Ground Branch missions and modes: the Operations campaign Prologue, PvE quick missions, PvP modes, training areas, every map, and server mission setup.
Ground Branch Missions & Modes: Operations, PvE and PvP Explained
Ground Branch V1.0 is built on a mission framework rather than a classic campaign: the Operations story mode (starting with a two-mission Prologue), a set of PvE quick missions you can play solo or with up to 7 teammates, PvP modes for up to 8v8, and training areas. Every map can host most modes, and server owners pair maps with missions by configuration. Here's the complete picture of what you can play.
Here's what you'll learn:
- The Operations campaign: what the Prologue actually contains
- Every PvE quick mission: Terrorist Hunt, Intel Retrieval, Defuse, Extraction
- Every PvP mode: Deathmatch, Team Elimination, Uplink and more
- The training areas (Aircraft Takedown, Killhouse, ranges)
- The full map list and what each map plays like
- How mission types are assigned on servers (MapList.ini)
Official resources: Steam store page · Official wiki · V1.0 Steam news · Official roadmap / Intel Report #032
Operations: The Campaign (Prologue, V1.0)
Operations is Ground Branch's campaign framework — an interactive world map of hotspots (CIA areas of interest) with briefings, news feeds and persistent progression. V1.0 launches it with one hotspot:
- Northwest Pakistan (Kill or Capture) — an old fort on the Afghan border.
- Prologue missions: 01. Onyx Flame and 02. Gilded Arrow — playable in succession (complete the first to unlock the second), solo (Lone Wolf) or in online co-op.
- Full voiced briefings from characters John Hawk and team handler "Forge", with scripted events inside the missions.
The Prologue is deliberately a gentle on-ramp, set two years before the main campaign events. Friendly AI teammates arrive with Chapter 1 (V1.1.0) — at launch the Prologue is human-squad only. The official roadmap runs three more chapters (V1.1.0–V1.1.2, each adding a hotspot with 3–4 missions) and then the V1.2.0 Multiplayer Update.
Official source: the V1.0 Steam news post confirms the Prologue "features 2 new Operations," the Northwest Pakistan hotspot, and that "friendly AI will be reintroduced in Chapter 1 (V1.1.0 release)."
PvE Quick Missions (Solo or Co-op)
These are the play-anytime missions, launched from the Ready Room or Lone Wolf mode. All can be played solo with AI enemies (up to 50; ~15 recommended) or with up to 8 players:
| Mode | Objective | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Terrorist Hunt | Eliminate all enemy AI | The bread-and-butter; learning maps and movement |
| Intel Retrieval | Grab the objective (e.g. laptop), exfil as a team | Team coordination and exfil discipline |
| Defuse | Find and defuse all bombs before the timer | Pressure training — timer forces movement |
| Extraction (new in V1.0) | Rescue the hostage from two captors | High-stakes CQB; morale system adds a timer of its own |
Every PvE quick mission can be launched solo from Lone Wolf with AI — so if you want to learn a map before playing it online, set up a Terrorist Hunt with 10–15 enemies and walk it first. No team required, no pressure, and the AI teaches you the danger spots.
Extraction details: 10–30 enemies per map (enforced for balance). Two captors guard the hostage, and their morale drains as combat unfolds — at zero, the hostage is executed. So you can't brute-force it: you need suppression, speed and controlled entry. Enemy AI behavior settings (count, skill, reaction time, recoil compensation, suppression recovery and more) are all configurable per round.
PvP Modes (Up to 8v8)
- Deathmatch — free-for-all, most eliminations wins.
- Team Deathmatch — team-scored eliminations.
- Team Elimination — no respawns; last team standing.
- Uplink — attack/defend: attackers locate and hack an intel device while defenders guard it.
- Defuse — bomb-style attack/defend rounds on a target.
- Hostage Rescue — round-based rescue vs. PvP defenders (community-documented; availability varies by server).
PvP rules are set per server (round time, time limit, spectate rules, team restrictions, etc.). The community runs everything from casual TDM servers to hardcore mil-sim communities with kit restrictions — the server browser lets you filter by mode.
Training Areas
Training mode is the underrated third pillar — it's Ground Branch's actual tutorial, reachable from the main menu:
- The Farm (Camp Peary) — main training map; spawn here directly, modify kit at workbenches.
- Aircraft Takedown — a 747 fuselage with pop-up targets and hostages plus timers.
- Killhouse — rooms, doors, hallways, pop-up targets and timers — the CQB classroom.
- Shooting and explosive ranges — stationary and moving targets, plus a stress version with simulated explosions.
Every Map in V1.0
V1.0's map selection added two brand-new maps, two ground-up remakes and one overhaul on top of the core roster:
- New: Outpost — mountain fort on the Afghan border (NW Pakistan); tied to the Prologue's second mission at launch.
- New: Border — US–Mexico bridge checkpoint: alleys, a canal, a junkyard, a cartel telecom building.
- Remake: Airbase — the 747 airliner scenario rebuilt as a Libya airbase.
- Remake: Hospital — the old RunDown map rebuilt as a derelict Soviet-era hospital turned PMC command center, with an opened-up exterior.
- Overhaul: Creek — the woodland classic, given a V1.0 pass.
- Core roster: Small Town (Camp Peary training town), Power Station (Libya), City, 747, Depot, RunDown, Tanker, Rig (offshore oil rig, vertical CQB), Compound, Storage Facility, Arena and Arena2 (compact PvP arenas).
Most maps have day/night variants (with selectable moon phases since V1.0) and weather options; doors and windows can differ between rounds. The classic beginner pair remains Small Town and Power Station — see the beginners guide for first-map advice, and the tactics guide for how to clear their buildings.
How Missions Are Assigned on Servers
On a dedicated server, the game mode is the mission paired with a map, configured in MapList.ini:
MapList=/Game/GroundBranch/Maps/SmallTown/SmallTown?Mission=/Game/GroundBranch/Mission/SmallTown/IntelRetrieval?opforcount=30?difficulty=2?roundtime=60?timeofday=0800
Mission files available include Terrorist Hunt, Intel Retrieval, Extraction, Uplink, Defuse, Deathmatch and Team Elimination (availability varies by map). Options like opforcount, difficulty, roundtime, timelimit and timeofday are per-map. A server can also rotate maps with different missions on each entry. Full hosting instructions are in the multiplayer guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ground Branch have a campaign?
Yes — Operations, a hotspot-based campaign framework. V1.0 ships with the Prologue: two missions (Onyx Flame, Gilded Arrow) in Northwest Pakistan, with voiced briefings, persistent progression, and three more chapters planned across 2026–2027.
What missions are in Ground Branch 1.0?
The Prologue's two Operations (Onyx Flame, Gilded Arrow), plus the PvE quick missions Terrorist Hunt, Intel Retrieval, Defuse and Extraction, plus PvP modes and training areas.
What game modes does Ground Branch have?
PvE: Terrorist Hunt, Intel Retrieval, Defuse, Extraction. PvP: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Team Elimination, Uplink, Defuse, Hostage Rescue. Plus Training mode and the Operations campaign.
How many maps does Ground Branch have?
Roughly 17 playable environments at V1.0: the new Outpost and Border, the Airbase and Hospital remakes, the overhauled Creek, and the core roster (Small Town, Power Station, City, 747, Depot, RunDown, Tanker, Rig, Compound, Storage Facility, Arena, Arena2), most with day/night variants.
What is the Extraction mode in Ground Branch?
A PvE quick mission (new in V1.0): rescue a hostage from two captors across a map with 10–30 enemies. The captors' morale drains during combat — at zero, the hostage is executed, so the rescue must be fast and controlled.
How do I change the mission on a Ground Branch server?
Edit MapList.ini on the server: each entry pairs a map with a mission file (TerroristHunt, IntelRetrieval, Extraction, Uplink, etc.) plus options like opforcount, difficulty, roundtime and timeofday. Restart or use the admin panel to apply.
Related Guides
- Ground Branch Wiki — Complete Game Overview, Modes & 1.0
- Ground Branch Multiplayer Guide: Co-op, PvP & Dedicated Servers
- Ground Branch Weapons Guide: Every Class, Ranked & Recommended
- Ground Branch Tactics Guide: CQB Formations, Breaching & Entry
- Ground Branch How to Play: Controls, Combat Flow & Objectives
- Ground Branch System Requirements: Minimum & Recommended PC Specs
Last updated: August 14, 2026.
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