I'm using a custom settlement created by the conquest mod, so I bet its just glitching, which is a shame. There are just some spots that really feel like they should have settlements there and I can't resist popping down a workbench and sending in some settlers.
I'm supposed to have three settlers there, but I don't see them anywhere, not even near the settlement. They don't come to their jobs or beds at night. No idea where they are. Ringing the bell doesn't help. I used the vault tec population management computer to put them all on jobs, and they're still missing.
Anyone else ever seen this happen?

Well, I have Break The Walls Down, which as it implies.... well, breaks the settlement limit walls down. My only slight issue so far was that very occasionally unnamed settlers would sandbox out to Red Rocket or so. Maybe your settlers sandboxed out to the world, and Are very very slowly strolling back?

Oh yeah, I did use conquest to create sort of guard posts at Vault 88 entrances. Yeah everyone disappeared too. Maybe it’s cos there are no proper boundaries in those settlements, so the world becomes the settlement?

Man, it's really a shame if Conquest just doesn't work. There are so many places I've thought about buiding settlements, but I can't have them sandboxing across the world. They never come home for any reason, work or sleep or chairs, including the bell.

Guess its more for building sort of camps and unmanned outposts, where turrets hold the ground and stuff. It is a very awesome concept for sure. Maybe if you use one of those buildable guards thing they may stay in place, but then again they would probably have reduced functionality compared to normal settlers. Life's imperfect, game modding more so I suppose

I guess it's time to find out what will happen to them if I try dissolve the settlement. It's weird that the bell doesn't call them back, or that they won't come to their beds or the bar at night. I've seen settlers teleport through walls to get to a place they like.