diff --git a/worlds/sc2/mission_order/entry_rules.py b/worlds/sc2/mission_order/entry_rules.py
index cb3afb37..afa872de 100644
--- a/worlds/sc2/mission_order/entry_rules.py
+++ b/worlds/sc2/mission_order/entry_rules.py
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ from BaseClasses import CollectionState
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from .nodes import SC2MOGenMission
 
+def always_true(state: CollectionState) -> bool:
+    """Helper method to avoid creating trivial lambdas"""
+    return True
+
 
 class EntryRule(ABC):
     buffer_fulfilled: bool
@@ -60,6 +64,11 @@ class EntryRule(ABC):
         """Used in the client to determine accessibility while playing and to populate tooltips."""
         pass
 
+    @abstractmethod
+    def find_mandatory_mission(self) -> SC2MOGenMission | None:
+        """Should return any mission that is mandatory to fulfill the entry rule, or `None` if there is no such mission."""
+        return None
+
 
 @dataclass
 class RuleData(ABC):
@@ -103,6 +112,11 @@ class BeatMissionsEntryRule(EntryRule):
             mission_ids,
             resolved_reqs
         )
+    
+    def find_mandatory_mission(self) -> SC2MOGenMission | None:
+        if len(self.missions_to_beat) > 0:
+            return self.missions_to_beat[0]
+        return None
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -140,7 +154,7 @@ class CountMissionsEntryRule(EntryRule):
     def __init__(self, missions_to_count: List[SC2MOGenMission], target_amount: int, visual_reqs: List[Union[str, SC2MOGenMission]]):
         super().__init__()
         self.missions_to_count = missions_to_count
-        if target_amount == -1 or target_amount > len(missions_to_count):
+        if target_amount <= -1 or target_amount > len(missions_to_count):
             self.target_amount = len(missions_to_count)
         else:
             self.target_amount = target_amount
@@ -155,7 +169,20 @@ class CountMissionsEntryRule(EntryRule):
         return max(mission_depth, self.target_amount - 1) # -1 because depth is zero-based but amount is one-based
 
     def to_lambda(self, player: int) -> Callable[[CollectionState], bool]:
-        return lambda state: self.target_amount <= sum(state.has(mission.beat_item(), player) for mission in self.missions_to_count)
+        if self.target_amount == 0:
+            return always_true
+        
+        beat_items = [mission.beat_item() for mission in self.missions_to_count]
+        def count_missions(state: CollectionState) -> bool:
+            count = 0
+            for mission in range(len(self.missions_to_count)):
+                if state.has(beat_items[mission], player):
+                    count += 1
+                    if count == self.target_amount:
+                        return True
+            return False
+        
+        return count_missions
     
     def to_slot_data(self) -> RuleData:
         resolved_reqs: List[Union[str, int]] = [req if isinstance(req, str) else req.mission.id for req in self.visual_reqs]
@@ -165,6 +192,11 @@ class CountMissionsEntryRule(EntryRule):
             self.target_amount,
             resolved_reqs
         )
+    
+    def find_mandatory_mission(self) -> SC2MOGenMission | None:
+        if self.target_amount > 0 and self.target_amount == len(self.missions_to_count):
+            return self.missions_to_count[0]
+        return None
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -216,13 +248,21 @@ class SubRuleEntryRule(EntryRule):
         self.rule_id = rule_id
         self.rules_to_check = rules_to_check
         self.min_depth = -1
-        if target_amount == -1 or target_amount > len(rules_to_check):
+        if target_amount <= -1 or target_amount > len(rules_to_check):
             self.target_amount = len(rules_to_check)
         else:
             self.target_amount = target_amount
 
     def _is_fulfilled(self, beaten_missions: Set[SC2MOGenMission], in_region_check: bool) -> bool:
-        return self.target_amount <= sum(rule.is_fulfilled(beaten_missions, in_region_check) for rule in self.rules_to_check)
+        if len(self.rules_to_check) == 0:
+            return True
+        count = 0
+        for rule in self.rules_to_check:
+            if rule.is_fulfilled(beaten_missions, in_region_check):
+                count += 1
+                if count == self.target_amount:
+                    return True
+        return False
     
     def _get_depth(self, beaten_missions: Set[SC2MOGenMission]) -> int:
         if len(self.rules_to_check) == 0:
@@ -235,7 +275,21 @@ class SubRuleEntryRule(EntryRule):
 
     def to_lambda(self, player: int) -> Callable[[CollectionState], bool]:
         sub_lambdas = [rule.to_lambda(player) for rule in self.rules_to_check]
-        return lambda state, sub_lambdas=sub_lambdas: self.target_amount <= sum(sub_lambda(state) for sub_lambda in sub_lambdas)
+        if self.target_amount == 0:
+            return always_true
+        if len(sub_lambdas) == 1:
+            return sub_lambdas[0]
+        
+        def count_rules(state: CollectionState) -> bool:
+            count = 0
+            for sub_lambda in sub_lambdas:
+                if sub_lambda(state):
+                    count += 1
+                    if count == self.target_amount:
+                        return True
+            return False
+        
+        return count_rules
     
     def to_slot_data(self) -> SubRuleRuleData:
         sub_rules = [rule.to_slot_data() for rule in self.rules_to_check]
@@ -244,6 +298,14 @@ class SubRuleEntryRule(EntryRule):
             sub_rules,
             self.target_amount
         )
+    
+    def find_mandatory_mission(self) -> SC2MOGenMission | None:
+        if self.target_amount > 0 and self.target_amount == len(self.rules_to_check):
+            for sub_rule in self.rules_to_check:
+                mandatory_mission = sub_rule.find_mandatory_mission()
+                if mandatory_mission is not None:
+                    return mandatory_mission
+        return None
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -362,6 +424,9 @@ class ItemEntryRule(EntryRule):
             item_ids,
             visual_reqs
         )
+    
+    def find_mandatory_mission(self) -> SC2MOGenMission | None:
+        return None
 
 
 @dataclass
diff --git a/worlds/sc2/mission_order/generation.py b/worlds/sc2/mission_order/generation.py
index 5582d7c3..928c0a45 100644
--- a/worlds/sc2/mission_order/generation.py
+++ b/worlds/sc2/mission_order/generation.py
@@ -491,23 +491,60 @@ def make_connections(mission_order: SC2MOGenMissionOrder, world: 'SC2World'):
         for layout in campaign.layouts:
             for mission in layout.missions:
                 if not mission.option_empty:
+                    mission_uses_rule = mission.entry_rule.target_amount > 0
                     mission_rule = mission.entry_rule.to_lambda(player)
+                    mandatory_prereq = mission.entry_rule.find_mandatory_mission()
                     # Only layout entrances need to consider campaign & layout prerequisites
                     if mission.option_entrance:
-                        campaign_rule = mission.parent().parent().entry_rule.to_lambda(player)
-                        layout_rule = mission.parent().entry_rule.to_lambda(player)
-                        unlock_rule = lambda state, campaign_rule=campaign_rule, layout_rule=layout_rule, mission_rule=mission_rule: \
-                                             campaign_rule(state) and layout_rule(state) and mission_rule(state)
-                    else:
+                        campaign_uses_rule = campaign.entry_rule.target_amount > 0
+                        campaign_rule = campaign.entry_rule.to_lambda(player)
+                        layout_uses_rule = layout.entry_rule.target_amount > 0
+                        layout_rule = layout.entry_rule.to_lambda(player)
+
+                        # Any mandatory prerequisite mission is good enough
+                        mandatory_prereq = campaign.entry_rule.find_mandatory_mission() if mandatory_prereq is None else mandatory_prereq
+                        mandatory_prereq = layout.entry_rule.find_mandatory_mission() if mandatory_prereq is None else mandatory_prereq
+
+                        # Avoid calling obviously unused lambdas
+                        if campaign_uses_rule:
+                            if layout_uses_rule:
+                                if mission_uses_rule:
+                                    unlock_rule = lambda state, campaign_rule=campaign_rule, layout_rule=layout_rule, mission_rule=mission_rule: \
+                                                         campaign_rule(state) and layout_rule(state) and mission_rule(state)
+                                else:
+                                    unlock_rule = lambda state, campaign_rule=campaign_rule, layout_rule=layout_rule: \
+                                                         campaign_rule(state) and layout_rule(state)
+                            else:
+                                if mission_uses_rule:
+                                    unlock_rule = lambda state, campaign_rule=campaign_rule, mission_rule=mission_rule: \
+                                                         campaign_rule(state) and mission_rule(state)
+                                else:
+                                    unlock_rule = campaign_rule
+                        elif layout_uses_rule:
+                            if mission_uses_rule:
+                                unlock_rule = lambda state, layout_rule=layout_rule, mission_rule=mission_rule: \
+                                                     layout_rule(state) and mission_rule(state)
+                            else:
+                                unlock_rule = layout_rule
+                        elif mission_uses_rule:
+                            unlock_rule = mission_rule
+                        else:
+                            unlock_rule = None
+                    elif mission_uses_rule:
                         unlock_rule = mission_rule
-                    # Individually connect to previous missions
-                    for prev_mission in mission.prev:
-                        connect(world, names, prev_mission.mission.mission_name, mission.mission.mission_name,
-                                lambda state, unlock_rule=unlock_rule: unlock_rule(state))
-                    # If there are no previous missions, connect to Menu instead
-                    if len(mission.prev) == 0:
-                        connect(world, names, "Menu", mission.mission.mission_name,
-                                lambda state, unlock_rule=unlock_rule: unlock_rule(state))
+                    else:
+                        unlock_rule = None
+                    
+                    # Connect to a discovered mandatory mission if possible
+                    if mandatory_prereq is not None:
+                        connect(world, names, mandatory_prereq.mission.mission_name, mission.mission.mission_name, unlock_rule)
+                    else:
+                        # If no mission is known to be mandatory, connect to all previous missions instead
+                        for prev_mission in mission.prev:
+                            connect(world, names, prev_mission.mission.mission_name, mission.mission.mission_name, unlock_rule)
+                        # As a last resort connect to Menu
+                        if len(mission.prev) == 0:
+                            connect(world, names, "Menu", mission.mission.mission_name, unlock_rule)
 
 
 def connect(world: 'SC2World', used_names: Dict[str, int], source: str, target: str,