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 Technology scavenging). 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.

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.

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 Casdin's Key.

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 for 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: Missile Launcher, Minigun, Enclave Power Armor, Plasma Rifle, Pulse Grenade 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 & Plasma Rifle, 6 boxes of ammunition which include Alien Power Cells and 3 medical boxes along with 3 fission batteries in a crate. 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.


 * 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 in the central room on the main floor, next to some bunk beds.


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

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 it's targeting parameters will make it hostile to everyone, Outcasts and 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 then 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 (to no avail) and will not follow you. This can be fixed by leaving the fort.

[Note: The turret CAN be destroyed if, upon targeting it in VATS, the Mysterious Stranger appears.]

Up at the highway is an Enclave outpost. It is possible that Enclave patrols may attack and kill the Outcasts.

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 lockpick the door, 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 360 with Charon and Dogmeat

There is a rare glitch, where if you leave to paradise falls without talking about them much, or taking the sub-quest, everyone outside is gone

After hacking the turret controls under the bridge removing its targeting system and then disabling 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

Alternative approach
Upon arriving at the bridge outside Fort Independance, you will get a speech option with the Female Outcast (after she dispatches incoming raiders) whereby you can provoke her into turning Hostile. This is the route I took into the Fort, by basically wiping out the entire Outcast forces inside and outside the fort, with ZERO loss of Karma. This actually helps in gaining access to the lower area where all the cool weapons and medical goodies are... because access via the inside of the fort to this lower area is behind a sealed door that requires 75 in Science to hack. If all the Outcasts are hostile, there are a male and a female Outcast behind that door who can hear you coming (dont stealth) and when they open the door for you, you can rush them to gain access. Dont worry about cutting off your escape, you can open the door back again from a console that doesnt require hacking, or can make your way to the lower Exit point that requires a Key you will collect off one of the bodies.

Appearances
appears only in Fallout 3.