“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
The United States Ship Constitution is a location in the Greater Boston area in the Commonwealth in 2287. The ship is run by a crew of robots led by the charismatic sentry bot Ironsides.
Background
The USS Constitution is a three-masted, forty-four gunned frigate that was built at the Charlestown Navy Yard in North Boston in 1797, specifically designed to be larger and more heavily armed than standard frigates of the period. The ship triumphed in sea battles against pirates in the First Barbary War and against the British in the War of 1812. She had eventually earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" for the resilience of her oak hull in combat.
The ship was finally dry-docked and restored in the 1920s, and remained the crown jewel of her eponymous maritime museum in the Boston Naval Shipyard until its destruction in 2077. Sometime between 2077 and 2287, somebody fitted NX-42 rocket engines to both sides of the ship, ran wiring and electronic equipment throughout the ship and installed a radar dish on the main deck. The ship then attempted to take off, but ended up landing on top of the Weatherby Savings & Loan bank, just north of Boston.
Layout
The player can board the ship 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 lift at the stern (back) to access the top-deck directly. 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.
The USS Constitution is seen to have been outfitted with four NX-42 rocket engines that look similar to the Rocketdyne F-1 rocket engine without the nozzle extension, two at the stern and one on each side of the bow.
Notable loot
- The Broadsider is a reward given at the end of the quest Last Voyage of the U.S.S. Constitution.
- Captain's quarters key on Ironsides, it opens his cabin on the ship.
- There is a possibility for fusion cores to be in different containers throughout the ship, one may appear in the Captain's Quarters.
- A Stealth Boy in the Captain's Quarters.
- An issue of U.S. Covert Operations Manual (#2) in the Captain's Quarters on a corner table.
Notes
- After the quest Last Voyage of the U.S.S. Constitution, if the player character sided with the Ironsides, the ship crashes into a nearby building, ironically named Weatherby Investment Trust. The captain will proudly proclaim that they are a quarter-fathom closer to the Atlantic, and, according to his calculations, will take to water in a 'mere' century. When returning to the ship after it is relocated (through an elevator on the south side of the ship at ground level), the captain will reward the player character with his quarters since he cannot fit below deck.
- The quarters comes with a bed that gives the well-rested bonus. Furthermore, the ship has a weapons workbench, an armor workbench, a chemistry station and a cooking station (stove variant).
- However, all items are still marked as owned, meaning one will be attacked upon taking them. This also counts for anything that's placed in a container. Only items which are stored in any of the workbenches or stations can be taken without any consequences.
- The ship has a hole in the hull where you enter and would most likely sink if landed in the sea, making Ironsides' plan even less feasible.
- Even though the captain 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.
- 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 can ride the ship to the destination and survive by using a companion to activate the auxiliary generator in the last step of 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 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, you will most likely die once the ship hits the building, as it appears a kill zone is activated.
- Power armor equipped with a jet pack can also be used to reach the deck of the Constitution more easily during the count down and does not require the use of a companion to throw the final switch.
- Unlike other sentry bots, if you decide to attack and kill Ironsides, he will not erupt into a small nuclear explosion upon death. His remains contain loot but you have to walk into and select him to retrieve it.
- After the Last Voyage of the U.S.S. Constitution, the ship seems 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.
- Companions taken to the Constitution will express their general disbelief upon seeing the ship:
- Piper will comment about the ship being "Not something you see every day" and "I'm confused - this didn't sail up here, right?"
- Cait will ask "How in the hell did a ship get all the way up there?"
- Nick Valentine will say "I don't know what I find more disturbing. That there is a ship lodged in that building, or that there still is a ship lodged in that building."
- Hancock will say "Huh. Always just figured I hallucinated this thing."
- Curie will say "The boat! It is on the building! That is the USS Constitution. Mon dieu."
- MacCready will say "Welp...Any landing you can walk away from..."
- Codsworth will say "This ship looks quite the mystery. Run aground on a bank and not a scratch on her!"
- Preston Garvey will say "You hear a lot of stories about how that ship got up there. I never heard one I believed, though."
- X6-88 will say "One of the scientists in Advanced Systems tried to figure out how this boat could have ended up here. Eventually, he just gave up."
- Danse will say "That's the USS Constitution. How it got on top of a building, I have no idea."
- Deacon will say "Oh, that? That's the USS Constitution. I hear it's parked up there for tax purposes."
- If a companion is present when the USS Constitution launches, they will express even more disbelief than when they were first taken there.
- Preston Garvey will say "Well at least we know how it got up there. Too bad nobody will ever believe us."
- Codsworth will say "Oh yes. Nothing to see here but a ship stuck in a skyscraper."
- Piper Wright will say "So that's progress. Not a lot."
- X6-88 will say "I'm not sure that's an improvement."
- MacCready will say "Oh yeah... that ship looks a lot better over there."
- Nick Valentine will say "You know, from this angle it doesn't look half bad."
- Cait will say "That ship ends up everywhere except the water."
- Hancock will say "You gotta be kidding me."
- Paladin Danse will say "Someone needs to teach that ship's navigator a few lessons."
- Deacon will say "Huh? Wasn't the Constitution over there? My old age is catching up to me."
- Curie will say "Up there? In the skyscraper? Is that a boat?"
- A noticeable feature about the ship is the propulsion systems where the nozzle area looks identical to the Rocketdyne F-1 rocket engine, but without the nozzle extension added.
- The Constitution's relocation 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 the Brotherhood of Steel quest Leading by Example, the crew will attack the Brotherhood squire accompanying the player, but this will not result in hostility towards the player.
Appearances
The USS Constitution appears only in Fallout 4.
Behind the scenes
 | The following is based on unverified behind the scenes information and may be inaccurate. |
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- In addition to serving as a maritime museum, the USS Constitution has the distinction of being the longest serving combat vessel in the United States Navy, and the oldest floating commissioned warship in the world (the HMS Victory is older, but has sat in drydock since 1922). The USS Constitution is also the only currently serving warship in the American navy to have sunk an enemy ship in battle.
- The USS Constitution has a perfect battle record, having never been defeated or boarded. She recorded her most recent capture in 1853 against the American pirate slave ship H N Gambrill while patrolling off the African coast.
- The USS Constitution originally took three attempts to be launched, due to the weight of the ship sinking the ways into the ground. The USS Constitution as manned by Ironsides is also taking three launches to get to the ocean--the one that put it on top of Weatherby Savings and Loans, the one the player initiates, and the future third launch.
- "Bosun" is the pronunciation of the naval term "Boatswain".
- Ironsides' personal war against "the dreaded Savings And Loans" is a Monty Python reference from the Monty Python Sketch "The Crimson Permanent Assurance".
| End of information based on unverified behind the scenes information |
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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 whilst still inside. [verified]- Companions will recite their respective dialogues about the USS Constitution over and over, every few moments, while in the area. [verified]
- If one has sided with the Institute, a Brotherhood Lancer will appear. It is invincible and does not move, and is regarded as hostile. This will render the quest Last Voyage of the U.S.S. Constitution impossible to begin or advance, as Ironsides will attempt to attack the Lancer indefinitely, to no avail. Thus, it also renders the Broadsider impossible to obtain.
Gallery
Starboard view
Back view
Port side view
Front view
Location of U.S. Covert Operations Manual
Schematics from the game files