The ladder of war
Wars that open as a raid, an expedition or a fight at sea, and climb towards total war only when conditions push them.
- Area
- War and diplomacy
- Stage
- In design
- Kind of change
- Rebuilds a system
Most conflict in the period sat below total war, and some of it below war altogether. The design replaces peace-or-war with a ladder:
- Pressure: embargoes, privateers, demands backed by fleets.
- Trade conflict: fleets fight, armies stay home; a peace can take trade terms, never land.
- Raid: standing forces only; gold and loot, no land.
- Expedition: one army after one objective.
- Theatre campaign: levies in one region; gains limited to it.
- Total war: everything committed.
A war can open at any rung. It climbs when the objective holds out, a great battle is fought or allies join, and settles back when exhaustion and debt bite.