The first half: it is totally inconsequential, the characters lose their money in the most irresponsible way imaginable, as one bureaucrat shuts down the entire squad. If the European military is run like that they deserve to lose.
The whole gipsy sub plot is pointless. I get they were trying to flesh out the characters and give them relations beyond just fighting, but it serves no purpose, except fill time. In fact the entire episode is drag as much as possible.
The second part: yes Lelouch appears, but not really. The great character from the series is gone and what is left behind is a shell, a cartoon. He acts smart, because we are suppose to know he is smart, but in the context of this story he does very little. Then there is some dumb plot about a guy betraying Britania, and trying to use Lelouch's identity to force a rebellion, but it makes no sense. As his action are mostly random and he has no clear motive, just the usual anime trope of he is disappointed with humanity so he is just going to kill everyone.
In conclusion the characters are dull, the plot meanders the entire run time, and the beloved characters of the original series are reduced to caricatures of their former selves.
