War
War Goals
Demo Patch 7 gives every offensive campaign one of four War Goals: Conquest, Liberation, Tribute, or Humiliation. The chosen goal determines what the final peace settlement does; military pressure does not always mean land changes hands.
Demo Patch 7 · Early Access may change these rules
Updated 2026-10-28
The four War Goals
| War Goal | Objective and settlement |
|---|---|
| Conquest | Seize an eligible neighboring Zone; the conquered Zone changes ownership. |
| Liberation | Return conquered territory to its former owner or an allied claimant. |
| Tribute | Make the defeated faction pay Silver over several monthly installments. |
| Humiliation | Reduce the defeated faction’s prestige and make it more cautious about future wars. |
Who chooses war and peace?
War declarations and peace agreements follow the government’s decision makers. Democracy involves citizens, Round Table involves Zone Leaders, and Dictatorship or Monarchy leaves decisions to its ruler. Personality and Faction, Culture, and Religion Traits influence aggression, preferred goals, risk-taking, and endurance. Traits that prevent starting wars are respected.
When a campaign can end
A normal victory requires at least one full in-game day. That is a minimum, not a promise that a war ends after a day: it can last much longer, and cannot suddenly end while armies are fighting or capturing an objective. Once peace is reached, the settlement applies the War Goal. Surviving armies return to friendly territory and demobilize; collapsing morale can also cause an early retreat.
Read the campaign rather than just the border
The Faction Inspector and World Event Log report War Goals, War Score, casualties, War Exhaustion, active fronts, military strength, army groups, morale, and peace settlements. A Tribute or Humiliation campaign may pressure an unconquerable Zone without transferring it. City Zones cannot be conquest targets or change ownership.