If your Fallout 4 settlements constantly run out of resources — or you’re sick of hauling junk across the map — supply lines are the solution. In this guide, we break down exactly how supply lines work in 2025, how to set them up, and the hidden mechanics Bethesda never explains.
This is the ultimate guide for new players, returning players, and settlement builders alike.
⭐ What Supply Lines Actually Do
Supply lines share junk and crafting components between linked settlements, allowing you to:
- Build structures using shared steel, wood, oil, adhesive, and more
- Access all crafting components at any connected workstation
- Craft weapons, armor mods, ammo, and chems from any location
- Share food, water, and production resources
- Use a central crafting base instead of dozens of scattered workshops
Example:
When crafting at a chemistry station, the available fertilizer, adhesive, or oil includes everything stored across ALL connected settlements.
⭐ How to Unlock Supply Lines
To enable supply lines, you must:
- Complete Sanctuary: Rebuild the Settlement with Preston/Surges
- Go to Concord and help Preston during “When Freedom Calls”
- Reach Charisma 6
- Take Local Leader Rank 1
Local Leader Rank 1 allows you to establish supply lines between workshop settlements.
⭐ How to Assign Provisioners
- Walk up to any unassigned settler
- Open the command menu
- Select Supply Line
- Choose a destination settlement
- The settler becomes a provisioner and walks a permanent caravan route
Tip: Don’t send your last settler — you still need manpower for food and water production.
You can:
- Name settlers to track routes
- Give them unique clothing
- Equip them with weapons and armor
- Turn them into hardy caravan guards
⭐ Hidden Mechanics of the Supply Line System
✔ It’s a network graph
Direct connections are not required.
If A connects to B, and B connects to C, then A and C share resources, even without a direct line.
✔ Brahmin spawn automatically
They follow provisioners and are mostly cosmetic — but they also generate fertilizer.
✔ Provisioners can fight and die
It’s rare, but possible.
When they die, the game auto-spawns a replacement without breaking the route.
✔ Junk stays where you stored it
It doesn’t physically move — you simply gain “shared access” to everything connected.
⭐ Best Supply Line Hub Settlements
Early Game Hubs:
- Sanctuary
- Red Rocket Truck Stop
- Abernathy Farm
Mid Game Hubs:
- Starlight Drive-In
- The Castle (after Minutemen questline)
Late Game Hub:
- Bunker Hill
- Best for caravans
- Most centrally located
⭐ Recommended Supply Line Network (Hub & Spoke)
Instead of connecting every settlement to every other settlement (chaos), use this optimized layout:
- North Hub: Sanctuary
- Central Hub: Starlight Drive-In
- East Hub: The Castle
- South Hub: Warwick Homestead
This avoids:
- Clutter
- Long travel times
- Provisioners clumping into “death squads”
- NPC traffic jams
⭐ What Provisioners Actually Do
Provisioners:
- Walk a route between two settlements
- Fight enemies along the path
- Carry weapons and armor you give them
- Increase defense rating during attacks
- Respawn automatically if killed
They DO NOT:
- Move junk
- Move items between containers
- Transfer weapons, food, or water
- Build happiness or resources on their own
⭐ Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Thinking supply lines move items — they don’t
❌ Assigning your last settler
❌ Forgetting Local Leader Rank 2 is for shops, not supply lines
❌ Building circular networks (creates chaos)
❌ Misclicking settlers without a full dialogue interface mod
⭐ Optional Mods That Improve Supply Lines
(All optional.)
- Provisioner Waypoints Overhaul — fixes broken routes
- Full Dialogue Interface — prevents misassignments
- Better Settlers — sturdier provisioners
- Sim Settlements 2 — turns supply lines into full trade networks
⭐ Final Recommended Setup
- Use Sanctuary as your early game hub
- Make Starlight Drive-In your long-term mega base
- Use The Castle as an eastern hub
- Keep routes simple and efficient
- Equip provisioners with weapons and armor
- Centralize crafting to one “master workshop”
Supply lines transform Fallout 4’s settlement system from clunky to powerful.
⭐ More Fallout 4 Guides
➡ The BEST Way to Farm Building Resources (Steel, Wood, Oil & More)
➡ Settlement Happiness Explained
➡ How to Defend Your Settlements
➡ Fallout London Install & Modding Guides (upcoming)
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