GROUND BRANCH – Full Campaign Story Mode (June 2021)

Before we get started

 
So, as I said, this guide will give you a realistic, varied and complete take on what a Story Mode could look like. All that is written can be followed to the letter or done more freely, it’s up to you. 
 
As starters, I recommend playing this in squads of up to 4 operators. However, if you want to play it with more, go for it. Increasing or decreasing the number of enemies or the difficulty is also recommanded depending on you and how you want to play, chill or hardcore. 
 
For each part of the Story, there’ll be a recommended kit (weapon, gear, outfit…) 
It’s best if you follow those as, through this campaign, you’ll play other units than CIA’s Ground Branch. 
 
Each part will feature a briefing, recommended settings for the mission, primary and secondary objectives but also one or more challenges if you find it too easy or just want to try those. 
 
That’s it for the intel, have a nice time playing this! 
 
 

2004 – Zäbul Province

 
You are part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team. 
While you are staying in the Zäbul Province, near the Qalat District, at FOB Langman, civilians start to complain about power outages. The FOB decides to send a unit, your unit, to investigate the power grid. 
As the two Humvees follow the power lines, you arrive near the power station. 
You dismount when one of the Humvees explodes after being hit with an RPG, as your unit rushes inside the compound to get to safety, only to find out it is full of insurgents… 
 
Primary Objective: Seize control of the power station 
Secondary Objective: Make sure all infrastructures are intact and all switches are active 
 
Challenge: Pistol only, for the whole squad 
 
Map: Power Station 
Gamemode: Terrorist Hunt 
Time: 0940 
 
Expected Resistance: 10 
Difficulty: Experienced 
 
Weapons kit: 

• M16A4 with either ACOG or Ironsights (no lights or laser) 
• M9A3 with no modification

Gear kit: 

• MICH Helmet 
• Assault Vest 
• Battle Belt if you want 
• Holster

Outfit: 

• Full BDU outfit (pattern either Woodland US or Tan/Ranger Green) 
• No Balaclava allowed

02/08/2018 – Nantahala National Forest

 
Deep inside the Nantahala National Forest, the FBI managed to locate a camp, where a terrorist cell is supposedly hiding. 
Given the sensibility of this operation, the HRT has been deployed to conduct a raid. Their objective is to arrest everyone. 
 
Primary Objective: Arrest every suspect (use of lethal force authorized only if necessary) 
Secondary Objective: Secure and investigate the area for any suspicious infrastructure or object, look for barrels, crates, containers, computers… Mark each one and take what you can 
 
Challenge: Set the time to 0100 
 
Map: Creek 
Gamemode: Intel Retrieval 
Time: 1500 
 
Expected Resistance: 6 
Difficulty: Experienced 
 
Weapons kit: 

• M4A1 with a holographic sight/collimator, a flashlight, an AN/PEQ-15, RVG grip and STANAG magazines (suppresor optional, I don’t run with it) 
• M17 with a flashlight

Gear kit: 

• HC Helmet (Headset, NVG and Strobe optionnal) – Foliage Green 
• Plate Carrier – Foliage Green 
• Battle Belt – Green 
• Holster – Ranger Green

Outfit: 

• Full Combat/G2 outfit (Ranger Green/Olive Drab) 
• Green Balaclava

07/08/2018 – Nantahala Logistics LLC

 
Following the 02/08/2018 assault on the terrorist cell, the Counterterrorism Division (CTD) managed to pull a lot of intel from the computer the HRT found, but also the camp itself. 
A bunch barrels of ammonium nitrate were discovered, enough to load a van and perpetrate an attack similar or stronger to the one of the Boston Marathon. 
However, what is interesting is what was on the computer. Encrypted comms, list of other cells and list of targets. And what is even more interesting is that another cell, located just a few kilometers south of the camp, went active 2 hours ago. They have taken hold Nantahal Logistics LLC, a small company which is specialized in transporting agricultural products, including seeds, wheat but also ammonium nitrate or more recently gasoline. 
We need to assault now, as intel suggests that they are loading several trucks, vans and a train with explosive products. 
 
Primary Objective: Neutralize any suspect 
Secondary Objective: Complete the mission under 5 minutes 
 
Challenge: Run only shotguns 
 
Map: Depot 
Gamemode: Terrorist Hunt 
Time: 0945 
 
Expected Resistance: 15 
Difficulty: Experienced 
 
Weapons kit: 

• Same as previous operation

Gear kit: 

• Same as previous operation

Outfit: 

• Same as previous operation

08/08/2018 – New York City

 
It happened. 
4 hours ago, three terrorist cells from the same group (which is still unknown) initiated a joint attack on Oldtimes Square, New York City. Civilian casualties are in the hundreds, perhaps even thousands. 
First Responders, NYPD SWAT and FBI HRT units were either wiped out or retreated. 
As a consequence, the Ground Branch, us, was tasked to solve this problem. 
A fast, clean operation to end this madness. 
 
Primary Objective: Secure the area, neutralize any hostile 
Secondary Objective: Find and mark the bomb truck for EOD units 
 
Challenge: 

• Complete the primary and secondary objectives under 5 minutes 
• Do a run as US Citizens using the 2nd Amendment to slap some terrorist (only a pistol and a holster, nothing else)

 
Map: City 
Gamemode: Terrorist Hunt 
Time: 1225 
 
Expected Resistance: 20 
Difficulty: Experienced 
 
Weapons kit: 

• NATO Assault Rifle 
• NATO Handgun

Gear kit: 

• Any headgear 
• Any platform 
• Battle Belt (Optionnal) 
• Holster

Outfit: 

• Any

12/09/2018 – Kabul

 
Since the attack on NYC, the Agency did some probbing in their database and their field agents to find a lead on the terrorist. 
One of them, located in Afghanistan, came back with positive intel about this terrorist group. 
He was immediatly dispatched to Kabul to board a Ram Airways flight towards France so we could exfiltrate him from there. 
We lost contact with him as the plane was about to depart. We’ve got a Quick Reaction Force composed of Ground Branch agents on zone, and they are about to assault the plane. 
 
Primary Objective: Secure the area, neutralize any hostile 
Secondary Objective: Find the missing CIA Field Agent 
 
Challenges: 

• Looking at the trucks and cars around the area, there could be around 46 terrorists. Set the Expected Resistance between 46 and 50, and complete the operation 
• Run only FAL (non-tactical) and no sidearm

 
Map: 747 
Gamemode: Terrorist Hunt 
Time: 1640 
 
Expected Resistance: 10 
Difficulty: Experienced 
 
Weapons kit: 

• NATO Assault Rifle 
• NATO Handgun

Gear kit: 

• Any headgear 
• Any platform 
• Battle Belt (Optionnal) 
• Holster

Outfit: 

• Any

14/09/2018 – Western Ukraine

 
They managed to exfiltrate the Field Agent before we arrived on zone. The remaining terrorists were only there as a decoy. 
However, we located a potential location for the Field Agent. It is in a decommissioned school in Ukraine. This is bad news. At first we thought it was only a homeland group acting for god what reasons, then a middle-eastern terrorist group, but Ukraine? It means that it is way bigger than expected, and way more dangerous. 
We managed to smuggle in a CIA commando via the Polish border. They are arriving on location in less than an hour. 
 
Primary Objective: Secure the area, neutralize any hostile, seize all intel 
Secondary Objective: Search for any evidence of the presence of the CIA Field Agent 
 
Challenge: 

• Manage to complete the operation without a single shot fired by the ennemy 
• Complete the operation with nothing but a suppressed handgun and civilian clothes

 
Map: Run Down 
Gamemode: Intel Retrieval 
Time: 0300 
 
Expected Resistance: 10 
Difficulty: Veteran 
 
Weapons kit: 

• AK-74 MI or AK-74 MI CQB with suppressors 
• Glock 19 (Patrol or Urban) with suppressors

Gear kit: 

• Any headgear with NVGs 
• Any platform 
• Battle Belt 
• Holster

Outfit: 

• Civilian outfit

15/09/2018 – 8.268470, 58.793480

 
A French base in Djibouti picked up a distress signal saying “CIA HELP” over and over again. 
We managed to track down its source. 
It comes from a SCO Petrol natural gas tanker. Primary observations spotted multiple armed suspects, and two emergency rafts leaving the tanker. 
We think that the terrorist group seized control of the tanker and evacuated the crew. As to the distress signal… It is either a trap or we found our guy. I hope it is the latter. 
We sent a Navy SEALS unit from a nearby US Navy destroyer to take back control of the ship. 
 
Primary Objective: Secure the area, neutralize any hostile, seize all intel 
Secondary Objective: Search for the CIA Field Agent 
 
Challenge: 

• Run only SVDs, because why not 
• Clear the tanker under 5 minutes

 
Map: Tanker 
Gamemode: Intel Retrieval 
Time: 1930 
 
Expected Resistance: 15 
Difficulty: Experienced 
 
Weapons kit: 

• M416 or MP7A1 
• Glock 19 Patrol or M17

Gear kit: 

• HC Helmet (Snakeskin Desert) 
• Plate Carrier (Coyote) 
• Battle Belt (Tan) 
• Holster (Coyote Brown)

Outfit: 

• Full Combat/G2 outfit (Tan/OCP) 
• Tan Balaclava

17/09/2018 – Eastern Ukraine

 
This is it. At least I hope it is. 
Thanks to the intel gathered at the decommissioned school and on the Tanker, we were able to pin-point an underground storage facility belonging to this terrorist group. 
Terrorist group which we can put a name on: The Believers 
They seem to be a cult-like organisation, closely related to sects derived from zoroastrism. 
Well, at least, it’s what they say to recruit their followers. The Agency’s analysts don’t believe that they are really religious, they are more enclined to be an anarachist group or people trying to replace the actual international order. 
Anyways, we are going to intervene on one of their main bases, located in Eastern Ukraine. We don’t know what is inside, how many people are protecting it or anything else. That’s why we are sending you, the best of the best of the Ground Branch, to clear it. 
 
Primary Objective: Secure the area, neutralize any hostile, seize all intel 
Secondary Objective: N/A 
 
Challenge: 

• Run in Veteran Difficulty 
• Run with the M1911A1… and no NVG

 
Map: Storage Facility 
Gamemode: Intel Retrieval 
Time: 0100 
 
Expected Resistance: 30 
Difficulty: Experienced 
 
Weapons kit: 

• NATO Assault Rifle 
• NATO Handgun

Gear kit: 

• Any helmet (Tan,Snakeskin Desert or Black) with NVGs 
• Any body armor (Tan, Coyote or Black) 
• Battle Belt (Tan or Black) 
• Holster (Coyote Brown or Black)

Outfit: 

• Full Combat/G2 outfit (Tan, OCP or Black)

Conclusion

 
After the raid on the underground storage facility, we’re in the dark. 
We’ve got nothing else about The Believers. 
Nothing. 
 
Our Field Agent is still missing, and judging from what you found in the basement of that school… He’s either dead because he did not talk, or he talked and now we’ve got a major security breach. 
 
From now on, we will be monitoring hotspots 24/7 to locate anything of The Believers. 
They are on the Agency’s and the Bureau’s watchlists. 
The Ground Branch will be deployed as the primary intervention unit when it regards The Believers. 
 
We will hunt them down relentlessly before they bring us on our knees. 
 

This is all about GROUND BRANCH – Full Campaign Story Mode (June 2021); I hope you enjoy reading the Guide! If you feel like we should add more information or we forget/mistake, please let us know via commenting below, and thanks! See you soon!