Fort Independence

Fort Independence is the headquarters of the Brotherhood Outcasts in the Capital Wasteland in 2277 and formerly a pre-War scientific base. It is located west of Fairfax ruins and north of Andale. Upon the first arrival, the Brotherhood Outcasts fortifying Fort Independence are being attacked by raiders from Fairfax ruins.

Layout
The Outcasts have adapted the old fort to their needs and restored much of its internal facilities. All of the technology they gather is stored within in it, as are their research findings.

By default, the Outcasts inside are hostile to any trespassers. The fort is guarded on the outside by Defender Morgan, Defender Rockfowl and an automated defense turret. After the player speaks with Defender Morgan about a job, Protector Casdin will open the perimeter fence's gate and encourage the Lone Wanderer to bring scavenged technology to them in exchange for supplies.

In the eastern section (the offices) on the main floor, there is a computer named "Field Reports" with two audio logs that can be downloaded (Fort Independence field reports #1 and #2). The first audio log speaks about "the increased raider activity in Fairfax ruins" and the second about "3 entrances into underground utility tunnels and a small weapons cache situated in the southeast section of the tunnels." The voice in the first recording seems to be unique, the other one is that of Defender Sibley.

Notable loot

 * Miss Launcher, in the basement, as well as two mini nukes.
 * There is a Nuka-Cola Quantum and a Stealth Boy in the central room on the main floor, next to some bunk beds.
 * Alien power cells, can be obtained from ammo boxes in the locked storage room, next to the room with the research terminals.
 * Fort Independence field reports - On a terminal in the Offices section.
 * Six research notes, downloaded from six terminals in the lower level.
 * A bottlecap mine on the workbench in the room with the chemistry sets and operating tables.
 * Two unusually large empty syringes and one forceps are located in the medical room of the lower level.

Related quests

 * The Outcast Collection Agent

Appearances
Fort Independence appears only in Fallout 3.

Bugs

 * After bringing Casdin tech to obtain the minimum amount of points for him and the Outcasts to trust the player, the doors to Fort Independence will still be locked and red (indicating trespassing). Breaking in will result in only Casdin becoming hostile if you go back outside.
 * A solution is to pickpocket the key from Casdin and use it to gain entry while gaining a small amount of bad Karma.
 * After hacking the turret controls under the bridge to remove its targeting system and then disabling it, sometimes the turret under the bridge will at first look stretched into the ground and allow the player to walk through it, and then if reactivated will appear high above the bridge and be hard to see, even if aiming through a sniper scope.
 * Defenders Morgan and Rockfowl will respawn right next to their corpses after the player has killed them. This glitch also applies to several of the unnamed Outcasts.
 * When initially discovering the fort, the Brotherhood Outcasts outside may shoot at the player if the player attempts to attack the approaching raiders with melee/unarmed weapons.
 * Sometimes upon discovery of the fort, the Brotherhood Outcasts may be hostile for no apparent reason.