Stage 12 is here. A war is more than the decision to attack: it is how far you push, what you can keep supplied, what you can afford to lose, and whether there is still a deal worth making.
This update gives those decisions more room. There is a seven-rung escalation ladder, a Talks track for wartime negotiation, more to defend in your industrial base, and new coastal and political choices. Some additions belong to particular scenarios; those are called out below.
How far are you willing to go?
Each side has its own escalation level. Your level governs the actions available to you, so the two sides of a war can face different choices.
The escalation ladder runs through crisis, proxy conflict, standoff, limited air and naval war with blockade, theater war, total war, and WMD. A confrontation does not have to begin as an invasion or end as an all-out war.
That gives a blockade or a limited campaign a place of its own. Before you commit more force, consider what you want from the war and what another step could cost. Read more about combat and escalation.
Keep talking while the war is still running
Talks adds a negotiation track to eligible ongoing wars and standoffs. It gives diplomacy a role while the conflict is unfolding, when holding out, changing your demands, or pursuing a settlement are still meaningful choices.
Opening talks is not a promise of peace. A military advantage and a workable agreement are different things. The diplomacy guide now covers this part of the war alongside the relationships behind it.
The factories behind the front
Factories can be targeted and damaged, hardened against attack, repaired, and rebuilt after destruction. The industrial map layer lets you inspect site condition and review strike targets.
There is a decision on both sides of that map: attack the industry sustaining a rival, or spend resources protecting and restoring your own. A damaged site is something to deal with after the strike, too.
Supply and sea control remain part of the wider picture. A strong army still needs a campaign it can sustain. Our economic warfare guide connects industrial recovery to resources and trade.
A coast is a defended approach
Coastal batteries and landing weather make the shoreline worth studying before committing an amphibious force. The approach matters as well as the army you hope to put ashore.
In the modern WW3 scenario, landing choices, flanking approaches, and deception add further options. Those additions are specific to WW3. See naval warfare for the overview.
Cold War politics, closer to home
The Cold War scenario adds Community and party politics. Alongside rivalry abroad, the political groups within a country become part of the picture you need to follow.
Community and party politics are active in Cold War. Start with the 1947 scenario and our updated internal conflict guide.
Know what your information is telling you
The feature guides also needed a correction. Optional map fog, estimates of military strength, and the attribution of proxy sponsorship answer different questions.
Map fog is off by default, and simulation mode keeps the observer map visible. Intelligence estimates have confidence and can grow stale. Proxy sponsorship can move from hidden to suspected to attributed. None of these is a guarantee that every opponent sees precisely what you see. The revised fog and intelligence guide explains the distinction.
Try a campaign
Pick a scenario, decide what you want to achieve, and pay attention to the choices around the battles. The cost of war is another reason to think about when to stop.
This post covers Stage 12. Browser demo updates roll out separately, so features depend on the demo version and scenario you are playing.
— Charlie