Of course we allow players to fight the whole war; from any one of the starting campaigns, as reaching 31st December does not mean it is over. You can proceed and play the following year, and all the years after, till the end of the war by 1763. We chose to end the conflict on the historical date as, in the Age of Reason; concepts such as ‘Unconditional surrender’ or ‘War till the last man’ were alien to most rulers. In addition, the modern era economies were unable to sustain long protracted wars and no monarch would risk his realm future (or would even be allowed to do so) likewise. An honorable peace, even of defeat, was perfectly acceptable. Nevertheless, the Seven Years War, because of its scope and the nations and lands involved, can be considered as the first ‘World War’ in history.
As a player, you shall be able to follow your progression towards victory by checking the ledger, during the game. It will display how well (or bad) you are faring versus your foes, and tell you how many of the objectives and strategic cities are still needed to win.
But before jumping into the annual campaigns, have a look also at the three tutorials: they explain how to play the game, if you do not know already our AGE engine. Just follow the instructions. And when you feel ready, try the ‘Battle Scenario’ entitled Saxony 1756. It’s a very short campaign with simple clear cut objectives, enough for you to learn how to handle Rise of Prussia (and for a ‘real’ challenge once you tried Prussia, play the Saxons and try to save them from annihilation)
