I'd have to agree with Fireblade. I, by nature, have to finish every single part of this game. The battlefields are just so damn boring it makes me quit after about an hour. You pretty much HAVE to use them if you want to play on tactical mode (the way the game was intended). So saying they're optional really isn't entirely true. If you didn't go there, you would probably face a lot harder time selling and buying stuff for one. Then there's the levels.
