The Lost Patrol - Recon bunker access code 429A bug

[Mikael.Oddmund]

Dear community,

I really have an issue with The Lost Patrol Brotherhood of Steel side quest:

First of all, the quest didn't started by either speaking with Paladin Danse or Captain Kells. I accidently picked the distress signal while around the ruins south of Med-Tek Research and found Battlefield Holotape from Knight Varham's body and I've listened to that tape. The quest started and pointed me to inside one of the rooms of National Guard Recruitment Office where I could find Knight Astlin's body and her holotape. I've listened to that too. Then, following another distress signal, the quest sent me to investigate the Satellite Array where I've located Scribe Faris' body and his holotape. I've listened to that too.

Now, the problem is, even the wiki says that after listening Faris' holotape I should be automatically getting Recon Bunker Access Code 429A to access Recon Bunker Theta, I'm not getting the password, so I can't go there, open the damn door and meet Paladin Brandis in order to advance and then finish the quest!
I've listened to the three holotapes in any order, I've taken Dense with me, I've tried to speak with him and Captain Kells hoping that they will somehow trigger the quest.... nothing.
I think the problem is that I've found and listen all the holotapes before getting the quest from Dense or Kells, but how one could predict what quest will occurs...? The quest progressed normally, sending me from one location to another until now when I'm not getting the password.
I've even tried to add the password in my inventory, but even if it's present there, the computer at the Theta Bunker door still asks me for the password.

Anyone help with how to get that password in order to finish the quest will be highly appreciated 🥹😔

[Zekiran]

It doesn't just automatically open for you? When you are told the location in one of the tapes it should simply open regardless of who you have or don't. There is no password needed if you've completed the three tapes.

I did the mission long before deciding to find Danse. The only issue I had with it was that since I'd finished it (told him to go back to the Brotherhood) and THEN got involved with the brotherhood directly, it stalled out on "tell danse" or "tell kells". I stuck it on the danse setstage. (I do kinda wish I'd thought ahead and taken the kells option since he'd have given me stuff... oh well and also I wish I'd realized that show no mercy would have fixed that...)

https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/The_Lost_Patrol

I'd suggest opening your console and type in

sqt

find this mission number on your list of active missions

BoSM01

if it's there, good. Type in

getstage BoSM01

It'll return a number hopefully somewhere on the list on that linked page.

You SHOULD be at least at 90 - Investigate the bunker. If it is lower than 90 you can setstage it to that (the page says b1d79 which is the same mission only a different code)

type

setstage BoSMo1 90

Hopefully that helps out. I'd say you should read the page though just in case you want to swing it slightly differently than I did.

[Mikael.Oddmund]

Thank you so much for your answer!
Following your steps, I've checked using the 'sqt' command and the mission is there.
Next, when verifying mission's current stage using 'getstage BoSM01' command, it returns the value 95.00.... but this value isn't even listed on the wiki (it jumps from 90 - Investigate the Bunker to 103 - Speak to Paladin Brandis)
If I try to set the stage to 90, the console simply does nothing.
If I try to set the stage to 103, it checks the 'Investigate the Bunker' stage and steps to the next one, 'Speak with Paladin Brandis', but the door is still locked and I can't get in....
All the quest stages prior to this correctly appear as completed when checking Pip-Boy > Data.
I have all 3 holotapes in my inventory and all knights' holotags, but the password which was supposed to be automatically added to my inventory after listening to the holotapes never got added.
The quest not shows as next step "Investigate the Bunker", but of course when I go there I can't get the door open.
I've tried opening the door using the console ('unlock'): it gets unlocked, but Paladin Brandis doesn't spawn.
I've tried adding the password to my inventory (Recon bunker access code 429A - 00827C9). It's added, but the computer at the door still asks for the password....
I really don't know what am I missing 😔

[Zekiran]

That is VERY strange indeed.

Are you running with the Brotherhood? Have you maybe tried just going back up to Kells if you are? Or speaking with Danse? (( i mean, after having tried these things I know you did try before))

[Xenon The Noble]

ARINC 429A (Aeronautical Radio Inc) is a Airline industry standard data bus from the 1980s, used on commercial airline Line Replaceable Units (LRU). The Idea was to have an industry standard way of moving data around e.g. an Collins ATC transponder and a Honeywell TCAS (called ACAS later on...) It's characterized by having one transmitter and one or more receivers.
When I read this, I thought that there was a bug on an airplane and that I had to go to the flight line.
uh... yeah. Not. Still having flashbacks from work.

[Jo]

How far along in the BoS storyline were you before you did this side mission? Because if you already got to the point where the Prydwen has arrived (after the Reunions quest where you find Kellogg), then I suspect the option to persuade Paladin Brandis to rejoin the Brotherhood is kinda impossible at that point. I think the intention with the Lost Patrol side quest is that you do it BEFORE the Brotherhood formally arrives in the Commonwealth. It's because if you manage to persuade Brandis, he would appear at the Prydwen when you first go on board (if you fail the persuasion dialogue with him however he wouldn't turn up on the Prydwen at all). Just my guess really, as the outcome is coded in somewhat.

Hope that makes sense.

[Bored Peon]

Originally posted by Jo:

Hope that makes sense.

Nope. The Lost Patrol has multiple starts and multiple endings.

Start:
- Danse
- Kells
- Near one of three distress beacons

End:
- Turn in to Danse
- Turn in to Kells

In fact there is a legendary bloody laser rifle if you wait to turn it in when the Prydwen arrives.

https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/The_Lost_Patrol