Fort Independence

Fort Independence is the headquarters of the Brotherhood Outcasts in the Capital Wasteland, located west from the Fairfax Ruins. The Outcasts have adapted the old building to their needs and restored much of its internal facilities. All of the technology they gather is stored within the fort, as are their research findings. By default the Outcasts inside are hostile to any trespassers. The Lone Wanderer can become accepted by the Outcasts if he pleases Protector Casdin by scavenging enough technology for him.

The fort is guarded on the outside by Defender Morgan, Defender Rockfowl, and an automated defence turret. After the Lone Wanderer 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 (see The Outcast Collection Agent). He also carries the key to the Fort, which makes it possible to get in without having to pick the lock.

Getting In
By trading a large amount of scavenged tech with Casdin (see The Outcast Collection Agent) it is possible to get on friendly terms with the Outcasts. An option to ask about this appears in Casdin's dialogue when enough tech has been traded. The Lone Wanderer needs to trade 50 'points' worth of technology for this to happen - see here for a table showing a points breakdown for tradeable technology. The Alien Blaster is worth the most points (10), and can be pick-pocketed back for repeated turning in.

It is also possible to kill the guy on the bridge, get his gun and key and enter the lower level. Then you can go, find the barracks then obtain the key to the armory. Once there you go to the first door on your left when you come in and steal weapons, exit the building wait for 3 days (so you can talk to the outcasts without being shot) and sell them their stolen tech back.

When you have friendly status, you can enter Fort Independence without being attacked by the Outcasts; however, the door will not open for you. You'll still need to pick the lock (Hard) on either door or pickpocket Casdin for his key in order to get in. Do not let any Outcasts outside see you pick the lock if you want to avoid a firefight with them, even if you have the "friendly" status with them.

There is an additional door to the Fort Independence Lower Levels at the bottom of an underground staircase right next to the entrance below the overpass; this can be unlocked by Storage Key found in a room nearby, in an easy locked box below a bunkbed.

When you enter Fort Independence Lower Levels you can hack a computer; the password can be found in the desk left for the computer.

Loot
Once inside Fort Independence there is nearly no notable loot until you reach the lower levels. Down the stairs in the room left of the exit door is the entrance to the Basement. Inside the desk within the first room is the password to the wall terminal (normally Hard Encrypted) which opens the Mag-Door; continue down until you reach a room full of research terminals. Activating them adds notes on various weapons, namely the Missile Launcher, Minigun, Enclave Power Armor, Plasma Rifle, Pulse Grenade, Gatling Laser and Laser Rifle. In this room there is a Hard Locked door (a key to this is available in the bunk-bed-filled room nearby within an Easy locked footlocker). Through the door is the unique Miss Launcher, a Minigun, Laser Rifle & Plasma Rifle, 6 boxes of ammunition which include Alien Power Cells and 3 medical boxes along with 3 fission batteries in a crate, as well as 2 Mini Nukes on one of the shelves near the Miss Launcher. One box has an Easy lock, and another is Very Easy. There is also a medical lab with Stimpaks and an abundance of Blood Packs across the hall from weapons storage.


 * The Miss Launcher is a variant of the Missile Launcher that doesn't shoot straight, but lobs the missile in an arc like the Fatman. It is more powerful than the standard Missile Launcher.


 * Strangely enough, Fort Independence has a pretty good supply of Blood Packs - 3 or 4 in the med lab, and more within Weapon Storage - comparable with Our Lady of Hope Hospital.


 * In addition, there is a Nuka-Cola Quantum and a Stealth-Boy in the central room on the main floor, next to some bunk beds. There are also two safes (Easy Lockpick) found next to desks in the eastern section (the offices) on the main floor.


 * In the lower levels, there are several items that can be used to construct custom weapons including crutches, surgical tubing, sensor modules, tin cans, and a paint gun.


 * Possibly a random encounter, but there can be somewhere around 75 Alien Fuel Cells in the lower level weapon storage room, near The Miss Launcher.
 * With the Scrounger Perk, 90+ Alien Power Cells can be obtained from the locked storage room, next to the room with the research terminals.

Killing Casdin

 * If you want to avoid the karma loss involved with pickpocketing or killing Casdin directly, you can damage the truck near him and cause it to explode. This will kill him if he is close enough and the player will suffer no karma loss and Outcasts will remain friendly, though no experience is gained.  The player can then loot the items given to Casdin as well as his key and his equipment.
 * If you use a Stealth Boy and attack and kill Casdin after he's declared you friendly, you will still lose karma, but you will not turn the Outcasts inside the Fort hostile.
 * You can kill Casdin (and anything else in range) by hacking the Fort's turret system. Changing its targeting parameters will make it hostile to everyone, including yourself.
 * After you befriend the Outcasts, pick the lock while Casdin watches; then go back out with other Outcasts. Casdin will become hostile toward you and his subordinates (that you walked out with) will be more than happy to take him down for it.

Bugs

 * In the lower level of Fort Independence, the turret in the main chamber will be stuck in the ceiling. It will not attack you and cannot be destroyed, even with Mini Nukes. The problem with this is if you have a follower, they may stay and attack the turret (with no result) and will not follow you. This can be fixed by leaving the fort. The turret can only be destroyed by the Mysterious Stranger in V.A.T.S.


 * Up at the highway is an Enclave outpost. It is possible that Enclave patrols may attack and kill the Outcasts, allowing you to take the key into the fort with no karma loss.


 * For characters with a low Lockpick skill who are going for the "annihilate all Outcasts" path, when you enter the fort and you can't pick the door's lock, wait for an Outcast soldier to walk near the locked door. Your companion(s) should walk to the locked door and automatically open it, allowing you to enter the first level of the fort. (Confirmed on the Xbox360 with Charon and Dogmeat.)


 * After hacking the turret controls under the bridge to remove its targeting system and then disable it, sometimes the turret under the bridge will at first look stretched into the ground and allow you 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. (Confirmed on the PS3)

Appearances
appears only in Fallout 3.