The USS Constitution is an 18th-century heavy frigate formerly in the service of the United States Navy and is a location in the Charlestown district of Boston in the Commonwealth in Fallout 4.
Background[]
Originally built and launched in 1797, the U.S.S. Constitution was once considered the pinnacle of naval superiority. With time and the advancements of technology, however, its cutting-edge design eventually became obsolete, and the ship was ultimately dry-docked at the Boston Navy Yard, becoming a primary tourist attraction. At some point, the ship became "manned" by robots from Protectrons through Mister Handies up to a Sentry Bot, all programmed with historically accurate personalities of what a crew of the Constitution would be like to emulate its heyday.
Sometime before or after the Great War, an unknown party affixed NX-42 rocket engines to the revolutionary-era vessel and had it wired up and electronic equipment installed throughout, as well as a radar dish set up on the main deck. After an overheating problem resulted in his original tour-guide programming becoming corrupted,[1] Ironsides gained a level of self-awareness that caused him to believe himself the Constitution's captain and the highest-ranking active member of the United States Armed Forces, despite the military and the country he "pledged loyalty to" being long defunct, a fact that Ironsides was fully aware of.
Acting on his perceived military honor, at some point prior to 2287, Ironsides attempted to use the rockets to launch the ship into the Atlantic Ocean in a bid to resume the conflict with Communist China, however, his attempt only succeeded in getting the ship lodged in the former Weatherby Savings & Loan building near Bunker Hill, where it remained moored and became something of a local curiosity among the post-War inhbitants of the Commonwealth.[2][3][Non-game 1][Non-game 2]
Since then, up until October 2287, the robots' attempts to make repairs to the ship and take off once more have been hampered by a series of at least 17 repeated attacks from scavenger groups, one of which led by Mandy Stiles managed to make off with the NX-42 guidance chip required for the ship's rockets to function properly. Despite repeated requests from his navigator, Ironsides has constantly refused to orchestrate a counterattack to reclaim the chip and end the scavengers' threat.[4]
Layout[]
First location[]
Initially situated just to the east of Bunker Hill, the ship can be boarded by either going to the second floor of the building the ship rests on, and then entering an access door in the hull of the ship, or by using the elevator to the ship's stern (back) to access the top-deck directly.
Second location[]
After completing the quest, if one sided with Ironsides instead of the scavengers, the ship crashes into a part of the nearby Baxter building, another Weatherby institution called the Weatherby Investment Trust. The ship may be accessed at its new location by means of two elevators inside the building. The entrance is on the north side and is partly obscured by a pile of debris and a bus.
Interior[]
The inside of the ship consists of three decks filled with supplies and items along with several turrets, protectrons, and some Mister Handies located throughout.
Below decks, the ship has a weapons workbench, an armor workbench, a chemistry station and a cooking station. On all decks except the top deck, all items are marked as owned, meaning one will be attacked upon taking them. This also counts for anything that is placed in a container. Only items that are stored in any of the workbenches or stations, or are on the top deck, can be taken without risk of consequences. The captain's quarters (Master locked) come with a full bed which can be used after completing the quest.
Notable loot[]
- Broadsider - Rewarded by Ironsides after completing Last Voyage of the U.S.S. Constitution and siding with the robots.
- Lieutenant's hat - Rewarded by Ironsides after talking to him on the Constitution following its relocation to the Baxter building.
- Captain's quarters key - Carried by Ironsides. Unlocks the door to the captain's quarters.
- Stealth Boy - In the captain's quarters, on a bureau.
- An issue of U.S. Covert Operations Manual (#2) - In the Captain's Quarters on a corner table.
- Captain Ironsides' hat - Worn by Ironsides.
- Nuka-Cola Quantum - In the house directly to the west of the Savings & Loan building, on the first floor in an open fridge.
Notes[]
- Even though the captain's quarters door is labeled green at all times, lockpicking it does in fact count as trespassing. However, the Bosun is not very observant, so it is possible to crouch while near him and remain hidden while picking the lock.
- Unlike other sentry bots, if deciding to attack and kill Ironsides, he will not erupt into a small nuclear explosion upon death. His remains contain loot, but he has to be selected to retrieve it.
- If the quest is completed by helping launch the ship to crash into the skyscraper, Ironsides will proudly proclaim that they are a quarter-fathom closer to the Atlantic, and, according to his calculations, will take to the water in a "mere" century.
- The ship can be boarded after launch with a timed jump. Entering the inner deck is not available while the ship is underway.
- The player character can ride the ship to the destination and survive by using a companion to activate the auxiliary generator in the last step of the Last Voyage of the U.S.S. Constitution. Start a companion to investigate the switch, then sprint to the dinghy elevator at the back of the ship (you must reach the dinghy before the companion activates the switch; try sending them to a spot down a couple of floors first and then set the command to activate the switch). The hatch into the USS Constitution remains accessible until the countdown ends and the ship begins moving. Talking to Ironsides while the boat is moving may cause a crash, so be sure to save before attempting. However, the player character will most likely die once the ship hits the building, as it appears a kill zone is activated. Your best bet to survive is to be standing at the very back of the ship near where the dinghy was before the takeoff.
- Power armor equipped with a jet pack can also be used to reach the deck of the Constitution more easily during the countdown and does not require the use of a companion to throw the final switch.
- When visiting the ship after completing the quest by siding the Ironsides, the top deck will appear to have lost the navigational system that was at the bow of the ship and the circuit breaker used to launch a broadside, as well as the terminal located at the stern.
- Helping the Constitution take flight during its associated quest makes it the only location in the game that can be discovered twice in a single playthrough, including the XP gain.
- Upon entering the Constitution during Leading by Example, the crew will attack the Brotherhood squire accompanying the player character, but this will not result in hostility towards the player character.
- Super mutants from Faneuil Hall may attack from the ground when visiting the ship when the quest is complete.
Companion comments[]
- When at this location, companions make comments, which are activated at two locations at the Weatherby Savings and Loan: at the corner of the street facing the ship, before completion of the quest, and at the top of the Baxter building after activating the circuit breaker, after completion of the quest.
| Location comments | ||
|---|---|---|
| Character | Specific location | Comment |
| Cait | Street corner | "How in the hell did a ship get all the way up there?" |
| Baxter building | "That ship ends up everywhere except the water." | |
| Codsworth | Street corner | "This ship looks quite the mystery. Run aground on a bank and not a scratch on her!" |
| Baxter building | "Oh yes. Nothing to see here but a ship stuck in a skyscraper." | |
| Curie | Street corner | "The boat. It is on the building. That is the USS Constitution. Mon dieu." |
| Baxter building | "Up there? In the skyscraper? Is that a boat?" | |
| Danse | Street corner | "That's the U.S.S. Constitution. What it's doing up on a building is a mystery." |
| Baxter building | "Someone needs to teach that vessel's navigator a few lessons." | |
| Deacon | Street corner | "Oh, that? That's the USS Constitution. I hear it's parked up there for tax purposes." |
| Baxter building | "Huh? Wasn't the Constitution over there? My old age is catching up to me." | |
| John Hancock | Street corner | "Huh. Always just figured I hallucinated this thing." |
| Baxter building | "You gotta be kidding me." | |
| Robert MacCready | Street corner | "Welp... any landing you can walk away from..." |
| Baxter corner | "Oh yeah... that ship looks way better over there." | |
| Nick Valentine | Street corner | "I don't know what I find more disturbing - the fact that there's a ship lodged in that building or that there's still a ship lodged in that building." |
| Baxter building | "You know from this angle it doesn't look half bad." | |
| Piper Wright | Street corner | "I'm confused. This didn't sail up here, right?" |
| Baxter building | "So, that's progress. Not a lot." | |
| Preston Garvey | Street corner | "You hear a lot of stories about how that ship got up there. I never heard one that I believed, though." |
| Baxter building | "Well, at least we know how it got up there. Not that anybody will believe us." | |
| X6-88 | Street corner | "One of the scientists in Advanced Systems tried to figure out how this boat could have ended up here. Eventually, he just gave up." |
| Baxter building | "I'm not sure that's an improvement." | |
Notable quotes[]
- "This is the pride of our navy. The USS Constitution. As her commander, it is my privilege to enforce a certain measure of decorum amongst my crew." – Captain Ironsides
- "You visit this fine vessel in trying times. Becalmed these long years on her airy perch. Damn you Weatherby Savings and Loan! I spit at you!" – Captain Ironsides
Appearances[]
The USS Constitution appears only in Fallout 4.
Behind the scenes[]
The in-game USS Constitution is based on the real-world USS Constitution, also known as "Old Ironsides," a heavy frigate built in the 18th century and notably served as the flagship of the American Navy during the War of 1812. It is currently berthed at Pier 1 of the former Charlestown Navy Yard at one end of Boston's Freedom Trail.[Non-game 3]
Bugs[]
It is possible to get stuck on top of the captain's table. If wearing power armor, the player can exit their suit but cannot move off the table while still inside. [verified]- Companions will recite their respective dialogues about the USS Constitution over and over, every few moments, while in the area. [verified]
- It is possible for several waves of scavengers using raider character models to spawn inside of the ship on one of the upper decks.[verified]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Ship's Purser - Upgrade Logs
- ↑ Ironsides: "I'll have none of your lip, Mr. Navigator. Have the crow's nest scan two points off the port bow. Jump to it."
Mr. Navigator: "Aye, Captain."
Ironsides: "Our soldier has arrived. I trust the First Mate didn't give you too hard a time? Been too long since we've seen the Congressional Army."
The Sole Survivor: "Are you broken? Why the hell are you talking like that?"
Ironsides: "The quaint vulgarity of the common soldier. It warms the circuits. This is the pride of our navy. The USS Constitution. As her commander, it is my privilege to enforce a certain measure of decorum amongst my crew. I am Captain Ironsides, commander of the USS Constitution. You visit this fine vessel in trying times. Becalmed these long years on her airy perch. Damn you Weatherby Savings and Loan! I spit at you!"
(Ironsides' and Mr. Navigator's dialogue) - ↑ The Sole Survivor: "My pleasure."
Ironsides: "You are truly worthy, sir/madame, of witnessing our maiden voyage. Our twin NX-42 rockets will alight and unmoor us from this dreaded Savings and Loan. The Constitution will launch into the heavens and after gently land in the ocean. Then we take our rightful place as defenders of the Atlantic."
(Ironsides' dialogue) - ↑ The Sole Survivor: "Why did the scavengers attack?"
Mr. Navigator: "Scavengers have attacked ship 17 times. Destroyed 13% of ship's systems. Stole 5% of ship's store. Logic error. Captain's orders authorize scavenger termination only if necessary to preserve the ship."
(Mr. Navigator's dialogue)
Non-game
- ↑ Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide p. 426: "This ancient maritime vessel was docked in the Boston Navy Yard and was primarily a tourist attraction. Before the war, it was populated by robots to give visitors a feel of what life was like back in the olden days. Due to an error in navigation, the ship is currently embedded in the remains of a harbor building, under constant threat of Scavenger and Raider attack. Access the interior of this vessel via a trapdoor in the hull that leads to the bow, through the building wreckage."
- ↑ Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Rulebook p.286: "Originally built in 1797, this ship is a large example of the era’s frigates and played an extensive role in many of the U.S.A’s naval battles. Over time, it lost its edge in various naval engagements and was eventually dry-docked and turned into a museum piece. In the years since the Great War, various modifications have been made to this esteemed ship, including NX-42 rocket engines and various electronic upgrades which allow it to both soar through the air, as well as act as an aerial ship. Currently, however, it is in dire need of repairs, as it has crashed into the Weatherby Savings and Loan bank building, just to the east of Charlestown."
- ↑ Short History of the War of 1812 (USS Constitution Museum).
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