pinback wrote:

In most games, the campaign is there to teach you the game, so you can eventually play the "skirmish"/standard mode properly.

Here it is the opposite, and in fact it won't let you play the campaign until you've played the standard game well enough (3+ stars).

A bold choice, which in this case I feel is absolutely correct, because the campaign missions aren't scenarios with limited mechanics introduced to you slowly. The campaign missions are the full, standard game, with all of its challenges, PLUS additional challenges which add significant complexity.

If you aren't any good at the standard game, there is no way you will succeed in the campaign.

An interesting, novel approach which I appreciate and of which I approve.