Fallout 4 : The First Step quest walkthrough
How to finish up The First Step quest in Fallout 4, from finding Tenpines Bluff to wiping out every enemy in the Corvega Assembly Plant.
The First Step is the second Faction quest of The Minutemen in Fallout 4. Completing this quest unlocks Preston Garvey as a companion, as well as the Flare Gun to summon nearby Minutemen for assistance.
While not technically part of Fallout 4's main questline, the rewards definitely make it worth taking time out of your schedule to complete. So follow our The First Step walkthrough for Fallout 4 to help you finish it nice and quickly.
The First Step walkthrough for Fallout 4
Although Diamond City awaits your arrival as part of the Jewel of the Commonwealth quest, it's worth paying a visit to Tenpines Bluff first in order to speak with the settlers in the area.
Bring up your Pip-Boy and make sure that The First Step quest is active under your Data menu. As you've yet to discover Tenpines Bluff, you won't be able to fast travel there immediately. Instead, you'll need to make the journey on foot. Helpfully though, you can use the active quest marker on your compass as a guide on your travels.
When you're ready to continue, begin moving east in the direction of the marker. Follow the main road through Sanctuary and pass between the houses at the end. A little way on, you'll find your path blocked by a large lake. There's a small footbridge down the hill to your left, so cross the stream and resume your journey east. You'll want to stay close to the water in order to circumvent the large rocks littering the area.
Once the lake is behind you, you'll spot a high rusted fence up ahead. Approach the fence and slip through the hole into the yard beyond.
Discovered: Robotics Disposal Ground
There's a small cabin off to the right-hand side of the yard containing a selection of useful goodies, including stimpaks and bobby pins. You'll also find a weapons workshop and a computer terminal inside.
Read through the Employee Notes and you'll learn that someone's been dumping functional Sentry Bots in the yard. By playing the tape in the terminal, you'll be able to activate the bot stationed outside. Playing the tape again will provide additional options for the bot. For now, though, leave it alone.
Exit the building and continue your journey toward Tenpines Bluff, using the objective marker as a guide. Pass the large satellite dish looming over the landscape to your right and push onward until you reach your destination.
Discovered: Tenpines Bluff
When you arrive, look for the female settler brandishing a gun. Speak with her and tell her to take it easy. She'll be more cooperative once you've revealed your association with the Minutemen. Explain that the Minutemen are back and suggest that the group joins you once you've dealt with the raiders in the area.
Kill the raiders in Corvega Assembly Plant
Your next task is to quell the raider threat by paying a visit to their base at the nearby Corvega Assembly Plant. The plant lies a short distance south of Tenpines Bluff, so ensure that the quest marker is visible on your compass (if not, set a marker via your Pip-Boy) and begin the journey toward it. Head down the hill, cross over the railway tracks (keeping watch for hostiles in the area) and make your way beneath the overpass.
Push onward and, eventually, you'll see the factory looming before you. Move in closer and you'll find yourself on the outskirts of Lexington - home of the Corvega Assembly Plant. Although the factory is your final destination, you'll need to get through the hostile-infested streets first. Before entering the area, look through your inventory and slip on the best defensive armour you can find.
When you're suitably prepared, make your way through the streets toward the factory. Pay attention to your surroundings and proceed cautiously, dealing with any opponents - whether they be animal, human or ghoul - that attack.
Continue moving south through the streets and you'll eventually reach the north-facing side of the factory - look up and you should see the illuminated Corvega sign on the right-hand side of the building's roof. There should also be a small parking garage directly ahead on your current level, with a number of bollards out front.
From here, it's possible to take a right and storm the plant entrance - however, you'll meet heavy resistance outside. Instead, take a left, moving east along the road. Pass the first red car and continue walking. Stop just before the second lamppost on your left and look right. You'll see a small alleyway with a gate at the end; head on down, pass through the gate and take a right up the steps. Continue forward then take a left, moving inside the broken pipe when you reach it.
Once the next area has loaded, make your way along the pipe and be ready to eliminate the ghouls meandering ahead. When it's safe to continue, pass into the room on your left. Inside, note the passage ahead then take a left. There's a small cubicle around the corner containing a number of loot-worthy boxes, an ammo box to unlock, plus a computer terminal containing a few random notes.
When you're ready to proceed, approach the passage you noted earlier and disarm the can chimes at the entrance. Next, make your way along the passage, dodging the remaining can chimes as you go. At the top of the steps, enter stealth mode and take a right. You'll immediately spot another passage to the right and an open doorway to the left.
First, deal with the raider patrolling the passage to the right then pop your head through the doorway to the left, dealing with any hostiles inside. Note that there's a sentry gun stationed to the far left of the room, so keep out of its line of sight.
Next, return to the passage where you dealt with the first raider and eliminate any remaining hostiles in the area. When the raiders have all been dispatched, pick the locked chem box at the end of the hallway then move into the room on the left. Make your way up the blue staircase and pass through the door on the left at the top. Next, follow the walkway around and descend the steps into the next room.
Be ready to confront any raiders that attack (and watch out for the sentry gun behind the window in the right-hand corner of the room) then, once it's safe to proceed, head through the blue door at the foot of the steps. On the other side, make a note of the elevator doors to the left, then move south along the corridor and climb the steps to the right.
Use the door at the end then carefully peer through the doorway to your left along the next passage. You'll find more raiders inside so deal with them swiftly. When the immediate area is clear, look for the crack in the wall round the corner to the right and pass on through. You'll find a number of additional rooms beyond - and a handful of hostiles - so take out the enemy threat then return to the elevator doors you noted earlier.
Climb the steps to the right of the elevator doors and follow the stairwell all the way to the top. When you reach the large room on the upper floor, enter it cautiously and be ready to engage with the raiders inside. There are several hostiles patrolling the main floor and a handful more stationed around the elevated platform in the south-west corner of the room - along with two sentry guns. Take them all out to rid the building of raiders and complete the current portion of your quest.
Report your success to the settlers at Tenpines Bluff
With the raiders defeated and the plant cleared, it's time to return to the settlers at Tenpines Bluff. Locate the door beneath the Exit sign on the eastern wall and head on through. On the other side, bring up your Pip-Boy, open the map then select Tenpines Bluff to fast travel to your next location immediately.
When you arrive, locate the woman you spoke to earlier and tell her of your success - you'll claim some caps as a reward and gain access to the workshop in the area. Additionally, the Tenpines settlers will agree to join your band of merry men.
Talk to Preston Garvey
To complete your current quest, fast travel back to Sanctuary and locate Preston Garvey. Speak with him (he should still be roaming up and down the street) and explain that the settlers have agreed to join the Minutemen. You'll receive the Flare Gun - which can be used to summon help from nearby Minutemen when your ranks swell a little later on - and bring The First Step quest to a close.
Continue your conversation with Preston and ask him for more information about the Quincy Massacre. Once your history lesson is over, tell Preston not to give up and thank him for his kind words. Finally, agree to help round up more Minutemen ask about your promotion to General. This will end the the conversation and unlock the new Taking Point: Starlight Drive-In quest.
- The next part of our walkthrough explains how to complete the Fallout 4: Jewel of the Commonwealth quest.
- Return to the index page for more entries in our Fallout 4 guide.
You can also read our guides on where to find all of Fallout 4's Bobblehead locations, how to locate and romance all Fallout 4 companions, how to use cheat and console commands to help you out in combat, and how to get started with Fallout 4's base building.
Plus, we've also got a Fallout 4: Far Harbor walkthrough if you're looking for how to complete Fallout 4's main expansion.