The game tries to minimize down time by continuously offering player-generated objectives. For example, if a turret or vehicle gets damaged, Engineers in the area repair them. Wounded soldiers can cry out for medics and so on. Players gain small amounts of XP for completing each task, but it all adds up. Unfortunately, these self-defeating tasks hamper the experience. A tank bombarded by turret fire will most likely explode before an Engineer reaches it, or while it's being repaired. Medics have very little to offer incapacitated front line soldiers besides adding themselves to the casualty list. However, they provide loads of entertainment, throwing first-aid packages around while the scout chucks boxes of ammunition. The pair look like a couple of deranged holiday elves.

ETQW maintains game balance through time requirements for each skill. Turrets need to be flown in and critical tasks like laying explosives involves a two-step process, where the charge gets placed and then armed. The arming process in turn requires time and leaves the soldier completely vulnerable. This puts tremendous pressure on the attacking team because defenders can afford to set down turrets and wait out the game session, while attackers must use everything at their disposal to try to break through. Spies have an especially hard time. They generate disguises from fallen enemies, but the game does everything it can to counter their cover. Hacking into a device automatically drops the cover and leaves the spy vulnerable while the long process takes place. Even a successful hack means that the spy will be behind enemy lines without a disguise. Relatively minor tasks like temporarily disabling a turret will also drop cover, often turning sabotage missions into suicide runs. The best way for a spy to achieve key objectives is to wait for the main battle force to clear out the opposition first, negating the purpose behind covert infiltration.

Enemy Territory's interface has a streamlined design with context sensitive controls, so players of different skill levels can jump right in. Running up to an interactive object like a barricade brings up a hand icon and pressing "F" activates the appropriate response, like planting an explosive. It also forgoes voice communications in favor of a quick communications button that brings up a radial dial with the most likely communications requests, like health or ammo. The interface works well, except for the fact that players need to face an object's sweet spot in order to interact with it, and the spot move as the object changes shape through being repaired or damaged. Also, the manual doesn't explain that laying down mines or planting a bomb takes two steps, which isn't always obvious, since both objects can be thrown out of interactive range. Players are left to wonder why what looks like a remote detonator doesn't do anything and mines tend to vanish without ever going off. The loadout screen doesn't explain the pros and cons of each weapon, or which Strogg gun work best against vehicles. Players must access the game disc's Advanced User's Guide through the Autoplay screen to get this critical information.