1) The Broken Road to Bethesda

The Bethesda Ruins-our first stop on this Great Bobblehead Hunt-are north-east of Megaton, across the Potomac. North of Springvale School there is an elevated highway that runs north-east over the river, then turns east and leads straight to the Bethesda Ruins. The downside? The section of the highway that runs over the river isn’t crossable, as most of it has collapsed. You can still run along the ground underneath it, however, and it serves as a fine landmark. Once on the eastern side of the Potomac, the highway falls to ground level.

The ruins themselves are populated by strong Raiders, but with a little caution and a lot of Fisto! they shouldn’t be a problem. Just be wary of the jerk with the Sniper Rifle, as they can do the most damage. As fun as all this killing is, our objective is inside some of the buildings here. When the opposition has been put down, find a pair of doors that lead to the Bethesda Offices - West.

2) Clearing Out the Lobby - (Bethesda Offices West)

Book - Big Book of Science

Immediately inside you’ll be too close for comfort to a Mark V Turret. If you hustle around the wall in front of you and hack the terminal [Average] you can disable it, and deal with the Raiders in this room. In the third room on the left you’ll find a Stealth Boy in one of the wooden crates. We should now have two of them, allowing us to safely finish the Mirelurk part of the Wasteland Survival Guide… Once our Greater Bobblehead Hunt is over, of course. Next to the Turret Control System terminal is a Big Book of Science . Be careful near the stack of crates at the southern end of the room, as there is a Frag Mine on one of the crate, and an air canister behind it, which will also explode. Ever see Jaws? Once you’re done looting, go up the stairs to the south-east.

3) Traps, Stairs, and Holes

Book - Dean’s Electronics

Clear the room to the west and go up more stairs to find another, larger room. Be wary of the pressure plate by the door, as there are three Combat Shotguns rigged to it. Do NOT go down the hole in the middle of the floor, as two Grenade Bouquets are sitting there… Unless you think you can weather six Frag Grenades. You can find another Stealth Boy on one of the shelves, and a Dean’s Electronics in a wooden crate on a desk. Under the wooden crates by the freezer full of… parts… you’ll find a Mini Nuke. When you’re done looting take the door leading to the Capital Wasteland to get to the bridge one of the Raiders was on earlier. Loot the ammo boxes and head into the eastern offices.

4) Bobblehead in Bethesda - (Bethesda Offices East)

Bobblehead - Lockpick

Book - U.S. Army: 30 Handy Flamethrower Recipes

Go east until you find a room with a turret and some Raiders. You can disable the turret by hacking the computer [Average] on a desk by the door. One Raider will always have a Flamer… as well as a U.S. Army: 30 Handy Flamethrower Recipes book. This Raider will respawn with the rest, and will always have this book. So… unlike the rest of your books feel free to read these at will. You’ll also get a Safe Key from him, which unlocks a safe above some desks. Near the desk where you found the Turret Control System computer will be another desk with the Bobblehead - Lockpick on it. We can now tackle hard locks. Near a bath tub full of dirty water you’ll find a Chinese Assault Rifle, as well.

5) Finishing Up the Bethesda Offices

Book - Chinese Army: Spec. Ops. Training Manual

Exit the room and take two lefts to reach another office room. On the desks to the right you’ll find a Chinese Army: Spec. Ops. Training Manual near some Missiles. Now that the Bethesda Offices are clear, lets deal with the Bethesda Underworks, which are north of the Bethesda Offices… north of them, to be more specific.

6) Bethesda Underworks - (Bethesda Underworks)

Book - Grognak the Barbarian

Book - Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor

Kill all the Ghouls and head north and then east to find a large room. You’ll find a copy of Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor on a bucket on top of a concrete bench. Go down the stairs and find a door leading west in the southern part of the metro. Follow the tunnel until you get to a sewer area. The sewer path surrounds a small room filled with many goodies, including a Stealth Boy, a Nuka-Cola Quantum, and a copy of Grognak the Barbarian on the metal shelf. Move the wooden crate to discover a Mini Nuke. Continue south, where you’ll find a skeleton near some radioactive barrels that has a Chinese Assault Rifle and some drugs nearby. Leave the Bethesda Underworks to do one more entirely optional little run before we go after the Bobblehead - Science .

7) The Raid Shack - (The Raid Shack)

Book - Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor

From where you entered the Bethesda Underworks follow the road to the south-east until it starts to curve to face south. Instead of following it south follow another badly damaged road up a hill to the north-east and continue to follow the road to the east past the four way stop. Straight to the east you’ll find the Raid Shack, which is unmarked, but it does have Raiders outside of it to distinguish it. Kill the raiders and loot the trailer and a table for some drugs and ammo boxes. Now enter the Raid Shack and clean up in here as well. On one of the Raiders inside you’ll find a unique Combat Knife called Stabhappy . A more appropriate name for a knife I cannot imagine. You’ll also find the typical Raider loot… components, drugs, food, cigarettes. Of note, there’s a copy of Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor upstairs in the north eastern room. Now it’s time to go after the Bobblehead - Science . Head back to Megaton, take care of business there (buying, selling, storing, resting), and head out to the north-west, past Vault 101.