Game tells me to travel to a system for a mission. Won't let me start. WTF?

[ForgetNothing]

The menus give no indication why I can't deploy. Starting to get irritated with this game.

[Sedmeister]

For what it's worth, the first thing you should do when you start a game is modify the armour on stock mechs. The stock builds as a rule are way under armoured as well as putting way to much armour on the back of the mechs.

[lordpooky]

it helps if you invite a friend sometimes as well

[MensRea]

Originally posted by PrefectOfBajor:

First time playing the story mode, I've just named my Merc company and saved that dig site and picked up one other mechwarrior. The next mission requires me to travel to a system still within the Federated Suns and it's an assassination contract.

Assuming I am understanding your description correctly: you do not do the main missions one after another. You are expected to grind missions between main story missions to build up pilot experience/gain new mechs and gear/etc. After the mission you get the Jenner/second pilot, dip out of the war zone to the closest industrial hub, pick up a third pilot for the 3rd mech you should have and then either go to another planet in that industrial hub for another good-ish pilot (in the 30s at least and with at least 2 in shielding and avoidance is best for starter pilots) then go back into that combat system and run missions. You will get a fourth mech after the assassination mission for Interstellar Expeditions. *DO NOT run any multi mission contracts yet those are for when you have depth to your bench in mechs/pilots/gear. **Watch out for a lvl one mission "Destroy the Settlement" in that system also, it is bugged out and wont finish so do not take it. Shows up randomly, but here is a screen shot of what it looks like. https://gyazo.com/051d58ebfec98016b15880e5fbb6a8ae

[Actaeon]

Only thing that outright stops me from starting a mission is if a mech is still undergoing repairs, or is over tonnage, indicated by yellow icons at the bottom of the mech portrait in the deploy screen. Also, when a pilot is injured.
Now, when you are in a conflict zone, there should be contracts all over the place, though there IS a limited "scanner range" so to speak. you won't see any contracts unless you are within a certain distance, maybe 3 or 4 jumps worth, give or take. Just have to move gradually.
And, like the person above me said, you are not meant to go from one main mission to the next. I hit year 3060 before I even got through half of the main story because I was just THAT distracted and having fun just doing contracts, finding new mechs, starting new side quests, especially from the transmissions added through Heroes of the Inner Sphere and Legend of the Kestrel Lancers DLC's! They were pretty cool and they typically end with a more structured mission and a pretty epic battle! and I am not talking about the LOTKL main mission, though that was cool to.

[GrindByKnight]

Originally posted by PrefectOfBajor:

First time playing the story mode, I've just named my Merc company and saved that dig site and picked up one other mechwarrior. The next mission requires me to travel to a system still within the Federated Suns and it's an assassination contract.

It seems like you fell into the same pitfall I did when I first tried to play campaign. You need to go to an industrial hub (chain of systems linked by dotted lines) to pick up more pilots. You want a minimum of three plus you. Sounds like you're trying to do a large side quest with only two mechs, which is gonna be an awful timenif you're just starting.

You can find missions only in combat zones - these are the sections on the map with orange shading. You will be able to see on the map which systems have missions available, as well as which type. Stay away from high-reward missions (sidequests) until you're comfortable with the game.

[George W. Kush]

Talk to Ryana/Fahad is most likely the issue. you need to do that

[ForgetNothing]

Originally posted by GrindByKnight:

Originally posted by PrefectOfBajor:

First time playing the story mode, I've just named my Merc company and saved that dig site and picked up one other mechwarrior. The next mission requires me to travel to a system still within the Federated Suns and it's an assassination contract.

It seems like you fell into the same pitfall I did when I first tried to play campaign. You need to go to an industrial hub (chain of systems linked by dotted lines) to pick up more pilots. You want a minimum of three plus you. Sounds like you're trying to do a large side quest with only two mechs, which is gonna be an awful timenif you're just starting.

You can find missions only in combat zones - these are the sections on the map with orange shading. You will be able to see on the map which systems have missions available, as well as which type. Stay away from high-reward missions (sidequests) until you're comfortable with the game.

I didn't think of it that way. I thought it was too early in the game to have that many pilots.

[ForgetNothing]

Let's just say I was hoping to start vaporizing Capellans from the get go lol