Sam Blackwell's bunker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sam Blackwell's Bunker is a location in Fallout 76.
Background
This bunker was the home of Senator Sam Blackwell, one of the main backers and minds of the Free States movement. Concealed deep within the Mire, underneath a fake abandoned waste dump and behind layers upon layers of defenses, it served as a refuge for the Senator after the Enclave threatened his daughter's life. The secrecy surrounding the bunker was only broken when Blackwell consented to an interview with Charleston Herald's intrepid reporter... Something that seemed to be an acceptable risk, right until Agent Grey tracked the senator down on orders from Thomas Eckhart, after the bereaved Blackwell decided to connect with the Free States at Harper's Ferry to deal with his daughter's death.[1]
Points of interest
- Outer cave
- The bunker is hidden behind a completely innocuous map marker, the abandoned waste dump. After entering, the player is deposited inside what seems to be an illegal dump, complete with radioactive waste barrels and security fences. However, there is a conspicuous absence of radiation here. Beyond the doors ripped off their hinges is a small cave network, with a transportation system mounted to the roof of the cave... And deathclaws on the prowl. The Senator set up lures to provide himself with a supply of meat to survive, after he killed the operative in Harper's Ferry and swore off all contact with the outside.
- Navigating the cave can be tricky if the player wants to avoid fighting, but can be done by exploiting the geometry. Deathclaws cannot fit through tight spaces, meaning the entrance corridor is safe. They can't jump on platforms either, so the small transportation platform with the safe can be used as safe haven. The only real danger is being caught in the open, eg. while waiting for the elevator to open, but that can be solved with careful timing.
- The bunker can only be accessed with the bypass holotape. The holotape is found in the deathclaw refuse pile down the right-hand corridor (looking at the bunker entrance). Agent Grey's corpse is found in an alcove on the left-hand side. A rather generous blood trail leads to the hitman's final resting place. After recovering the holotape, the player has to approach the bunker lock inside the elevator and play the holotape in their inventory. They need to be right next to the panel for it to open the bunker.
- Furthermore, there's no need to backtrack to the exit to the fake waste dump. There's a hidden elevator down a narrow corridor, right of the bunker entrance. The elevator leads directly to the surface and out into the Mire.
Fake waste dump. Looks pretty convincing
The bunker elevator. The corridor to the hidden elevator is just to the right. The holotape is in the deathclaw refuse pile behind the wall to the right.
Looking back at the entrance area from the platform.
- Senator's bunker
- The bunker itself will still resist the player, denying access to the senator's inner sanctum at first. The bunker is divided into two floors, accessible from the entry chamber through the doors. The lower floor contains the main living areas, including a small workshop area, generator room, Sam's bedroom, laundry annex, and bathroom, all connected to the main living room and kitchen. In the back is a security checkpoint leading to the inner sanctum, protected by laser barriers. The upper floor contains Judith Blackwell's bedroom and a security station. The area is peppered with notes and reminders from Judy to her father or from Sam to himself.
- In order to access the sanctum, the player needs to reset the power in the bunker, which will reset the power system. Judith discovered this while allegedly trying to run three hot plates at once. To do so, the player needs to find the Security System Manual Reset note in the station, then flip the breaker near the laundry machines, open the valve above the fusion generator, and finally flip the circuit above the vents, accessible by jumping over the barrier on the upper level.
- Doing so will reset the power and wipe the handprint identification. The player can simply use it and gain access to the wrecked inner sanctum, turned up by Grey in search of Blackwell's congressional keycard. He failed where the player can succeed, using the combination 021584 (Judy's date of death) to unlock the painting near the cabinets to acquire the keycard. Doing so allows the player to enter the Whitespring congressional Bunker.
Main area
Workshop
Blackwell's bedroom
Judy's room
Security station
Entrance to the inner sanctum
Inner sanctum
The bunker keycard is behind the painting
The body of the senator
Notable loot
- Holotapes and Notes
- Bypass Holotape: In the deathclaw refuse pile. There are two on opposite sides of the cavern. One is in the left chamber (facing the elevator), the other in the right chamber of the entrance cave (looking from the abandoned waste dump entrance), same side as the exit elevator to the surface (not to the bunker). The location is apparently random.
- Operation Summary - Blackwell: The holotape can be found on the dead body of Agent Grey during the mission Uncle Sam and Bunker Buster.
- Going Outside?: The note is pinned to the wall just after entering the bunker from the elevator.
- Low on Food?: The note is pinned to the wall outside of the storage room.
- Judy: The note is on a nightstand next to a bed inside Sam Blackwell's bedroom, near the Locked Out? and Head Fuzzy? notes.
- Head Fuzzy?: The note is pinned to the wall inside Sam Blackwell's bedroom, near the Judy and Locked Out? notes.
- Locked Out?: The note is pinned to the wall inside Sam Blackwell's bedroom, near the Judy and Head Fuzzy? notes.
- Security System Manual Reset: The note is inside a desk in the security room above the security gate to Sam Blackwell's private office and archival room.
- Department of Ag Projects: The note is inside Sam Blackwell's private office and archive room. It is randomly-assigned to one of several locations along with other holotapes and notes.
- Committee Meeting Notes: The note is inside Sam Blackwell's private office and archive room. It is randomly-assigned to one of several locations along with other holotapes and notes.
- We're Coming For You: The holotape is inside Sam Blackwell's private office and archive room. It is randomly-assigned to one of several locations along with other holotapes and notes.
- Back Off Sam: The note is inside Sam Blackwell's private office and archive room. It is randomly-assigned to one of several locations along with other holotapes and notes.
- Record of Divorce: The Blackwells: The note is inside Sam Blackwell's private office and archive room. It is randomly-assigned to one of several locations along with other holotapes and notes.
- Intelligence Memo - 8/16/77: The note is inside Sam Blackwell's private office and archive room. It is randomly-assigned to one of several locations along with other holotapes and notes.
- Senate Orientation Letter: The note is inside Sam Blackwell's private office and archive room. It is randomly-assigned to one of several locations along with other holotapes and notes.
- Welcome to the Whitespring: The holotape is located inside Sam Blackwell's private archival room.
- Keys
- Terminal Entry - Judy's Gone: While not a collectible, the terminal entry can be acquired from reading Sam's Terminal inside his private office.
- Congressional Access Card: The keycard grants access to the Whitespring Congressional Bunker and the Enclave quest line. Found during the Bunker Buster mission.
- Other Loot
- A high level 10mm pistol and hunting rifle can be found inside Sam Blackwell's private office and archival room, in his skeletal hands and on the table in the back, respectively.
- Dynamic spawns
- Consumables: Canned dog food and other packaged foods, Blackwater Brew, New River Red Ale, Oak Holler Lager, Old Possum, Pickaxe Pilsner
- Junk: Duct tape, cigar box, cigarette, cigar, Blackwater Brew bottle, New River Red Ale bottle, Oak Holler Lager bottle, Old Possum bottle, Pickaxe Pilsner bottle
Appearances
Sam Blackwell's Bunker appears in Fallout 76.