緒戦 しょせん

shosen

1. Not an initial battle.; Not the opening phase.

1. Was an initial battle.; Was a preliminary phase.

1. Initial battle; Opening stages

1. Initial stage of war; Early battles

1. It is not an initial battle.; It is not a preliminary skirmish.

1. It's not the initial battle.; It's not the beginning stage.

1. Was an initial battle.; Was a preliminary conflict.

1. Initial phase; Opening stages

1. It is not an initial battle.; It is not a preliminary engagement.

1. Wasn't the initial battle.; Wasn't the opening phase.

1. Probably an initial battle.; Likely the opening phase.

1. It wasn't the initial battle.; It wasn't the opening phase.

1. Wasn't an initial battle.; Wasn't the opening phase.

1. Early stages, likely.; Initial battles, probably.

1. It was not an initial battle.; It was not the beginning of the war.

1. If/when the initial battles…; If the initial battles were…

1. If the initial battles; When the initial battles

1. If/when the initial phase; In the event of an initial battle