How to Launch a Nuke in Fallout 76: Nukes are an essential aspect of the game, and it is not easy to get your hands on them. Luckily, we have covered all the details here. Read this article to learn how to launch a nuke in Fallout 76.
Nukes in Fallout 76
Nuke codes in Fallout 76 allow you to explode weapons of mass destruction in the online environment, ready for other players to see. These events aren't triggered automatically by the game; instead, players must complete several tasks, including obtaining launch codes as part of the ‘I Am Become Death quest’. Once exploded, it causes a region in its explosion zone to materialise with more difficult foes - and more profitable drops - acting as an end-game activity raid. Scroll down to get the complete guide on launching nukes in Fallout 76.
How to Launch a Nuke in Fallout 76?
Setting off nukes isn't a simple, straightforward process, but there are a few optional parts you can skip through:
- Join the Enclave and access the Whitespring Bunker
- Complete the 'Back to Basic' and 'Officer on Deck' missions to gain access to the Command Center in the Whitespring Bunker
- Get a Nuclear Keycard from shooting down a Cargobot
- Find clues dropped from high-level enemies, then decrypt them
- Clear out the silo dungeon and reach the Nuke terminal
- Use the terminal to decide where to detonate the nuke
- Explore the blast radius and kill the enemies within
How to start I Am Become Death in Fallout 76
Before you can start getting your hands on nuke launch codes, you have to complete two other questlines:
- Join the Enclave by finding the Abandoned Waste Dump location
- Complete the 'Back to Basic' and 'Officer on Deck' missions at Camp McClintock
Once these are done, you should then have access to both Whitespring Bunker
Inside you'll then begin the 'I Am Become Death' mission, and are told the specific steps to launching a Nuke, adding their locations to the map to make things easier. One of these is finding a Nuclear Keycard.
How to get a Nuclear Keycard in Fallout 76
A Nuclear Keycard is found by by shooting down a Cargobot, which is protected by a fleet of Vertibots. These are found throughout the map, so you may come across one at random, but the bunker above will tell you the location if you have access it. As this video from runninsniper suggests, you don't need to be a high level to complete this step:
Once downed, find the Secure Transport Container on the ground - follow the plume of smoke - and picking the lock will then give you the Nuclear Keycard.
Note you can collect multiple Nuclear Keycards - which might come in useful if you want to brute force the Nuke Codes step.
How to get Nuke Launch Codes in Fallout 76
Once you have a Nuclear Keycard in your possession, next you have to find eight letter and number combinations. These are dropped from high level enemies from throughout the map - specifically from Scorched or Feral Ghoul officers.
Their locations are found at the Enclave command centre in Whitespring Bunker, where there is a surveillance terminal, which points you at officers who carry the combinations. Not only that, but you then need to decrypt them, using the messages on the wall inside the bunker.
With three different silos, each with a different set of codes to access them, this will take a while.
However, there is a way to bypass this step without having to work it out yourself, and that's by using a community created decrypter. Enter the letters or numbers you know into NukaCrypt Code Decrypter to give you a list of possible results.
You then enter one of these using the Nuclear Keycard, and see if it works. The problem is Nuclear Keycards are one use only - and an incorrect code will result in them wiping, so you'll have to go get another.
Also, the codes only last for a week at a time. It's assumed they will reset when Fallout 76 Weekly Challenges do, so starting this part of the quest at the beginning of the week might give you more time to complete it.
Once you have the armed Nuclear Keycard, you aren't done yet. The final step involves exploring your chosen silo site of enemies. This involves a number of steps, and requires you have a decently specced character to do so.
Once done, you can then finally put it to work. Use the terminal, decide where to drop the Nuke, and let rip.
How many codes do you need to launch a nuke in Fallout 76?
Site Alpha, Site Bravo, and Site Charlie are the three nuclear silos in Fallout 76. Scorched and Feral Ghoul Officers can be found all over the map, each carrying one of eight nuke code pieces for one of the three silos, implying 24 possible nuke code pieces at any given time. The Enclave bunker's console will assist you in tracking them down. You can complete the challenge by decrypting all eight nuke code bits once you get them.
Can you Launch a Nuke without codes?
No, it is not possible to launch without codes. But Nuclear explosions are a communal event. So if you see a blast radius on the map, you are free to explore and battle all the enemies in it. So you don’t necessarily have to launch a Nuke to experience the event.
How do I find my Nuke code?
After you've obtained a Nuclear Keycard, you'll need to locate eight-letter and number combinations. High-level adversaries drop these all across the area, primarily Scorched and Feral Ghoul officers. Their whereabouts can be discovered at the Enclave command centre at Whitespring Bunker, where a surveillance terminal can be used to locate officers carrying the combinations. Not only that, but you'll have to decrypt them using the messages on the bunker's wall. This will take some time because there are three distinct silos to access, each with its own set of codes. However, there is a way to skip this stage without figuring it out for yourself, and that is to use a decrypter provided by the community. You then use the Nuclear Keycard to input one of these and see if it works. The trouble is that Nuclear Keycards are one-time-use only, and entering an erroneous code will wipe them all, forcing you to get another. Furthermore, the codes are only valid for a week at a time. They're expected to reset when the Fallout 76 Weekly Challenges do, so starting this part of the quest at the start of the week is better since it gives you more time to complete it. You're not finished yet if you hold the armed Nuclear Keycard. The final stage is to search for foes at your chosen silo site. There are a few phases to this, and you'll need a reasonably specced character to do it. After that, you can finally put it to use.