29 that tactical battles are built and fought around an over-arching operational design. 3.6 Level of Conduct. In our context, the operational level of war is generally at the Theatre or the Command level, while tactical level operations are conducted at Corps and lower levels. However, in certain cases where a Corps has been allocated an operationally strategic objective, it would be deemed to be conducting operations at the operational level. At times, depending upon the spectrum of conflict such as in LICO, there could be situations where even commanders subordinate to Theatre (Command) and Corps will have to work on an operational perspective as their activities may directly influence the achievement of strategic objectives in a theatre of operations. 3.7 Operational Art. In seeking to structure major operations, battles and engagements in pursuit of objectives, the operational level commander should design his campaign plans around a number of building blocks which help him to visualise as to how the operation would unfold. His skills at this stage form the essence of operational art. Based on the desired end state, he derives operational objectives, decides upon the ‘centres of gravity’, ‘lines of operation’ and ‘decisive points’ and analyses the options thrown up by the conclusions drawn from these. He must also keep in mind the importance of ‘shaping the battlefield’ by the employment of firepower and manoeuvre, maintaining the tempo and factoring in operational pauses when drawing up plans. End States 3.8 Conflict Termination. Conflict is either resolved or terminated; military force contributes by the defeat of an opposing force. Defeat is defined as ‘diminishing the effectiveness of the enemy to the extent that he is either unable to participate in combat or, at least, not being able to fulfil his intention’. Conflict termination describes the point at which the principal means of conflict shifts from the use of force to other means of persuasion. Conflict termination may take several forms; for example, the adversary may surrender, withdraw or negotiate an end to the conflict. Commanders and