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In addition to the compelling arguments made here, I would argue wargaming should also be introduced at the very lowest levels as well. Many of us joined the s

In addition to the compelling arguments made here, I would argue wargaming should also be introduced at the very lowest levels as well. Many of us joined the service loving strategy games like Risk, Axis and Allies, Settlers, etc. Bring that to a Secret-level, tactical wargame, and all of a sudden you get innovative tactics from those unburdened by institutionalized doctrine. Our adversaries are wily - we must be doubly so. The only way to test is to play.

jcurbo 12y ago
Agreed. I'd say the wargames are out there in places, just not as widespread as they should be, and I would love to see more of them. When I was a new Air Force officer in 2004, there was a school called Air and Space Basic Course that we went through. We played a wargame there where we simulated an Air Operations Center, with targeting, planning, deployment and so on. Basically, picking targets, building strike packages, considering logistics and intel, and so on. I enjoyed it and I think it did a good job of putting us in the mindset of what the Air Force really does. There was also a modified version of Starcraft we played as a team, with planning and targeting involved. (and I played a lot of Starcraft in college so I had no problem with that exercise...) Turns out there's a old page that describes both of those here: http://www.au.af.mil/au/cf/au_catalog_1999_2000/catalog2000_14_abc.html http://www.au.af.mil/au/cf/au_catalog_1999_2000/catalog2000_... I've been out a few years, but I think I heard that (unfortunately) ASBC got shut down as part of budget cuts a few years ago. Hopefully some of this is replicated in the other schools officers go to.
cgearhart 12y ago
I am reminded of the apocryphal saying attributed to an unnamed Russian soldier. >> "A serious problem in planning against American doctrine is that the Americans do not read their manuals, nor do they feel any obligation to follow their doctrine." [http://thediplomat.com/2013/09/unorthodox-and-chaotic-how-america-should-fight-wars/ http://thediplomat.com/2013/09/unorthodox-and-chaotic-how-am...]
ianstallings 12y ago
I had to dig in a lot of libraries and bookstores for knowledge on armor warfare when I joined up way back when. I found a book that actually gave me a great baseline for setting up interactive scenarios called Armor Attacks: The Tank Platoon. I still use this for armor wargaming. http://www.amazon.com/Armor-Attacks-Interactive-Small-Unit-Leadership/dp/0891413839/ref=pd_rhf_dp_s_cp_1_T9PP?ie=UTF8&refRID=18A20CF0YBPAVVR9FTS6 http://www.amazon.com/Armor-Attacks-Interactive-Small-Unit-L...

jcurbo 12y ago

Agreed. I'd say the wargames are out there in places, just not as widespread as they should be, and I would love to see more of them. When I was a new Air Force officer in 2004, there was a school called Air and Space Basic Course that we went through. We played a wargame there where we simulated an Air Operations Center, with targeting, planning, deployment and so on. Basically, picking targets, building strike packages, considering logistics and intel, and so on. I enjoyed it and I think it did a good job of putting us in the mindset of what the Air Force really does. There was also a modified version of Starcraft we played as a team, with planning and targeting involved. (and I played a lot of Starcraft in college so I had no problem with that exercise...) Turns out there's a old page that describes both of those here: http://www.au.af.mil/au/cf/au_catalog_1999_2000/catalog2000_14_abc.html http://www.au.af.mil/au/cf/au_catalog_1999_2000/catalog2000_... I've been out a few years, but I think I heard that (unfortunately) ASBC got shut down as part of budget cuts a few years ago. Hopefully some of this is replicated in the other schools officers go to.

cgearhart 12y ago

I am reminded of the apocryphal saying attributed to an unnamed Russian soldier. >> "A serious problem in planning against American doctrine is that the Americans do not read their manuals, nor do they feel any obligation to follow their doctrine." [http://thediplomat.com/2013/09/unorthodox-and-chaotic-how-america-should-fight-wars/ http://thediplomat.com/2013/09/unorthodox-and-chaotic-how-am...]

ianstallings 12y ago

I had to dig in a lot of libraries and bookstores for knowledge on armor warfare when I joined up way back when. I found a book that actually gave me a great baseline for setting up interactive scenarios called Armor Attacks: The Tank Platoon. I still use this for armor wargaming. http://www.amazon.com/Armor-Attacks-Interactive-Small-Unit-Leadership/dp/0891413839/ref=pd_rhf_dp_s_cp_1_T9PP?ie=UTF8&refRID=18A20CF0YBPAVVR9FTS6 http://www.amazon.com/Armor-Attacks-Interactive-Small-Unit-L...