Campaign

The single player campaign is the story mode of Battletech. It puts you in command of your own mercenary outfit, as you find yourself inexorably drawn into a bloody dynastic conflict set in the Periphery of the Inner Sphere, trying to restore High Lady Kamea Arano to her throne. Over the course of the campaign, you’ll manage the finances and logistics of your mercenary outfit - from the modifications and loadout of your 'Mechs, to the salaries and skill growth of your MechWarriors.

At the end of the day, the life of a mercenary is all about money: the money needed to repair the damage your 'Mechs took in combat, to pay your MechWarriors to keep fighting, and - if you’re lucky - the money to put towards buying new 'Mech chassis and weapon systems. Fortunately, 'Mech components salvaged from the battlefield can be both cheaper and better-performing than the oft-refurbished parts available for purchase.

Of course, contracts are an intrinsic part of the campaign. In subsequent updates, the game has been patched to allow for freeplay (simply called Campaign mode), where the goal is to obtain the highest career rank possible.

Overview

The campaign starts with character creation, where you define your commander by establishing their ancestry, youth, and background. Each of the options provides a bonus to skills, allowing you to tailor your mech commander to your liking.

Campaign structure

The campaign is open-ended in regards to where you travel, what contracts you pick, and what mechs you field. Storyline missions are represented as priority contracts with an extremely high payout (anywhere from one million to as much as three million C-bills) with high salvage rights (typically 3/14). Since missions can be generally tackled in whatever order you see fit, you can take your time and upgrade your lance and pilots, making campaign missions much less stressful.

Missions

The story begins on the eve of the Coronation Day, as Lady Kamea Arano prepares to take her throne and her rightful place as the sovereign ruler of the Aurigan Reach. Under the tutelage of the Mastiff, you run through the tests on your Blackjack and prepare for guard duty.

1. Tutorial: A mission that familiarizes you with the systems and introduces the first characters of this Shakespearean drama.
2. Coronation Day: Lady Kamea Arano plans to attend her coronation. But things rapidly go sideways.

   Beginning three years after the rise of the Aurigan Directorate in the wake of the Coronation Day slaughter, you are a down on your luck mercenary commander trying to make ends meet, stuck on a cramped dropship called the Leopard.

3. Three Years Later: "The Independent Prospectors' League needs your help, Commander. Two months ago, a fleet of corporate DropShips from Majesty Metals & Manufacturing touched down on Ur Cruinne. They jumped our claim, pushed us off of our own mining platforms, and killed our people. We need your help to make things right."
4. Benefactor: After completing two contracts, you are contacted by a mysterious benefactor offering to help you with your money problems.
5. Capture the Argo: "A self-appointed bandit queen has taken possession of the Argo, a derelict DropShip and relic of the Star League era. We believe that it belongs in more suitable hands - namely, ours. You will drop on Axylus, shut down the pirates' antiaircraft capabilities, and hold out while our engineers bring the Argo back to life."

   With the Argo in your possession, you can finally bring the war to the Directorate's doorstep. Note that you do not receive the Argo until after the liberation of Weldry.

6. Liberation of Weldry: "This is it - our first strike against my uncle's Directorate. Our first step toward justice. While I lead the Restoration Army against Weldry's primary spaceport, you will launch a sneak attack against the Icebox and liberate it. I know that you can do this, Commander. We can do this. Together."
7. Liberation: Panzyr: "The Restoration Army is already entrenched on Panzyr's surface. We're gaining ground against the Directorate, but we can't allow them to call in reinforcements. With the support of the 2nd Decimis Fusiliers, you will destroy a Directorate-held DropShip control center, cutting off their ability to navigate Panzyr's orbital debris field."
8. Liberation: Smithon: "The Restoration Army is engaged in a battle of attrition against Directorate forces, and our ground forces need resupply if they're going to prevail. To that end, I'm sending you to capture a Directorate munitions dump. Eliminate their defenses and prevent them from getting away with the munitions; our support staff will handle the rest."
9. Served Cold: "Lord Karosas challenged my authority, and he was right to do so. His son died in my name. We're going to do what we can to earn his help and support. That means destroying the Newgrange, a smuggling ship that has been running weapons to the Directorate. I'll be your voice on the comms for this drop, Commander - let's get this done."

   With more support coming, the Restoration Army looks to bolstering its technology, to bridge the gap between their forces and the surprisingly powerful Directorate.

10. Grave Robbing: "Artru is deep inside Directorate territory, right on the Taurian border. We're taking a risk, but Lady Arano is right - the prospect of getting our hands on SLDF BattleMechs is too juicy to pass up."
11. Raising the Dead: "Castle Nautilus is somewhere down there, on Artru, buried deep in the ice. Dr. Murad thinks that we'll find an entrance at the coordinates she's provided. We're going to drop, make our way to the entrance, and force our way inside - but we need to do it soon. I want to be finished before our uninvited guests arrive." Note: This mission segues into the next one immediately, with no downtime, as the Taurian Concordat moves on the restoration.
12. Escape: "The elevator just rumbled to a halt. I don't know how much firepower Ostergaard is going to throw our way once we're clear of the doors, but I'm counting on you to lead us through this, Commander. Now let's see what these Star League-era 'Mechs can do."

    War with the Taurian Concordat

13. War Council: Lady Arano calls a council to determine the course of action in the war with the Taurian Concordat.
14. Defense: Smithon: "In the wake of Commodore Ostergaard's initial attack, Taurian BattleMechs have continued to wreak havoc on the general population. We have DropShips en route to evacuate as many refugees as they can carry, but the Taurians will target them if they get the chance. I need you to deny them that opportunity."
15. Liberation: Itrom: "The Directorate has taken possession of Itrom's largest processor and refinery, and is attempting to loot the attached silos of rare and valuable minerals. We want you to claim them for the Restoration instead."
16. Defense: Panzyr: "Under Ostergaards orders, the Taurians are attacking our famine relief effort on Panzyr. If they succeed, a mass starvation will follow. They're trying to bait me into redirecting the main army and taking the field myself... but I can't let them do that. If our people are to survive, you will have to save them."

    The Directorate strikes back

17. Extraction: "The Directorate has captured Lord Madeira, and we're going to get him back. We have his transponder coordinates, and we know that he's on the move. We're going to make planetfall, rescue Alexander, and recover the evidence he risked his life to bring us. And we will bring ruin to anyone who stands in our way."
18. Liberation: Tyrlon: "This is it – the Directorate's last stronghold on our way to Coromodir. We're going to liberate this system and set House Parata free. I have an invasion fleet en route to take the spaceport in a surprise attack, but the shipyard's gun batteries are going to be a problem. You need to take them off-line before our ships arrive."
19. Locura: "This is an all-or-nothing situation, Commander. Ostergaard is on his way to Coromodir to break the back of my army, and I'm on my way to join them. You have this one chance to wreck the Iberia and turn the tide - do this, and our war will be won."
20. Showdown: "Victoria has Lord Madeira, and she will never stand down. What she did on Perdition has broken her. And now we're going to end this, in the way that it so nearly began: a duel. I will face off against Victoria in the Arano tourney grounds, and we will fight until one of us is dead."