The game is slow while a fleet is being built, most active during its competitive middle, and slow again after one navy becomes overwhelmingly strong. That final lull resembles deterrence: weaker opponents stop offering battle to a dominant fleet. Strategic success can reduce the number of actions available in a campaign. The number of battles fought is therefore a poor measure of naval power.
Notable Point · 1:30:55-1:31:30
Naval dominance can suppress the battles a campaign seeks
The game's late-campaign lull is connected to a strategic paradox: overwhelming strength can leave opponents unwilling to fight.