The game uses a first-person cockpit perspective. The player flies several Imperial craft, beginning with the standard TIE Fighter and later gaining access to more specialized vessels. Missions assign specific objectives such as destroying targets, protecting allies, inspecting ships, or surviving scripted engagements.

A campaign map and mission briefings establish the operation, while performance is evaluated through primary and secondary objectives. Successful sorties can open alternative missions and improve the pilot's rank. Combat requires managing shields where available, energy, weapons, targeting systems, and the strengths and weaknesses of each craft.

Read every briefing carefully and identify the primary objective before engaging. Secondary objectives often affect mission progression, but abandoning the main task to chase enemies can cause failure. Use target cycling and the tactical display to locate mission-critical ships quickly.

Avoid prolonged turning fights when flying a lightly protected TIE craft. Attack from advantageous angles, use wingmen and allied capital ships as support, and conserve special weapons for bombers or large targets. Inspect the after-action report to understand which objectives were missed and why the campaign path changed.