Mission Types in Quasimorph

Every deployment in Quasimorph begins with a mission contract on the Magnum board. Magnum Scriptum’s turn-based extraction RPG wraps story progress, faction reputation, loot farming, and horror escalation inside these contract types. Choosing the wrong mission for your current goal — chasing loot on a run that spikes Quasimorphosis when you only needed a story key — wastes clones and barter goods. This guide catalogs mission categories available in version 1.0, explains which types lock the horror meter at zero, and maps contracts to campaign phases in Campaign Overview.

Universal mission rules

Regardless of type, all missions share core extraction rules from Getting Started with Quasimorph:

• Deploy a clone with prepared loadout from Classes Hub and Loadout Planner.
• Fight and loot in turn-based AP combat using Combat Stances.
• Extract alive or lose on-body inventory permanently.
• Return loot to Magnum storage for barter and crafting via Magnum Ship Guide.

Mission type modifies objectives, enemy density, Quasimorphosis behavior, and reward tables — not these fundamentals.

Assault missions

Assault contracts prioritize hostile clearance — eliminate targets, secure sectors, or break faction strongpoints. Assault runs typically allow full Quasimorphosis meter climb on horror-capable stations outside Mars’s Absentia moons. Time and kills both feed the meter toward eccolapse and potential Rapture events with the Baron.

Use assault when:

• You need combat drops or Class Chips from high-threat patrols.
• Your kit handles mixed damage per Weapons and Armor and Resistances.
• You accept horror risk for higher reward density.

Avoid assault as your first horror-zone entry. Certify on Phobos with Room Clearing Tactics first.

Loot missions

Loot contracts emphasize acquisition — reach containers, salvage zones, or data vaults before extract. Loot missions also allow normal Quasimorphosis accumulation on eligible stations. They tempt greed: every extra room raises both loot value and horror meter.

Loot discipline:

• Set extract threshold before deploy.
• Prefer Sneak movement when meter is mid-range.
• Abandon optional rooms when eccolapse begins — see Quasimorphosis Survival Guide.

AnCom storyline beats in Quasimorph Factions Guide often recommend loot types for economic progression.

Defence missions

Defence contracts task you with holding positions, protecting assets, or surviving waves within a sector. Defence missions lock the Quasimorphosis meter at zero for the entire run, even on stations that normally support Bramfaturas and horror escalation.

Use defence when:

• You need faction reputation on a horror map without eccolapse.
• Story steps require presence on a dangerous station but not horror pressure — common in Tezctlan and Civil Resistance arcs.
• You are learning layout on a new Quasimorph Solar System node before assault farming.

Defence is the walkthrough player’s stabilizer. Overuse it slows loot; underuse it gets clones killed during narrative beats.

Control missions

Control missions focus on securing objectives — terminals, relays, or faction flags — with structured win conditions. Like Defence, Control missions lock Quasimorphosis at zero throughout the deployment.

Control suits:

• Narrative key retrieval without Rapture risk.
• Faction standing recovery after aggressive assault runs angered traders.
• Training new Classes Builds on unfamiliar stations.

Control enemy mixes vary by faction territory. Examine every new patrol type before committing ammo.

Security missions

Security contracts mirror corporate or faction guard duty — patrol routes, escort assets, or enforce curfew zones. Security missions lock the Quasimorphosis meter at zero like Defence and Control.

RealWare and SBN stations feature frequent security contracts with robot or armored human squads. Security is ideal for farming resistance data and medkit spend practice without horror layers.

Meter-locked versus horror-active summary

Mission type	Quasimorphosis meter on horror stations
Assault	Climbs normally (time + kills)
Loot	Climbs normally (time + kills)
Defence	Locked at zero
Control	Locked at zero
Security	Locked at zero

Absentia moons — Mars, Phobos, Deimos — never accumulate Quasimorphosis regardless of mission type.

Story missions and contract labels

Campaign missions from the five 1.0 storylines — Civil Resistance, Tezctlan, Xiomara, AnCom, RealWare — appear as flagged contracts with unique brief text. Under the hood they still use assault, loot, defence, control, or security rules for meter behavior. Read the mission card before accept; if horror lock matters, prefer defence/control/security variants when the board offers choice.

Campaign Overview notes storyline beats where meter-locked types are strongly recommended.

Matching mission type to Magnum state

Low Supply — favor defence or control on horror maps to avoid consumable burn during eccolapse. Farm Mars loot missions instead.

High Research, mid Navigation — assault RealWare robots for tier upgrades when kits counter resistances.

Pre-ending finale — security or control to retrieve keys, then one deliberate assault only if drops require horror-active tables.

Sync with Bartering on the Magnum so reputation penalties from assault sprees do not block finale purchases.

Mission selection checklist

1. Is the station Absentia? If yes, meter rules matter less — focus on extract training.
2. Do I need horror-active loot tables? If yes, assault or loot.
3. Is this a story beat with rare items on my clone? If yes, strongly consider defence, control, or security.
4. Is my kit verified in Loadout Planner? If no, fix before accept.
5. Do I know extract route from Room Clearing Tactics? If no, scout in a meter-locked run first.

Mission types are Quasimorph’s difficulty dial. Lock the meter when the campaign demands survival; unlock it when your build and nerve can pay the horror tax.