The National Guard Training Yard in Fallout 4 is one of the most rewarding military installations to explore outside of central Boston. Packed with pre-war lore, high-tier loot, multiple Power Armor frames, and a surprise enemy encounter, this location bridges early-game survival with mid-game progression. If you approach it unprepared, you'll burn through your stimpaks against hordes of feral ghouls and locked security doors.
Search intent for this location centers on navigating the layout, bypassing the secure armory doors, finding the hidden Power Armor sets, and triggering the quest hooks tied to the area without getting ambushed. Here is the complete breakdown of how to clear the yard, loot every valuable item, and survive the post-war automated defenses.
Navigating the Exterior and Perimeter Defenses
When you approach the training facility from the roads north of Revere Satellite Array, treat the perimeter with caution. The compound features a central barracks building, a recruitment office, a detached armory, and several concrete guard shacks.
- Rooftop Turrets: Two automated Mark I turrets sit on the roof of the main administration building, and two more guard the armory. Pick them off with a scoped weapon from a distance before entering the yard.
- Mines: Look out for fragmentation mines scattered near the entryways and inside the guard huts. Shoot them from afar to avoid accidental detonation.
- Sleeping Ghouls: Several feral ghouls lounge around the grounds, including one sleeping inside an abandoned bus near the southern entrance.
Before heading inside the main building, check the concrete guard hut on the northeast side for ammo boxes, and check the stack of shipping containers directly behind the small armory building. If you have Expert lockpicking skills, you can open one of these containers early to secure a complete set of leveled Power Armor.
Clearing the Main Building and Finding the Armory Password
The main administrative and barracks building contains the key required to access the locked armory across the yard.
- Enter through the south door, watching out for ground-level mines right inside the threshold.
- Eliminate the ghouls resting in the main room. Use V.A.T.S. to spot the ones lying motionless on the floor or hiding in side offices.
- Trigger "The Lost Patrol": Entering the southwest corner room of the main hall automatically starts this Brotherhood of Steel quest if you haven't already. You'll find the remains of Knight Austin here, wearing a valuable Brotherhood chest piece.
- Ascend to the upper floor: Clear the remaining ghouls on the second level, then check the desks in the rear office to pick up the National Guard Officer's Password.
- Access the security terminal: Jump down to the ground floor, use the password on the security terminal to unlock the interior hallway leading to the barracks wing, and grab the assault rifle from the corner case.
Unlocking the National Guard Armory
With the interior security bypassed, you can navigate through the barracks to reach the terminal that controls the detached armory building outside.
Follow the corridor to the small side room containing the secondary terminal. Use your system privileges to unlock the exterior armory door. Once unlocked, step outside and head toward the separate armory structure. Inside, you'll find weapon crates, ammunition boxes, a Astoundingly Awesome Tales magazine, and a partial set of Power Armor resting on a frame.
Warning: Opening the armory or stepping into the adjacent control room triggers a hidden security protocol. A high-level Sentry Bot activates inside the small concrete security hut outside, ready to attack. Prepare mines, plasma grenades, or heavy ballistic weapons before walking out of the armory doors.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Players often run into avoidable trouble at this location by missing key items or triggering encounters prematurely.
- Rushing the front doors: Walking straight into the yard without sniping the rooftop turrets or checking the ground for mines will drain your health before the fight even begins.
- Ignoring the level cap on Power Armor: The specific tier of Power Armor (such as T-51 or X-01) that spawns in the containers and the armory scales with your character level. If you want top-tier suits, avoid exploring the area at very low levels.
- Forgetting the magazine: Players frequently grab the armory loot and leave without picking up the Astoundingly Awesome Tales issue located on the kitchen table inside the barracks annex.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open the armory without going through the main building?
No, the terminal that unlocks the armory requires credentials found exclusively on the top floor of the main training facility. Alternatively, master-level lockpicking can bypass some exterior containers, but the main armory door relies on the internal terminal network.
How many Power Armor sets are hidden here?
There are two primary locations for Power Armor at the site: one partial set inside the locked armory building, and a second complete set stored inside the shipping containers behind it (which requires expert lockpicking). A third set can sometimes be found nearby depending on random world-cell spawns.
What level should my character be to explore this yard?
The site is located in the northwestern quadrant of the Commonwealth, making it relatively safe for mid-level characters (levels 15 to 25). However, surviving the Sentry Bot ambush and fighting through groups of high-level feral ghouls requires solid armor and reliable ballistic weaponry.
Does this location tie into any major faction quests?
Yes. Aside from triggering "The Lost Patrol" for the Brotherhood of Steel, the Minutemen frequently send the Sole Survivor here to clear out feral ghouls as part of radiant settlement defense or recruitment radiant quests.
