wargaming

Wargaming is a structured process that uses play or computer simulations to study armed conflict, testing ideas about operations, strategy, and decision making under controlled assumptions. Participants assume roles such as commanders or analysts, and actions are resolved according to predefined rules, data, and adjudication. The goal is to test doctrines, policies, and contingency plans, evaluate potential outcomes, and explore how variables like terrain, logistics, weather, and morale shape results.

Origins of wargaming lie in the early modern military tradition, with the Prussian Kriegsspiel developing in the 19th century as a map-based, referee-driven exercise that introduced hidden information and realistic constraints. This approach greatly influenced professional military training and the broader practice of game-based analysis, leading to a variety of tabletop, board, and computer-based formats.

Types and scales of wargaming vary. Professional military wargames are conducted at strategic, operational, or tactical levels to examine doctrine, concept development, and equipment requirements. Tabletop wargaming uses miniature figures, maps, and counters, while board wargaming relies on hex or grid systems. Computer wargaming encompasses a wide range of simulations and grand strategy games, often with sophisticated models of terrain, logistics, and combat. Wargaming can serve training, analysis, policy testing, and research, as well as entertainment in hobbyist contexts.

Methodologically, wargaming combines scenario design, alternate courses of action, rules of engagement, data inputs, and uncertainty management. Outcomes are analyzed to derive insights, inform decision makers, and compare alternatives under varying assumptions.