When entering a battle, the player is presented with an interactive map, showing terrain and which team controls which control points. Playing with a soldier increases that soldier's rank and unlocks new weapons and 'badges,' which can be equipped to provide bonuses in-game.
Upon players reaching higher levels, they unlock the ability to participate in other game modes and recruit soldiers of other classes (pilot, tanker, recon, and paratrooper). These soldiers are equipped with a default rifle and can play the Encounter game mode immediately. The player starts with an infantry soldier from each faction (United States, Soviet Union, Germany) and can buy additional soldiers with in-game credits.