This year Fallout 76 is returning to The Pitt, the locale for one of the most memorable expansions from Fallout 3. The update will let players leave the confines of the vast Appalachian region for the first time as part of a new mission-based mode called Expeditions. With testing set to hit the PTR soon, Bethesda has outlined what to expect.

As part of a new Fallout 76: Inside the Vault update we learn that Expeditions will see the arrival of a new hub called “Whitespring Refuge” set up by the Responders in the Whitespring Resort. There you'll learn about plans "to explore and provide aid to settlements outside of Appalachia" via the use of a working vertibird.

But, the vertibird's Ultracite Battery Cell will need to be charged, so you'll need to complete three Daily Quests to power it up before being able to head out on an Expedition. With the first locale being The Pitt this will then kick-off missions designed for groups and high-level players.

Our first Mission, “Union Dues,” will take you into the depths of The Pitt, a city we have been eager to revisit since it appeared in Fallout 3.

Without spoiling too much, The Pitt is currently fraught with a power struggle between the Union, an industrious and diverse band of survivors working to rebuild the city, and the Fanatics, a gang of raiders looking to expand their territory. Your goal is to provide support to one of the local Union chapters and drive the Fanatics out of “The Foundry,” which the Union had been using as their operating base.

Each Mission that you embark on, like Union Dues, will feature three randomized objectives for you to conquer. While you will encounter the same overarching theme from one playthrough to the next for a given Mission, these randomized objectives will help keep the experience fresh every time you step off the vertibird. In addition, every Mission will sport several optional objectives. The more of them you manage to complete, the better your rewards become.

In terms of rewards players can expect XP, loot, and legendary items. Plus "Stamps" that can be traded at the Whitespring Refuge for loot and rare plans. The more objectives you complete in a mission the more Stamps you earn. Expeditions will be limited, in that Team Leaders will only be able to set out on one per-day, though you can join as many teams as you like. Team Leaders, those that kick-off Expeditions, will also receive additional rewards.

As per our recent interview with Fallout 76 Design Director Mark Tucker, Expeditions will retain the exploration and discovery that is a key part of Fallout. "Expeditions or missions present a different play loop than what we've had before," Mark told us. "We're pushing this idea of challenging missions that are replayable, but replayable with a lot of variety. Something that's been a core design pillar for us is we want to make sure that at every step of the way it still feels like Fallout. That you’re going to these interesting locations so there shouldn't be any time pressure, and you should still feel like you can explore these areas and find interesting lore and discover a lot of environmental storytelling."

And with that The Pitt looks to be the first of many planned Expeditions.