Watch a video walkthrough of this mission.
Mission 1 begins with the USA liberation of Baghdad from GLA forces. Go into the hills above Baghdad to destroy their Scud Storm.
This is an introductory mission that introduces the basic concepts of the game.
A new feature to the game series is the ability to choose from various Generals Abilities. Select the three-starred button at the upper right of the command console to choose these abilities. Promotions can be obtained by experience in battle, allowing higher rank abilities to be selected later in the game.
Choose the Paladin tank ability and create a few Paladin tanks to join your Crusader tanks.
Fight your first battle at the entrance to Baghdad and then heal your tanks at the War Factory. A quick way to do this quickly is to highlight all of your tanks, then click on the War Factory. Only the injured tanks will return to base to be repaired. The healthy units will stay in place. Your default force is eleven Crusaders and four Humvees. It's a sizable force, but reinforcements will be needed.
As your forces advance forward, a squad of Scorpions will attack their position. Once you defeat the Scorpions, enter the city. However, the second that you do, you'll receive word that a rocket launch has been detected. A cut scene reveals the GLA Scud Storm launching its payload. Don't panic, as the idiot terrorists mistakenly target the city market area and inadvertently hit some of their own units in the process. However, its somewhat saddening to witness the number of civilians who die in the market place. If you wish to prevent this disaster, have your forces hold position after destroying the Scorpions and move a Chinook over. If you've created any Paladins, load two of them into the copter. Nearby US pilots are being held in a prison just inside the city. Deploy your Paladins right by it and rescue them. Load each Paladin with three of the pilots to grant them Heroic status. Then move them to the city center and frighten away the civilians with the gun battle that is sure to commence when you encounter the GLA forces present. After driving the civilians away, move your Paladins away from the market and give them some distance. After they are clear, have your Crusaders enter and the Scud Storm attack should cost little in the way of civilians. (Note that this strategy is not fool-proof and the GLA may still launch their Scud Storm; it all depends on where and when the player disembarks his Paladins and enters the city.)
Before moving further around the outskirts of Baghdad, upgrade your tanks with battle drones for 300 credits per tank. Battle drones hover above the vehicle, both repairing the parent vehicle and firing a small machine gun at enemies.
Move in a counter-clockwise direction around the city until you come to a pass that allows you to enter the mountains to the north.
Additional battles will be fought and an announcement should be heard at one point and inform you that you have been promoted. Choose another General’s Power – either the ability to reveal a hidden part of the map or the ability to partially heal your vehicles.
Head northeast through the mountains. The GLA is well-prepared for your attack and will have several GLA Scorpions and two flanking Tunnel Networks awaiting your arrival. Keep your forces back and a US bomber laden with a Fuel-Air-Bomb payload will arrive and dispatch the defenses. Rush your forces into the base and target the fuel barrels gathered around the GLA structures. If you hit them, they will explode, damaging any GLA structures or nearby units. You should have enough fire power to destroy both the base and the Scud Storm missile site. Once you do, your assitant, Lieutenant Eva, will inform you that your forces are victorious.