Every time you fight against another player you will score Grudge points against them. These represent the simmering anger generated by a conflict, which can cause it to escalate into a full-scale invasion! The number generated depends on the outcome; the winner of a battle receives one Grudge point, and the loser gets two. In a draw, both players get two points. Keep track of the Grudge points you have against each opposing player.

When you fight a battle against an opponent that you have Grudge points against, you can try to escalate the battle. Roll a D6 and compare the number rolled to the amount of Grudge points that you have against this opponent. If you roll equal to or under the number of Grudge points you have the battle escalates. If you roll higher the battle is fought normally. In either case, all the Grudge points you have against this opponent are reduced to zero after the attempt to escalate the conflict.

If the conflict escalates then it becomes a war of conquest. The battle is fought using the normal rules, but if the player who escalated the conflict wins, instead of stealing the benefits of a territory for one battle, he is allowed to conquer a territory and add it to his empire. Denote a captured territory on the campaign map with a suitable marker. A player's capital can only be captured if it is the last territory they control.

It is possible for both players in a battle to escalate the conflict. If both do this the winner is allowed to take a territory from the loser.