I can usually solve any of these grid-type puzzles but when I hit a snag on a harder/larger one i sometimes just stare at it for a long time until I get an epiphany. Are you really going to make me do that hundreds of times? What did I ever do to you?
If a super mutant gets into the Outpost gate it, instead of going in and being a missed enemy it might start attacking your durability from inside the gate. You can't shoot there so if this happens the battle is lost within a few seconds