Launching a nuke question

[Phlanka]

I understand you have to get to the many silo sites in the game, but do you have to run the gauntlet of constantly respawning robots while solving puzzles like pulling apart and finding mainframe cores, every time you have to do it?

This is after completing I am Death questline in the Enclave

[BizarreMan]

Every silo is the same inside.

Every time you launch you have to do everything.

[Lord Rambo]

You need three things to do a silo run:
-The fully deciphered launch code for that specific silo, each one has a unique code that changes every week.
-A Nuclear Keycard to unlock the keypad in the control room. They're one time use so you will need a spare if you fat finger the launch code.
-You need to complete the Enclave story quest line to get through the front door.

Each silo is the exact same interior map, its an interesting dungeon like something out of the old-school RPGs. Deciphering the launch code was also a stimulating exercise that I encourage you to do at least once.
That said, there are....shortcuts that can be taken, you can find them yourself if you are so inclined.

[Traveler]

Originally posted by Phlanka:

I understand you have to get to the many silo sites in the game, but do you have to run the gauntlet of constantly respawning robots while solving puzzles like pulling apart and finding mainframe cores, every time you have to do it?

This is after completing I am Death questline in the Enclave

I don't think the mainfraim is a puzzel, all you do is rip them out. The door computer ones can be remade at the tinker workbench you pass on the way to it. And all three silos are copy past identical.

I just put on the stealth suit and max sneak, hack and pick. Second run can almost be done blindfolded.

[AlexSledge]

Run in, use marked terminal, run to other end use terminal to learn to make ID, grab the nearest blue ID card, run over to the wiper, wipe it, get your bio stuff in the tube, run back to card maker, make card, go to original terminal and register card, go past laser gates.

Put on stealth suit/PA whatever anti-RAD you have, run in, turn off reactor, run around fixing pipes, turn on reactor, go through opened bulkheads.

Put back on normal/stay in PA run around shooting computers until mainframe broken, blah blah run until you find cards or craft some - smash door mainframe, repair door mainframe.

Go in, initiate sequence, defend robots for a while, use card, type code, aim nuke, get out.

A runnin' & a killin' & a hootin' & a hollerin' the whole time, woo!

https://imgur.com/a/tc3wybY

[forester]

yes it have a lot of quests to do there, and first times its quite slow but kind of worth it. you can also prepare materials upfront and learn the routs so it can be optimized. bring vampiric weapons there and a good build/gear and robots will not be a problem in general.

folks who go to silos to summon bosses typically utilize various glitches to get to the final room directly, allowing to do it below 10 minutes total. I do it like from the beggining of the game release and was not banned and I do not know anyone who was. the fastest way is to put mine on the shelf in first room and then vats-attack it with melee/unarmed, melee attack can put you above ceiling and then jet pack to the final room. check youtube for specific instructions.

before vats/melee trick we were using photo-mode through doors (still works but some doors were "reinforced"), or specific ceiling (near reactor room) which allowed to jetpack through (also was fixed in some patches).

[Phantom]

Originally posted by Phlanka:

I understand you have to get to the many silo sites in the game, but do you have to run the gauntlet of constantly respawning robots while solving puzzles like pulling apart and finding mainframe cores, every time you have to do it?

This is after completing I am Death questline in the Enclave

Yes and no

99.9995% of the launched nukes are done from people who exploit various mechanics to skip 95% of the silo

IIRC right now it is getting to a specific area then vats shooting a mine to pop your character above the map... this I think brings a silo time down to just a couple minutes... basically launch prep

a much smaller group will use the photomode to bypass locked doors... this I think brings a silo time down to less than 5 minutes

personally... launching nukes is a major timesink for minor reward its drastically easier just to let someone who is willing to cheat to launch them and just reap the benefits when they land