ɪnðə ɡˈeɪm, ðə plˈeɪɚ tˈeɪks ðə ɹˈoʊl ʌv spˈɛktɚ, ɐ mˈɜːsənˌɛɹi bˈæɾəl mˈɛtʃ pˈaɪlət tɹˈævəlɪŋ ɪnsˈaɪd ðə fˈɪkʃənəl ˌɪntɚstˈɛlɚ ɹˈiːdʒən ʌvðə bˈæɾəl tˈɛk jˈuːnɪvˌɜːs kˈɔːld ðɪ ˈɪnɚ sfˈɪɹ dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə fˈɛd kˈɑːm sˈɪvəl wˈɔːɹ spəsˈɪfɪkli dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə tˈaɪm pˈiəɹɪəd fɹʌm dʒˈænjuːˌɛɹi wˈʌn, θɹˈiː θˈaʊzənd sˈɪksti sˈɪks tə lˈeɪt dʒuːlˈaɪ θɹˈiː θˈaʊzənd sˈɪksti sˈɛvən.
In the game, the player takes the role of Spectre, a mercenary BattleMech pilot travelling inside the fictional interstellar region of the BattleTech universe called the Inner Sphere during the FedCom Civil War (specifically during the time period from January 1, 3066 to late July 3067).