Commonwealth Minutemen

The Commonwealth Minutemen, typically shortened to just the Minutemen, are a faction encountered in the Commonwealth . Once a prominent powerhouse, recent years have seen them fall into a steady decline losing much of their strength and influence, and by 2287, are nearly wiped out.
==Background==
Envisioned as a volunteer militia of settlers banding together to protect themselves, their homesteads, and their communities,Sole Survivor: "Can you explain what the Minutemen are all about?"Preston Garvey: "We're citizen soldiers. The people of the Commonwealth banding together to protect ourselves and decide our own future."(Preston Garvey's dialogue) similar to the Minutemen of the Revolutionary era, the Minutemen of the 23rd century also focus on defending the people of Massachusetts, "at a minute's notice."Fallout 4 loading screens: "The Minutemen were formed over a century ago by ordinary people who simply wanted to defend their home, the Commonwealth, from any threat imaginable. Sadly, the group has fallen into disarray in recent years."Fallout 4 loading screens: "Like the Minutemen of the Revolutionary era, the modern day Minutemen are dedicated to defending the people of Massachusetts, at a minute's notice." The statue positioned near the Old North Bridge in the northwest Commonwealth, commemorating the original group and standing where the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired,Preston Garvey: "Well I'll be damned. It's the monument to the original Minutemen. I knew that was somewhere around Concord. That means this right here must be the Old North Bridge. Where the first shots of the American Revolution were fired. I'd call that the best omen I've seen since we left Quincy."(Preston Garvey's dialogue) is considered an important symbol by the present-day group and their mission.
===Glory days===
The Minutemen as an organization first rose to prominence in 2180, when their flag was flown while defending Diamond City against a super mutant attack.Fallout 4 loading screens: "The Minutemen first rose to prominence in the year 2180, when they defended Diamond City against a horde of Super Mutant attackers." Once more settlements in the Commonwealth began to come around to accepting their aid, the Minutemen attempted to branch out through organizing a provisional government constituted by the various settlements.Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide p.517: "[18.08] THE CASTLEHistorians have noted the original name for this settlement was Fort Independence, but the people of the Commonwealth now refer to it simply as the Castle. This place has a long and storied history; it is one of the first forts in America and predates the Revolutionary War. In recent times, it served as the base of operations for the Minutemen as they attempted (and failed) to establish a Provisional government. In 2240, the Castle was partly destroyed by gigantic Mirelurk, and most of the Minutemen leadership died.Still, it is generally agreed that the location could yet become an excellent base of operations for the Minutemen (and an exceptional settlement) if it can be reclaimed from the sea creatures. Note that the map information refers to interior corridors within the fortification walls."(Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Map) However, the combined effort went up in smoke when the Institute sent their own envoy, a synth, leading to the Massacre of the CPG and the breakdown of any further talks of cooperation.Sole Survivor: "Massacre of the CPG? What's that?"Nick Valentine: "The Commonwealth Provisional Government. Years back a group of settlements tried to get together and form a coalition. Every settlement with even a hint of clout sent representatives to try and hash out an agreement. Only the Institute sent a representative of their own, a Synth. The man killed every rep at the talks. The Commonwealth Provisional Government was over before it even got off the ground. I took up in town not long after. I was damn lucky they didn't just tell me to scram right then and there."(Nick Valentine's dialogue)
After the loss of the CPG, the Minutemen continued their independent efforts at peacekeeping, establishing a headquarters at Fort Independence in South Boston, which became known as "the Castle."Fallout 4 loading screens: "The Minutemen once made their headquarters in South Boston's Fort Independence, also known as "the Castle." That ended when a giant creature rose from the sea decades ago and laid it to waste." Part of their restoration efforts involved members including Ronnie Shaw establishing an armory within the facility, guarded by a sentry bot named Sarge.SARGE: "Comparing intruders to known Minutemen roster."Ronnie Shaw: "Well I'll be. I would've never guessed the Sarge would still be down here. Don't worry, it's one of ours."(SARGE's dialogue) The Minutemen maintained their regional operations from the Castle until 2240, when the garrison under the leadership of the incumbent General McGann was attacked by a giant creature said to have emerged from the surrounding ocean.Fallout 4 loading screens: "Fort Independence was named in 1797, at a ceremony presided over by President John Adams. Before then, it was known as Castle William, and then Fort Adams. Before its destruction in 2240, the fortification served as an apt headquarters for the Minutemen."Ronnie Shaw: "That explains all the landmines. This is, well... was, General McGann. He had your job back when I first joined up. Must have gotten trapped down here when that sea beast attacked the Castle. He did manage to keep the armory secure. I'll give him that much. Rest in peace, general. Your fight is done and the Minutemen live on. No point in getting all sentimental about something that happened 40 years ago."(Ronnie Shaw's dialogue) While the sea beast routed most of the Minutemen from the Castle, McGann made a last-ditch effort and sealed off the armory to preserve the munitions and technology inside for the future, though he himself ultimately perished from dehydration/malnutrition, finding only a large batch of wine and choosing to meet his grim demise "with a toast."
Even with the loss of the Castle, the Minutemen continued in their goals of responding to requests for help from nearby settlements that were being attacked and defending them fiercely.Sole Survivor: "What was the Quincy Massacre?"Preston Garvey: "I thought everyone in the Commonwealth knew about that by now. Where the Minutemen betrayed each other, and the people they were supposed to protect. I was with Colonel Hollis's group. A mercenary group called the Gunners was attacking Quincy; the people there called for the Minutemen to help."(Preston Garvey's dialogue) Their structure of being historically led by a general with individual contingents led by a colonel served them well in being able to deploy "at a minute's notice" in response to reported threats.Preston Garvey: "The leader of the Minutemen has always held the rank of General."(Preston Garvey's dialogue) Joe Becker was considered the last "real" leader of the Minutemen, so when he died in 2282, the question of who should serve as successor become a hotly-debated issue.Preston Garvey: "Our last leader was General Becker. After he died back in '82, nobody could agree on who should take his place."(Preston Garvey's dialogue)Preston Garvey: "You're the best leader the Minutemen have had since General Becker was killed. I'm proud to call you a friend."(Preston Garvey's dialogue) Without General Becker's stable leadership, rivalries between different groups flared up and began to cause infighting and disorganization in the larger group.Preston Garvey: "You know, the politics and rivalries and bad blood between the different groups. I guess General Becker was able to keep a lid on it. Keep everyone more or less on the same team. But after he was killed, it all came out in the open. I couldn't believe it at first."(Preston Garvey's dialogue)Preston Garvey: "Back before General Becker died, the Minutemen were a force to be reckoned with."(Preston Garvey's dialogue) The fracturing incited some members to abandon the group entirely, including James Wire and Ronnie Shaw.Libertalia terminal entries; Wire's terminal; April 2283: "Raiders. That's what they called us. And they're not wrong."..."General Becker would be sick if he saw us now. But he's dead. And we're alive."Ronnie Shaw: "That's just sad. General Becker used to run the Minutemen. The last real leader we ever had. After he died, there wasn't anybody left with the guts and brains to pull things together. I'm talking about the gang of clowns that let the Minutemen fall apart. I didn't respect any of them, so I took a vacation."(Ronnie Shaw's dialogue)Ronnie Shaw: "Yeah, I was. Back before Joe Becker got himself killed and the idiots took over."(Ronnie Shaw's dialogue)
===The Quincy Massacre===
The loss of stable leadership and frequency of internal squabbles began to erode the efficacy of the group, but they still managed to continue their mission to respond to defense requests for some time after.Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide p.37: "MinutemenThe Minutemen were once a formidable and rather popular faction in the Commonwealth. Due to significant losses and internal squabbles, however, this people's militia has struggled to survive in recent years. By defending their friends and neighbors at every opportunity, the few remaining Commonwealth Minutemen hope to bolster their numbers and bring some measure of peace and comfort to the average men and women scattered throughout the region.Each Minuteman relies on whatever gear he or she can salvage, so the group's strength is determined by the allegiances it manages to forge. You first encounter Preston Garvey—who has spent years believing he's the last of the Commonwealth Minutemen—in the Museum of Freedom. With enough allies, however, Preston believes he can reestablish the Castle as the Minutemen's base of operations.Most Minutemen are limited to whatever protection is offered by simple clothing and headgear, but some members have managed to salvage a few pieces of leather armor or metal armor. The laser musket is the signature weapon of the Minutemen, but the average Minuteman is forced to rely on whatever weapons he or she has managed to salvage before joining. This means that patrolling Minutemen can be found carrying anything from humble pipe guns to heavily modified combat rifles.While some of its members can seem a bit self-righteous, Minutemen never attack without provocation. In fact, because the group's strength is determined by the support of its allies, Minutemen are generally eager to lend a hand to anyone who doesn't pose a direct threat."(Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Groups, Gangs, and Factions) One such request was from the citizens of Quincy, who were being attacked by a mercenary group known as the Gunners sometime around 2287. A group of Minutemen under the command of Colonel Ezra Hollis were the first to heed the call for reinforcements.Preston Garvey: "We were the only ones that came. The other groups... they just turned their backs. On us, and the folks in Quincy. Only a few of us got out alive. Colonel Hollis was dead. So I ended up in charge of the survivors. We never found a safe place to settle. One disaster after another... you saw how it ended, in Concord."(Preston Garvey's dialogue)Quincy ruins terminal entries; Hollis' terminal, Status report Among his group at the time was Preston Garvey, a Minutemen member since the age of 17, who assisted with the residents' efforts to barricade the town against the Gunners' attacks.Preston Garvey: "When I turned 17, I joined up with Ezra Hollis's company. He was one of the good ones. Really believed in the old-time Minuteman way."(Preston Garvey's dialogue)Quincy ruins terminal entries; Hollis' terminal, Setting up defenses However, Hollis knew that even with his group, they simply did not have the numbers to hold the town against a large Gunner offensive, but his repeated attempts to send out requests for additional reinforcements from other Minutemen groups either went unanswered or were too slow to deploy to even matter. 
Shortly after Hollis' group arrived, Clint, a ten-year veteran of the Minutemen, arrived in Quincy, but not to provide reinforcements; instead, he revealed that he had defected to the Gunner side and was assisting them in taking over Quincy. He made an offer of surrender to Hollis, but with the promise that a refusal would sign his death warrant.Quincy ruins terminal entries; Hollis' terminal, BetrayedFallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide pp.387-389: "[6.24] QUINCY RUINSDue to some controversial zoning, the freeway was run right over the main street, near the buildings of this once-picturesque and historical settlement. John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and John Hancock were all born here. Currently, Gunners have taken over the Quincy ruins and a section of freeway that runs through the town. This was once a Minutemen stronghold until the arrival of the Gunners and a defection of one of the Minutemen's own."(Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Groups, Gangs, and Factions) Hollis still refused to stand down, and the Gunners subsequently attacked in force, using the advantage of the overpass looming over Quincy to pick off the town defenders from above.Quincy ruins terminal entries; Gunner terminal, Col. HollisQuincy ruins terminal entries; Sturges's terminal, Baker here Despite their best efforts, the Minutemen could not defend against the Gunners' superior numbers and position,Preston Garvey: "Once the Gunners got up here, there was no way to defend the rest of Quincy. We gave the Gunners a hell of a fight, but we never really stood a chance. There were just too many of them and too few of us."(Preston Garvey's dialogue) and Colonel Hollis was captured alive, though he continued to stand by Minutemen principles until the end, when he was executed by Clint. The inhabitants of Quincy were slaughtered by the Gunners with the exception of a group of around twenty that followed the remnants of Hollis' group, now under Garvey's command to escape from Quincy.Ronnie Shaw: "Garvey? Oh yeah, I heard of him. Took over Hollis's group after the Quincy Massacre. One of the good ones."(Ronnie Shaw's dialogue)
===The last Minuteman===
From Quincy, the survivor group fled northwest through Jamaica Plain, managing to shake the Gunners pursuing them but losing some of their own to the Gunners and other wasteland dangers. Their flight continued northwest all the way to Lexington where they hoped to find shelter.Preston Garvey: "Just folks lookin' for a new home. A fresh start. I've been with 'em since Quincy. Lexington looked good for a while, but the Ghouls drove us outta there."(Preston Garvey's dialogue)Quincy ruins terminal entries; Gunner terminal, Preston However, their number was further depleted due to the similarly heavy infestation of feral ghouls, but the reduced group still managed to escape, reaching Concord shortly after.Preston Garvey: "A month ago, there were 20 of us. Yesterday there were 8. Now, we're 5. First it was the Ghouls in Lexington. Now this mess."(Preston Garvey's dialogue) The town was as far as they got before being beset by a group of raiders sent by Jared from the Corvega assembly plant, trapping the small group inside the Museum of Freedom. With the loss of all his men, Preston came to believe he is the last true member of the Minutemen still alive yet remained dedicated to protecting the surviving group of civilians.Sole Survivor: "Minutemen? So now I'm traveling backward in time?"Preston Garvey: "Protect the people at a minute's notice. That was the idea. So I joined up, wanted to make a difference. And I did, but... things fell apart. Now it looks like I'm the last Minuteman left standing."(Preston Garvey's dialogue) Once word of the Minutemen's inability to protect Quincy spread across the Commonwealth, their popularity and support fell off almost immediately, and most wastelanders came to speak disparagingly of the group and their idealistic goals.Settler: "The Minutemen? I heard about what happened in Quincy. Bad business, that."(Settler's dialogue)
==Organization==
The Commonwealth Minutemen is a paramilitary force designed to have a general to lead while delegating in-field operation commands to colonels who command individual groups. Communities aligned with the group would provide volunteers, who were in turn trained and equipped by a core group of full-time Minutemen. The group's headquarters for the longest time was "the Castle," within which could be found workshops, barracks, armories, and aid stations, but most importantly, a functioning transmitter which broadcast the Minutemen's own radio station, Radio Freedom, a continuous program of music, news updates, and requests for help that linked the disparate Minutemen together. When the Minutemen had the capability of heavy artillery within the Castle in the past, the transmitter could also be used to coordinate artillery strikes, though its range was typically limited.
As an all-volunteer force, the morale of its members was especially critical. The Minutemen adopted much of the terminology and practices of the former National Guard, but simplified them and introduced elements of democracy. As mentioned above, each contingent elected by the popular vote a colonel to lead them, who collectively in turn appointed a single general to act as the Minutemen’s overall commander. Due to its decentralized, volunteer nature, the group relied heavily on a general’s charisma and leadership to prevent the splintering of its members.
==Technology==
The Minutemen believe in using technology in a controlled manner to help their cause. They fight for freedom, but they generally do not believe in the rights of the Institute's Synths. In combat, the Minutemen emphasize reliable technology, which can be used without fail in interventions. They operate (or at least used to operate) their own radio station to coordinate their efforts in the field. Unique in the Commonwealth is their use of massive mortars to deploy artillery strikes against targets their light arms cannot succeed. They also utilize flare guns to signal for assistance from any nearby minutemen. The Minutemen also utilize laser muskets as a signature weapon, appearing to be handmade from laser rifle components. Members wear distinct uniforms along with various pieces of armor, and are often armed with their signature laser musket, as well as pipe weapons and double-barrel shotguns. They also utilize artillery, giving them the means to defend locations from afar. Once the Castle is reclaimed, the group begins to broadcast Radio Freedom as a way to send alerts across the Commonwealth.Fallout 4 loading screens: "Radio Freedom is the radio station of the Minutemen, and allows them to broadcast alerts all across the Commonwealth from their headquarters in the Castle." Defeating the Brotherhood of Steel allows the Minutemen the opportunity to gain at least one of the Brotherhood of Steel's Vertibirds for their own use, summoned and deployed with flares found in the Castle armory. It is unknown if there are any other vehicles in the Minutemen's possession.
==Interactions with the player character==
One's first interaction with the Minutemen occurs during Out of Time, when they are directed by Codsworth to investigate Concord for help finding Shaun and they may come across the Museum of Freedom under attack by Gristle's raiders, where Preston will call out for help to protect the settlers from the upstairs balcony where they are sheltering. If one decides to give assistance, including fighting a deathclaw, and later meets the group at Sanctuary Hills, Garvey will extend an offer to join the Minutemen, and declares the player character the new General. 
Throughout their dedicated questline, the Sole Survivor will be asked to visit various settlements and complete tasks for them to get them to support the Minutemen. After a minimum of three settlements become allied, talking to Preston triggers Taking Independence, where the Minutemen make the move to reclaim the Castle as their headquarters. Once they take control of the Castle again, new quests assigned by Garvey will begin to cycle back through previously completed quests.
===Faction===
As one of the four major factions in Fallout 4, the Minutemen are neutral and will stay friendly to the player character should they ally with the Institute, Brotherhood of Steel or the Railroad. However, one has the ability to opt-out of helping any of those factions and work specifically with the Minutemen for the main quest. Upon completion of the Nuclear Option, the Minutemen will patrol the Commonwealth's military checkpoints and its members will appear patrolling Diamond City.
Depending on actions taken during the main quest, the Minutemen may enter conflict with at least two other major factions:
* If the player character manages to become banished from the Institute for any reason, all Insitute quests will fail and Defend the Castle will begin, which involves fighting with the Minutemen against waves of synths and Coursers that attack the Castle. Once that quest is completed, the Minutemen version of The Nuclear Option begins, involving breaking into the Institute, sabotaging their nuclear reactor, and then detonating it to destroy the Institute.
* At any point after completing The Nuclear Option, if the player character helped the Minutemen or the Brotherhood of Steel, and then becomes hostile with the Brotherhood of Steel for any reason, this will trigger With Our Powers Combined, which involves building enough artillery pieces in allied settlements to allow the Minutemen to destroy the Prydwen at Boston Airport, followed by a Brotherhood attack on the Castle similar to the Institute version of Defend the Castle. Once the Brotherhood are defeated, the Minutemen gain control of their vertibird fleet allowing for the player character to use them via vertibird signal grenades just like how one does with the Brotherhood.
There is no scenario for helping the Minutemen attack the Railroad, although if one does not complete the optional objective to issue the evacuation order during The Nuclear Option, the Railroad still becomes hostile.
 Preston will refuse to issue any more Minutemen quests if the player character helps the Nuka-World raiders take over settlements in the Commonwealth during Home Sweet Home. He will only agree to work with them again if they complete Open Season and kill all the raiders, though he will be permanently unable to be recruited as a companion.
==Named and generic members==
Leadership
* General McGann 
* General Becker 
* Colonel Ezra Hollis 
* Preston Garvey
* Sole Survivor (optional)
Members
==Related quests==
===Main questline===
* When Freedom Calls: A group of raiders is laying siege to a building in Concord. The Sole Survivor can help eliminate the threat to the settlers within.
* Sanctuary: The Sole Survivor can agree to help the people in Sanctuary Hills establish a permanent settlement.
* The First Step: Preston Garvey asks for one to travel to a nearby settlement that's requested help from the Minutemen. The player character can head there to see what they can do to help them.
* The Sight: Mama Murphy insists that she can see the future while under the influence of chems and asks the Sole Survivor to procure some for her. After each dose of chems, Mama Murphy will have a vision about the Sole Survivor's future.
* Taking Point: Preston informs the Sole Survivor of a promising site for a new settlement. He asks them to clear the settlement of enemies before building a recruitment radio beacon to attract new settlers.
* Taking Independence: Preston brings up the idea of retaking the Castle, suggesting that the radio transmitter there would help with communicating with the growing number of allied settlements. Preston will then ask the Sole Survivor how they would prefer to approach the attack.
* Old Guns: Ronnie Shaw informs the Sole Survivor of an armory hidden in the western bastion of the Castle that only she knows how to access. She will lead them to the area to do so.
* Inside Job: Once the signal interceptor has been built, Sturges will ask the Sole Survivor to insert a network scanner holotape inside the Institute's computer network to infiltrate it and download any available information.
* Form Ranks: Preston Garvey will state that the Minutemen are not strong enough to take on the Institute. They will need to recruit more settlements in order to have the manpower necessary to stand a chance.
* The Nuclear Option: Sturges analyzed the data from the Institute network and found a way to access it via an old tunnel providing cooling water to their reactor. He gives the Sole Survivor a holotape that will reprogram the relay to bring in the Minutemen and end the Institute.
* With Our Powers Combined: The Minutemen can remove the Brotherhood of Steel as a threat to the Commonwealth. With enough artillery batteries, they can attempt to take out the Prydwen with a surprise attack.
===Side and radiant quests===
* Defend the Castle: The Sole Survivor receives word that enemies are preparing to attack the Castle, and they can help defend it.
* Returning the Favor: Blake Abernathy asks the Sole Survivor to retrieve a locket from the raider hideout in USAF Satellite Station Olivia. If they are successful, his farm will join the Minutemen's cause.
* Clearing the Way: A settler tells the Sole Survivor that a nearby area has been infested with hostiles that are threatening their settlement. The settler will ask that they clear the infestation before mentioning that the infested area would be a good spot for another settlement.
* Ghoul Problem: An allied settlement is having trouble with feral ghouls, and needs help in dealing with them.
* Greenskins: A large group of super mutants has been raiding a settlement and causing trouble. A settler will point the Sole Survivor to the mutants' hideout and ask that they are eliminated for the safety of the settlement.
* Kidnapping: A settler has been kidnapped and their friends are in desperate need of help. The Sole Survivor can either give the settlement leader enough caps to pay the ransom, or they can offer to rescue the settler. 
* Raider Troubles: Raiders have been harassing a settlement and causing trouble. The Sole Survivor must travel to the raider hideout and eliminate them.
* Resettle Refugees: The Sole Survivor is informed of a group of Institute refugees at a military checkpoint who are looking to resettle, and is asked to assist them.
* Rogue Courser: Preston Garvey has learned of a courser who has embedded himself within a raider gang. The Sole Survivor can take them out before they gain control and start causing significant problems.
* Stop the Raiding: A large group of raiders came by recently asking for tribute, which the settlement was forced to pay for their own protection. The settler will point the Sole Survivor to the raiders' hideout and ask that they are dealt with.
* Defend: A settlement is under imminent threat of an attack. The Sole Survivor can travel to the settlement and deal with the attackers.
* Defend the Artillery: A Brotherhood vertibird has been spotted near the settlement, scoping out the artillery. The settlers there will ask the Sole Survivor to help build up the settlement's defenses to protect against the upcoming attack.
==Appearances==
The Commonwealth Minutemen appear in and sourcebook Winter of Atom.
==Behind the scenes==
* The in-game Commonwealth Minutemen are based on the real-world group of the same name, the Minutemen, who were a self-trained colonial partisan militia active during the American Revolutionary War and famously known for being ready "at a minute's notice."
* Quest designer Kurt Kuhlmann was a senior designer on the Minutemen quest line in Fallout 4.Kurt Kuhlmann on LinkedIn
==References==
Non-game
 
de:Commonwealth Minutemen
es:Minutemen de la Commonwealth
fr:Miliciens du Commonwealth
it:Minutemen
pl:Minutemani Wspólnoty
pt:Minutemen da Comunidade
ru:Минитмены Содружества
uk:Мінітмени Співдружності
zh:義勇兵