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Missions Overview and Introduction
Steel Battalion: Line of Contact has a total of 25 mission/maps available. Missions 01 - 24 are played in Campaign mode and Mission 00 is only available in Free Mission mode. Free Mission mode allows for alternate game types to be chosen; Conquest (similar to Campaign Mode), Capture the Container (a variation on capture the flag) and Battle Royale. These gameplay types are explained in much more detail here.
In Campaign Mode, only three Missions are available per week, with this period of time being termed a Turn, with eight Turns comprising a Round. At the change of each Turn, a new set of Missions are released to be played. Reference the chart above for Mission to Turn relation. Missions are "unlocked" for Free Mission play as a pilot participates in Campaign mode missions, with missions remaining unlocked even after the start of another Round. This concept is similar to VT Touching for Free Mission unlock purposes.
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How to Use This Guide
Each mission from Campaign and Free Mission is presented as a Mission Briefing, which includes high-resolution screencaptures for each gameplay mode (Campaign/Conquest, Battle Royale, Capture the Container).
The Mission History section presents the tactical importance or key events of a given battle. Locations and relevance have been derived from the storyline of the original Steel Battalion game, as well as translated accounts from Japanese fansite sourced information. Additional artistic license has been taken as necessary.
The Mission Profile section gives a basic overview of the mission map, key points of interest, and any potential balance issues.
The Suggested Strategies section is currently a work in progress and will present common tactics and countermeasures for each Mission. Supplementary or VT type specific strategies will eventually be included in this section.
The mini-map presented for each mission is configured as a clickable image-map and will display in-game screen captures detailing points of interest or map characteristics. The icons on the map represent the approximate location and facing direction of the camera at the time the capture was made.
I have created a singular Map Pack suitable for Mission Planning and Strategy Formulation which may be downloaded here. All maps are at least 800x750 pixels and can be marked up and shared. Please do not redistribute this material out of context or link directly to the .ZIP file.
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Map Grid Reference and Location Naming Convention Used in This Guide
Under each Mission Profile there are three high-resolution maps detailing the mission layout for Campaign/Conquest, Capture the Container and Battle Royale gameplay modes. Steel Battalion: Line of Contact uses a simple icon based system to represent important map elements. Each map uses a standard alphanumeric grid reference system, which I have taken one step further in my naming location convention. Reference the example below:
In this example, I have highlighted the B-1 "Bravo One" sector, and partitioned it based on a quadrant system, starting with the top-right quadrant and counting clockwise, Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4. Using this location system, I am able to give more precise map locations than the game provides for with its alphanumeric grid system. In the example above, the defender base (green) would be located at C-2 Q4, "Charlie 2, Quad 4" and the resupply base (yellow) at A-3 Q1 "Alpha 3 Quad 1".
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Map Object Legend and Definitions
Map objects presented on the overview maps an on the Multi-Monitor of a VT cockpit use the following symbols to represent in-mission objectives or locations.
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Attacker Base
The red/orange T-shaped symbols represent attacker side bases. When starting up, VTs will be "facing" forward toward the direction of the "front" of the base, represented on the icon by the projecting center portion. Base icons within the game will be oriented based on VT start direction.
Bases may be captured by an opposing side by standing within their border for 30 seconds. Bases may be neutraled by passing through, but not remaining within, their boundaries. The capture of an opposing side base will increase the capturing side Sortie Point balance by +50 points and decrease the enemy side by -50 points. Neutraling the base without capture yields no points.
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Defender Base
The green T-shaped symbols represent defender side bases. When starting up, VTs will be "facing" forward toward the direction of the "front" of the base, represented on the icon by the projecting center portion. Base icons within the game will be oriented based on VT start direction.
Bases may be captured by an opposing side by standing within their border for 30 seconds. Bases may be neutraled by passing through, but not remaining within, their boundaries. The capture of an opposing side base will increase the capturing side Sortie Point balance by +50 points and decrease the enemy side by -50 points. Neutraling the base without capture yields no points.
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Neutral Base
The grey T-shaped symbols represent neutral bases. Neutral bases may not be selected as a VT start point unless they are captured.
Neutral bases may be captured by standing within their boundary for 30 seconds. Capturing a neutral base adds +50 sortie points to the capturing team Sortie Points and does not affect the enemy team Sortie Points.
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Resupply Depot
The yellow diamond symbols represent resupply depots. Resupply depots are usually located nearby to attacker/defender bases but may not be captured.
VTs which enter a resupply depot cannot fire their weapons while the refueling cycle is active and must exit the confines of the resupply depot to resume combat.
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Attacker Deployment Frame
The red/orange circular symbols represent attacker deployment frames. These remote VT deployment frames may not be captured like a base. VTs are always deployed to the "front" of the frame, but this is not represented by the map symbol.
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Defender Deployment Frame
The green circular symbols represent defender deployment frames. These remote VT deployment frames may not be captured like a base. VTs are always deployed to the "front" of the frame, but this is not represented by the map symbol.
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Attacker Objective Marker
This symbol represents an attacker objective. Within the game, "attacker objectives" are usually an emplacement or base which an attacking side must defend against the enemy team.
This symbol is uncommon in the game an occurs on only a few maps.
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Defender Objective Marker
This symbol represents an defender objective. Within the game, "defender objectives" are usually an emplacement or base which a defending side must defend against the enemy team.
This symbol is uncommon in the game, but occurs on more maps than the attacker objective object. In particular, this symbol is found on Mission 07 as the defense object the battleship Zheng Yahn.
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Neutral Objective Marker
This symbol represents a neutral objective. This symbol is only found on one mission in the game, Mission 15 - Container Extraction, and represents the objective container in the center area of the map.
When picked up by either team, this marker will move with the carrying players' VT and be visible to all players on the Multi-Monitor map. Additional details regarding container objectives are discussed on the relevant mission page.
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Attacker Container Base
This symbol represents the Container Base of an attacking side. This symbol is only found in Capture the Container, Free Mission mode play. Container bases may not be captured by an enemy team. When the container is removed from the home base, it is represented by the Attacker or Defender Objective symbol (above) and will move on the Multi-Monitor map with the carrying player VT.
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Defender Container Base
This symbol represents the Container Base of an defending side. This symbol is only found in Capture the Container, Free Mission mode play. Container bases may not be captured by an enemy team. When the container is removed from the home base, it is represented by the Attacker or Defender Objective symbol (above) and will move on the Multi-Monitor map with the carrying player VT.
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A HUGE thank you to nemesis8722
for endless assistance with mission testing and providing
all of the in-game screenshots presented in this section.
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