In Stellaris, a “casus belli” (plural: “casus belli”) is a Latin term that translates to “cause of war.” It refers to the justification or reason a nation has for declaring war on another. In the context of Stellaris, casus belli is a game mechanic that determines the reasons and conditions under which one empire can declare war on another. Understanding the casus belli system is crucial for managing diplomatic relations and warfare in the game. Here’s what you need to know:
Types of Casus Belli:
- No Casus Belli:
- Without a specific reason or justification, empires can declare war on each other at any time. However, this may lead to diplomatic consequences and negatively impact your empire’s reputation.
- Claims and Border Disputes:
- Empires can declare war to enforce claims on star systems owned by other empires. Claims are made using Influence and represent your empire’s territorial ambitions.
- Border disputes can arise when empires’ borders overlap, leading to tensions. War can be declared to resolve these disputes and secure contested systems.
- Liberty War:
- A subject empire may declare a war of independence against its overlord in a bid for freedom. This casus belli allows subjects to break free from their overlords.
- Ideological War:
- Spiritualist and Materialist empires can declare ideological wars against empires with opposing ethics. This war type is motivated by ideological differences.
- Purification and Cleansing Wars:
- Fanatic Purifiers, Devouring Swarms, and Determined Exterminators can declare wars to cleanse the galaxy of other species. These wars allow these aggressive and xenophobic empires to exterminate or assimilate other species.
- Colossus Wars:
- Empires equipped with Colossus ships can declare Total War, which aims to subjugate or annihilate an entire empire. Colossus wars are especially devastating and have significant consequences for the galaxy.
Casus Belli Requirements:
- Influence Cost: Many casus belli require spending Influence to make claims or declare war.
- War Goals: When declaring war, you must specify your goals, such as conquering specific star systems, forcing a rival to become your vassal, or liberating a subject empire.
- War Exhaustion: War exhaustion measures how tired an empire is of the ongoing conflict. High war exhaustion can lead to negative consequences, making empires more likely to accept peace offers.
War Score and Peace Treaties:
- War Score: War score represents how well each side is performing in the war. Victories in battles, occupation of enemy systems, and achieving war goals increase your war score.
- Peace Treaties: When war exhaustion becomes high, empires can negotiate peace. Depending on the war score and achieved goals, you can demand various concessions in a peace treaty, such as transferring star systems, vassalizing the enemy, or imposing ideology changes.
Understanding the different types of casus belli and their requirements is crucial for strategic planning and successful warfare in Stellaris. Each casus belli offers unique opportunities and challenges, shaping the dynamics of the galactic stage.