» Fri Dec 11, 2015 4:47 pm
Yes and no.
Yes - for mission type attacks, it triggers a very easy to miss popup message but it does show under quests-misc section as a defend xxx mission.
Problem though is if you missed the very brief popup message, how often are you scanning your pipboy quests tab? So while you can see if any settlements are under attack, it is either a chore you need to constantly check, or you will likely miss it unless random luck has you look at quests tab for another reason and you happen to see the new misc entry.
No- not all attacks on settlements are defend mission attacks, meaning associated with a mission and the bad consequences of failing the mission. Some attacks just happen while you are there in or near your settlement.
These are NOT random encounter cells that got lured into your settlement like for example in sanctuary there is a random spawn point just to the right of the bridge near the water (pov looking direction towards red rocket) for small pods of low tier creatures, usually 1-2 bloat insects right outside your borders. Guards or turrets will an annihilate these suicide bugs but you'll hear the attack siren if you have one, etc.
So that is a normal random spawn that got pulled into your settlement. Another bigger one is the random encounter cell that usually loads raiders just outside red rocket and sanctuary road. But an actual settlement attack is triggered just like a defend mission - one or multiple pods of strong attackers, like super mutants will spawn inside your borders - but there is no mission associated with it and thus no failure consequence other than they will shoot up some crops amd settlers if you dont deal with them fast enough.
These attacks fortunately never occur,off screen. Far as i can tell, it is a random settlement attack triggered only when you are in, near, or just travelled to your settlement. I get them usually when I'm admiring my craft handiwork or just arrived via fast travel. It is not very frequent, but not super rare either
Would like a patch soon to hopefully add an audio cue toggle when settlement defend mission attacks occur (toggle so players can leave off if they prefer) as well as better UI for attack alerts and scanning.