Fundamentals of War Gaming

Fundamentals of War Gaming
Author: Francis J. McHugh
Publisher: Government Printing Office
Total Pages: 260
Release: 1966
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781935352006

Fundamentals of War Gaming provides an in-depth introduction to the basics of military gaming, and offers historical insights into the devewlopment of war gaming methodologies. It covers the evolution of gaming tools such as the ancient adaptations of chess and the development of Kriegspiel to teach military tactics to Prussian officers. The employment of gaming by various military powers, before and during the World Wars, is explored and culminated with the introduction of computer support and simulations in the U.S. Navy.

The Craft of Wargaming

The Craft of Wargaming
Author: Jeffrey Appleget
Publisher: Naval Institute Press
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2020-09-01
Genre: History
ISBN: 1682473775

The Craft of Wargaming is designed to support supervisors, planners, and analysts who use wargames to support their organizations' missions. The authors focus on providing analysts and planners with a clear methodology that allows them to initiate, design, develop, conduct, and analyze wargames. Built around the analytic wargaming construct, organizations or individuals can easily adapt this methodology to construct educational and experiential wargames. The book breaks the wargame creation process into five distinct phases: Initiate, Design, Develop, Conduct, and Analyze. For each phase, the authors identify key tasks a wargaming team must address to have a reasonable chance at designing, developing, conducting, and analyzing a successful wargame. While these five stages are critical to the process of constructing any wargame, it should be understood that the craft of wargaming is learned through active participation, not by reading or watching. This craft must be practiced as part of the learning process, and the included practical exercises provide an opportunity to experience the construction of an analytical wargame. The authors also discuss critical supervisory tasks that are essential to manage the wargaming team's efforts. While the creators are focused on the design and development of the game itself, supervisors must set conditions for the wargame to be a success (best practices) and beware of the pitfalls that may set the wargame up to fail (worst practices). The book demonstrates using the analytical wargaming framework to create relevant and useful planning wargames. It also reinforces using the analytical wargaming framework for seminar wargames that, without rigor, are useless. The book demonstrates the benefits of using the analytical wargaming process to design educational and experiential games.

U.S. Navy Fundamentals of War Gaming

U.S. Navy Fundamentals of War Gaming
Author: Francis J. McHugh
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing Inc.
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2013-07
Genre: History
ISBN: 1620876418

Offers a historical perspective on military gaming and the evolution of the tools and tactics used in ancient times up through modern computer simulations and includes examples of one- and multi-sided games as well as free-play and rigid-style games.

The Complete Wargames Handbook

The Complete Wargames Handbook
Author: James F. Dunnigan
Publisher: William Morrow
Total Pages: 342
Release: 1992
Genre: Games & Activities
ISBN:

With the wide availability of the home computer, wargame enthusiasts (now numbering nearly half a million) regularly confront each other in action-packed simulated battles. This is the definitive all-in-one sourcebook on the new potentials and classic excitement of wargaming--one of America's fastest growing hobbies. 40 maps and charts.

The Art of Wargaming

The Art of Wargaming
Author: Peter P. Perla
Publisher: US Naval Institute Press
Total Pages: 0
Release: 1990
Genre: War Games
ISBN: 9780870210501

The author discusses fundamental principles and techniques governing the design and use of war games.

United States Naval War College Manual Wargaming (1969)

United States Naval War College Manual Wargaming (1969)
Author: John Curry
Publisher: Lulu.com
Total Pages: 112
Release: 2019-10-09
Genre: Games & Activities
ISBN: 9780244517649

As part of the History of Wargaming Project's continuing wargaming 'archaeology', agreement was given to publish this set of rules as an example of the US Naval War College's use of wargaming as part of their curriculum in 1969. What is interesting about this set of rules is they are complete and they have a sample scenario which helps illuminate the thinking of the wargame designers. There are straightforward rules for surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), gunnery, air, torpedoes and mines etc. The use of these rules is clearly illustrated in the sample game. The rules were clearly written for others to play the game, even in the absence of the game designers. The sample game gives the background and briefings and the two sides ORBATs. Then it sets out the plans of the two sides. It goes on to set out how the game is setup, managed and played.

The Manual Wargaming Process

The Manual Wargaming Process
Author: Walter E. Kretchik
Publisher:
Total Pages: 68
Release: 1991
Genre: Game theory
ISBN:

This monograph analyzes the manual wargaming portion of the U.S. Army's decision-making cycle in order to determine if the process deduces the optimum course of action. The monograph begins by examining game theory, which is the theoretical basis for wargaming. This examination establishes that game theory provides two theoretical models for decision-making, one based upon enemy capabilities and the other on enemy intentions. The analysis continues by examining the historical development of wargaming and its incorporation as a decision-making tool. Using theory-based criteria, the monograph reviews current American, German, British, and Soviet war gaming methods at the division level. The three criteria analyze how well a methodology provides a rational opponent, considers friendly and enemy intentions, and uses rational control or rules. The monograph concludes that the current U.S. wargaming method does not give us the optimum solution, largely because it is difficult to discover enemy intentions before a decision is made by the friendly commander. If a friendly commander knew what the enemy's intentions were, he would choose the appropriate course of action to counter it. However, since the commander can only base his decision on enemy capabilities--or what his enemy can (vice will) do--his course of action choice becomes merely a 'best guess.' The monograph then suggests remedies to bring us closer to an optimum course of action.

Simulation and Wargaming

Simulation and Wargaming
Author: Charles Turnitsa
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 466
Release: 2022-02-15
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1119604788

Understanding the potential synergies between computer simulation and wargaming Based on the insights of experts in both domains, Simulation and Wargaming comprehensively explores the intersection between computer simulation and wargaming. This book shows how the practice of wargaming can be augmented and provide more detail-oriented insights using computer simulation, particularly as the complexity of military operations and the need for computational decision aids increases. The distinguished authors have hit upon two practical areas that have tremendous applications to share with one another but do not seem to be aware of that fact. The book includes insights into: The application of the data-driven speed inherent to computer simulation to wargames The application of the insight and analysis gained from wargames to computer simulation The areas of concern raised by the combination of these two disparate yet related fields New research and application opportunities emerging from the intersection Addressing professionals in the wargaming, modeling, and simulation industries, as well as decision makers and organizational leaders involved with wargaming and simulation, Simulation and Wargaming offers a multifaceted and insightful read and provides the foundation for future interdisciplinary progress in both domains.

Tabletop Gaming Manual

Tabletop Gaming Manual
Author: Matt Thrower
Publisher: Haynes Publishing UK
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2018-02-20
Genre: Games & Activities
ISBN: 9781785211492

Tabletop gaming is enjoying a huge renaissance. Sales of hobby board games have risen in double digits yearly for the past decade, with more people enjoying the physical, non-digital aspects of playing, along with the social interaction. It's one of the biggest sectors in crowd-funding platform Kickstarter.