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This survey explores the use of models derived from contest theory in conflict theory (i.e., guns versus butter models). Initially introduced by Hirshleifer in the late 1980s, these models offer a particular interpretive framework of conflicts as “costly lotteries” in which several agents devote unproductive resources to defeat their rivals and win a prize at stake. We underline the decisive role of guns versus butter models in integrating conflicts in mainstream economics, while maintaining links with military operational research. We focus in particular on the contest success function, which is the cornerstone of guns versus butter models. Given the significant development of this literature over the last two decades, we devote a large part of this study to new results obtained by using network theory or laboratory experiments.