You lead the National Security Council. Every week you choose one move — diplomacy, sanctions, covert action, or force. Push too hard and the crisis escalates toward war. Do nothing and your public loses faith. There is no scripted outcome: the rival AI reacts to what you actually do.
De-escalate the flashpoint before the ladder hits WAR, without your Public Support or International Legitimacy collapsing to zero. The best games end with a negotiated resolution, not a battlefield one.
Political Capital — spend it on actions; regenerates a little each week. Public Support — falls if you look weak or reckless; costs you the game at 0. Int'l Legitimacy — allies' patience; sanctions/strikes cost it, diplomacy earns it. Intel — build it up to unlock stronger diplomatic and covert options.
Pick exactly one Council action. The rival AI then reacts based on its own posture and how exposed it feels — a cautious rival de-escalates if you offer an off-ramp; a cornered or aggressive one may not. A random world event can also shift things either way.
If the rival is a nuclear power and the ladder reaches WAR, the outcome is Mutual Assured Destruction — nobody wins. Keep nuclear rivals off the brink.
At the end you're scored as Warmonger, Firefighter, Diplomat, or Statesman based on how the crisis ended and what it cost you.