ARMOH"
Actually this just makes me wonder if there's unique dialog....

They are your own personal army tho

Giving you control of the settlement is usually termed, "Feel free to use our workbench. And stop by anytime; you are always welcome here."

My current game is sort of like that. I established a settlement in Sanctuary before I ever went to Concord. I did go to Concord and rescued them from the raiders, and they joined my Sanctuary settlement. But, I've never spoken to Preston since then so there is no Minutemen yet in my game. Basically, I got a few named setters and a free patrol guard and have otherwise sidestepped the whole thing.

Not that I dislike the Minutemen, but this time I'm doing a BOS character. If the BOS is the only faction I'm really a part of, then nothing I do betrays anyone who trusts me.

I mean if you first speak to preston in power armor

That would be an entrapment by the game. The ONLY way you get to talk to Preston is by baling him out at Concord. Like the Chinese adage about "If you save someone's life, you become obligated to that person thereafter." [A variation of "No Good Deed goes unpunished."] Even if you don't sign on to being a Minuteman, I'm certain that afterward they will march on to Sanctuary and then your settlement at Sanctuary Hills will become their Minuteman settlement.

First, if you have taken the castle by yourself (w/o MM) you will never get the quest to take the castle. At any rate, so I have heard. Which means, no Ronnie and no Artillery. I can live with that. I have frankly gotten tired of changing all those diapers and my latest build is a female who is delighted to be able to do all the man stuff like shoot things and wear armor. I will grow my empire slowly and each settlement will be a gem.