Campaigns

Campaigns are the main way of advancing the storyline in Iron Rage. There are currently four campaigns: Revival, Overthrow, Expulsion, and Liberation. At the beginning of the game, only Revival is available; you unlock the other three as you progress through the world map.

Each campaign consists of a number of missions. Completing a mission for the first time earns you a star and unlocks one or more additional missions. You may also replay a mission, in which case you can earn additional stars (up to 5). However, each time you attempt a new star level, the difficulty of the mission gets harder. Once you have completed the 5-star difficulty level, the mission is complete and can't be replayed any more. In addition to the unlocking requirements, missions may also require that you have collected a certain number of total stars in the campaign, so sometimes you may need to go back and collect additional stars on earlier missions before being able to progress to further missions. Each mission also has a "recommended level" (which increases at higher numbers of stars), which suggests the level that your troops should be in order to beat the mission. Don't put too much stock in this, though, as it is only an estimate; some levels are easier than the recommended level might suggest, while others can be more difficult.

The picture at right shows the Expulsion campaign in progress, as an example of the campaign map. The color code indicates the progress in each area:

* medium brown: not yet unlocked
* red (with pointing arrow): unlocked but not yet completed
* light brown: completed with 1 star
* yellow: completed with 2 stars
* green: completed with 3 stars
* light blue: completed with 4 stars
* light blue with Iron Empire logo: completed with 5 stars

The fuel cost of a level is typically 100 times the star level you are attempting, although there are occasional exceptions. In campaign battles, you will always have your hero in the battle, and if your hero is wounded, then the battle is immediately lost.

Every time you complete a mission, you will receive a reward. (The appropriate tab of your Tasks will show you some of these rewards, although you will always receive an award even if it hasn't been explicitly assigned to you as a task.) These rewards always include experience, and generally also some combination of troops, resources, manuals, and research items. In addition, once you have collected a certain number of total stars (depending on the specific campaign) you are eligible to collect rewards from the main campaign screen (the "Reward" button in the bottom right). These rewards are typically quite valuable and include rare troops and chests, gold, and even new heroes. In addition, gathering a certain number of stars in the Overthrow campaign unlocks the Tower of Alchemy, and further stars allow you to upgrade the tower.

Your journal has this to say about your campaign briefing room:

*In this room subordinates report to you about important events in the world and changes in the alignment of enemy forces. The map on this table is your tool in this war and it play a very significant role. Our whole army is blind without your instructions. This map is a sight that will enable our forces to strike accurately at the target and crush the enemy. Show your tactical genius, commander, and wipe the enemy off the face of the earth!*