This is a "Does anybody know ... ?" post.

I'm in the spolier section, right? Right? OK

So .. I finished the main story line about 6 days of gameplay ago, so I know there was a "Defend the Castle" quest in the main story line if you sided with the Minutemen. Since the end of the main story line, I'd been building up settlements, building a collection of power armor and exploring while I wait for DLC to come out.

Right after I hit level 100, I get back to the castle a brand new Defend the Castle quest popped up. Turns out it was like the previous, main story line quest, but this time it was Super Mutants ... a lot of Super Mutants. Of all kinds. From both directions.

At the time, I think my defense was over 300 so it was like the 4th of July. It was great.

So my question is:

Does anybody know if this was a one time thing, since it happened at level 100 and it took 6 days of gameplay before it popped up? Or are there other "Defend ... " quests that pop up from time to time?

I hope these continue to happen from time to time, and hopefully more often. I now have a game save so I can go back and do that same quest whenever I want, just in case. But, seriously, my game needs a lot more of that.

It's what they call radiant. Defend, as in defend any given settlement from any given attack. Nothing special about it.

Are you talking about the minutemen quest to defend the castle or rather take it over from that mirelurk? And if so are you saying they have another one after endgame involving super mutants trying to take over the castle? Or do you mean the simple radiant quests where you have to defend your settlement from raiders or whatever else?

No, it's not. I deal with the miscellaneous defend quests all the time. This is a main quest in the main quest section, not the miscellaneous section. It involves the minuteman lady at the Castle, I forget her name, saying stuff to the effect of:

"I'm glad you're here General. It bucks up the troops. Scouts have been disappearing and it's what I would do if I were planning an attack. I think the defenses are good but you might want to go check and see if anything needs shoring up."

Then when the attack starts, the radio calls out positions and there are waves. I don't play with the HUD on anymore but in the main storyline version the quest, there are 5 waves and you get updated completion percentages ... 20%, 40%. etc. This quest is just like the main storyline quest, but wasn't the Institute this time. It was super mutants. Including behemoths. Major event.

I remember getting that attack at the castle in my first play through before I had done much of anything in the main quest. I think abaris was right, it may seem a bit different then other radiant quests but I think that is what it was.

It's really completely not.

In the minuteman main storyline, you have to take the castle from mirelurks. That's not what I'm talking about. Later, after you get on the Institutes bad side, before you "take action", you get attacked by the Institute. This attack is in the main quest list, not the miscellaneous list. If you played through the main storyline and finished things with the Minutemen, you'd know exactly what I'm talking about. It's right near the end of the main story line, and it's a big event that gives you time to plan defenses. This quest I'm talking about is post-main storyline, but EXACTLY like the main storyline quest ... but with different enemies.

I'm level 104, I think, with over 15 days of gameplay. More than 300 hours. I've done the radiant defend quests dozens and dozens of times. Probably over 100. I had about 10 of those just yesterday when I was trying to build up a settlement. Those can get hairy, no doubt, but this quest I'm talking about has a specific design. It comes over the radio. That Minuteman woman calls in Minutemen from elsewhere to assist in the battle. I have 4 Minutemen on guard duty at all times at the Castle, wearing Minutemen outfits ... but when you show up for this, the Castle is crawling with Minutemen who have been called in to help in the battle. You have to check over your defenses. Then there are 5 distinct, spelled out waves to complete. Seriously, a major event.

If you've seen it once, you'd definitely know it and there would be no confusion. What I'm asking is if anyone has seen it more than once post-main storyline.

That sounds like a pretty sick mission and I hope they happen more than twice that would be awesome and give a real reason to defend the castle even after endgame

There is a main faction quest for the Minutemen called 'Defend the Castle', but there are also radiant miscellaneous tasks to help defend a given settlement. You'll get these at the Castle from time to time.

As far as the main Defend the Castle quest is concerned, you can get it multiple times depending on where you stand with other factions. If you get banished from the Institute but you're still friendly with the BoS, you'll have to Defend the Castle from the Institute. If you later destroy the Prydwen with the Minutemen, you'll get a second 'Defend the Castle' quest defending it from the Brotherhood. As I understand, if you get banished from the Institute and the Brotherhood is already hostile toward you, the Defend the Castle quest will take the form of a first wave fending off the Institute attackers, and a second wave fending off the Brotherhood of Steel. I'm not sure about this though, as I've never actually been in this specific scenario.

I had an major atack on sumerset place 5 supermutats up to warlord, had to get back to get powerarmor, pump jet and use an explosive minigun to even have an chance as I spawned in the middle of them.

Now against the castle with all the missile turrets that would be more fun.

The Defend the Castle main quest can happen multiple times, yes, with different enemies. So far I've triggered it with the Institute, and then again when I destroyed the Brotherhood. But it can kick in randomly too, just like any other "Defend Settlement" quests but way bigger.

Thanks a lot for the information. All the hours I've played with the Minutemen and I didn't know that you could go against the BOS after dealing with the Institute and a version of Defend the Castle against the BOS would be involved. I don't think I'm going to go that route because I have a sensible peace going on, but I'd love to see this mission against the BOS. The vertibirds probably make it play a little different, just like the Institute teleporting in made it play different than against the Super Mutants.

I did more digging yesterday and I think Defend the Castle can pop up with Raiders or Gunners attacking too. They would probably be easier to fight off than the Super Mutants, though. But maybe they'd bring a fat man or two.

I'm just wondering why it took 386 hours of gameplay for a non-main storyline version of the mission to pop up, and it just happened to be the first time I got back to the Castle or listened to Radio Freedom since I hit level 100. I'm not sure but it seems like when I don't fast travel and keep busy doing quests, I get very few "Help defend ..." missions. But when I hang out at a settlement building things, they seem to pop up often. Maybe there's something to that and me not seeing this mission for so long had something to do with it. I don't know. But these missions are a blast and I'd like to see more of 'em.

If you have the Castle, definitely put some thought into defense. For some reason, in my game the Slog keeps getting majorly attacked, but the castle attacks are on a different scale. I thought my setup was perfect but after the battle, I realized it needed a few tweeks. I didn't realize how much range those heavy laser turrets had before. And I have a 5 story building at the castle that I can snipe from the top floor of in both directions. On a clear day, nobody is going to get within 100 yards of the castle. But in fog, it came down to me Big Boy'ing it all danger close like at the front gate to finish off the 5th wave. I don't think they could have got in, but there were a lot more 5 mm rounds and missles flying than I was comfortable with. And the suiciders ...

Thanks again for the input.