Simulation and Wargaming

1 An Introduction to Wargaming and Modeling and Simulation

Jeffrey Appleget

Naval Postgraduate School, Montrey, CA, USA

Introduction

Nations have long utilized simulations of combat to help understand how to better man, train, equip, and employ forces in preparation for future combat operations. These force generation, force structure, and force design decisions are often informed by simulating combat against potential adversaries in projected future scenarios, and then analyzing the simulation results to determine the necessary future investments to ensure the force is prepared to meet these potential adversaries. This book will discuss the current practitioner use of both wargames that investigate the human decision‐making processes and computer simulations that investigate the quantifiable aspects of combat. Our goal is to provide the reader a better understanding of how each tool brings unique qualities and attributes to bear on the assessment of the phenomenology of combat that allows our senior leaders to make better informed decisions.

Terminology

There are many different types of combat simulations that exist today, and in order to have a fruitful discussion we will need to adopt a standard lexicon. The first step in developing this lexicon is to define the terms “model,” “simulation,” and “wargaming.” A model is “a physical, mathematical, or otherwise logical representation of a system, entity, phenomenon, or process.”¹ A simulation is “a method for implementing ...