Battles are more than straight skirmishes too, sub-missions spawning as you enter an area, depending on the current situation (which area it is, your tech level, what the prophets read in the open belly of a goat). For example, near the start of the game a local tribe might have their princess stolen, and you can rescue her to gain their allegiance. As you progress, you'll increasingly be given missions on the strategic level, such as conquering three of a faction's provinces to precipitate Empire Earth's equivalent of the collapse of the Soviet Union.
At this stage, everything seems more alive than in previous games. In the wake of the huge leaps forward made by Company of Heroes and Supreme Commander, this is exactly the kind of revitalization to keep Empire Earth relevant in the modern age.
