Are random encounters primarily used to level up your characters? I'm sort of stuck early on because there's a ruined house that blows itself up(traps/mines) and none of my characters seems to be able to spot the devices. I figured maybe I'm supposed to increase my character's levels/traits/etc. by fighting in some random encounters? I mean it makes sense to do so, but I'm just curious if there's more to it or if I am right or whatever. Particularly since the only way I seem to be able to encounter them is to head directly to them, not be 'surprised' by them.

To level up and get more ammo and guns, yes. Random encounters in SS and SSS are strange though because, like you said, you pretty much decide yourself whether or not you want to check them out. I've had them pop up right in front of my travelling party, but that's extremely rare.

Ty for response.

But why do we need more ammo and guns? We're part of the vast military right? And doesn't ammo replenish when you come back to base? Or is it 'special' ammo and guns you get from random encounters? Is there a way to tell the difference(so many various guns/ammo with various names, hard to keep track).

The Allies and Axis factions will stock different guns and ammo at base. So you might want to farm the opposite faction's guns/ammo if you're not getting the ones you want at base. Medical, engineering, and grenade items also don't infinitely respawn at base. And yeah, there are some special items that appear in random encounters.

Alright, thanks. Still irritating to have to remember/write down so I can remember which weapon is which.

Random encounters are kind of odd in this game. Calling them "random encounters" at all is deceptive, because they haven't really got much in common with traditional wandering monster type encounters.

In fact they're actually fixed locations on the map that are only accessible when their particular red diamond appears. They respawn once you've cleared them out, and there's a bit of randomness in the number and location of the enemies you'll meet in them.

If you let your team sit on the map without moving and simply watch the red diamonds pop up, you'll notice they always appear in the same places, give or take a few pixels. If you enter one at, say, a crossroads, and you find a truck by the side of the road with some guards, you'll find the same truck every time you enter the red diamond that pops up at that spot.

Some of the "random encounters" have good loot (including unique items in rare cases), and the nice thing is that if you find a fun, profitable one and clear it out, it will respawn once you leave so you can do it over and over again if you choose. All you have to do is wait for it's red diamond to re-appear.

You can switch on invisible random encounters asell, I think this means you will just randomly be thrown into one while moving across a map. Like going through long grass in pokemon :) And yes, there are a few interesting unique weapons that you can only get from REs