Now that you’ve earned your first official promotion in the Enclave, you can set out on a very important quest; the Fallout 76 I Am Become Death main quest. Named after the famous quote said by J. Robert Oppenheimer, the quest involves tracking down a nuclear launch code and preparing to fire your first nuclear missile. This is no easy task, but introduces a very important late-game mechanic.
How to Complete the Fallout 76 I Am Become Death Main Quest
The Fallout 76 I Am Become Death main quest should begin automatically when you complete Officer on Deck. When you return to The Whitespring Bunker, head for the Military Wing. From there, turn right and pass through the laser grid into the Command area. You now need to use four different terminals, each of which explains a different part of launching a nuclear missile. Bear in mind that the task of tracking down a nuclear launch code and launching a nuke is a difficult and time-consuming task for solo players. It is possible to do solo, but it is a lot faster to do with a group.
After speaking with MODUS, go into the back area of the room and use a terminal to access Ellen Santiago’s archive. In this terminal, select “The Code Pieces,” to receive the Fujiniya Facility Password. If you don’t already have a Nuclear Keycard or complete launch code, you use the Surveillance System terminal nearby to track these down. You’ll need to retrieve both before you can progress.
How to Acquire a Nuclear Keycard and Launch Code
The first thing to do is to obtain a Nuclear Keycard. To find one of these you’ll need to retrieve it from a Vertibot somewhere in Appalachia. When you destroy the Vertibot and its escorts you can get the Keycard from the box it drops. Note that each Nuclear Keycard can be used no more than once. As a result, you’ll need to repeat this task every time you want to launch a nuke. The second step is to obtain a complete launch code. These can be assembled out of eight Nuclear Code Pieces which are held by random Ghouls and Scorched Officers across Appalachia. Both the Vertibot and the enemies holding the Code Pieces can be tracked with the Whitespring Bunker Surveillance System.
Throughout Appalachia, there are three different sites where you can launch a nuke; Site Alpha, Site Bravo, and Site Charlie. In order to launch a nuke you’ll need eight Code Pieces which are specific to that particular silo. Assembling the Code Pieces into a Launch Code requires a cypher key which can be a little complex. You can find clues to help with deciphering the Code Pieces in The Whitespring Bunker command centre. The code solution changes every week, however, rendering old codes obsolete.
Launching a Nuke
Now that you have a Nuclear Keycard and a Launch Code, you need to head for Mama Dolce’s Food Processing, which can be found in the Forest. This unassuming site hides a major secret; the Fujiniya Intelligence Base. This hidden Chinese base can be accessed via a hatch in the side of a pipe on the southeastern corner of the Mama Dolce’s building. On the bottom floor of the base you can find a room with some tables and pale blue machinery with a terminal behind it. Use this and access it with the password you got at The Whitespring Bunker.
Doing so will complete the quest and automatically start “Mission: Countdown,” the next main quest wherein you’ll complete the process of launching a nuke. As a reward, you’ll receive a new photo frame, a random aid item, an Enclave Scout Uniform, a Fusion Core, and a random legendary weapon or armour piece. Best of all, you’ll receive a Gatling Plasma, one of the most powerful heavy firearms in the game!