Empire's campaign does not preserve actual historical outcomes. A nation can receive an unusually strong run of digital generals or benefit from an event the player never notices. Entire empires can then rise or fall without sharing a border, battle, or trade relationship with the player. Events elsewhere on the map can therefore produce major changes independently of the player's decisions.
Notable Point · 3:26:09-3:26:42
How emergent campaigns challenge historical inevitability
Random runs of capable digital generals and unexpected events can make empires rise or fall without any contact with the player.