Wargame

A wargame is a special kind of game.

It has two or more sides. These sides act like armies in a fight. People play these games for fun. Some people use them to learn.

Some games use a board. Other games use a computer.

You can play with tiny toy soldiers. You can also play in a world with magic.

Some games show real battles from the past. Others show a war that never happened. This helps people think about what might occur.

One player might lead a small group. Another player might lead a whole army. Each side makes big choices.

These games help people practice. They can be very exciting to play.

A wargame is a game that acts like a fight.

Two or more sides act as opposing forces. Players make choices to try and win. These games can be played for fun or for study.

Some people play them as a hobby. Others use them to train military officers.

There are different kinds of wargames. Professional wargames are used by the military. They focus on real life to help officers learn. These games can be secret. Because they are secret, it is hard to fix mistakes in them. Recreational wargames are for fun. They can be about history or even magic. Some use tiny toy soldiers on a map. Others use a computer.

Wargames can happen at different levels. A tactical game focuses on one small battle. Players move small groups of soldiers. An operational game covers a large campaign. A strategic game covers a whole war.

At this level, players must think about money and politics. Modern wargames can even include fights in space or on computers.

A wargame is a special kind of strategy game. In these games, two or more players command opposing armed forces. They act out a simulation of an armed conflict.

People use wargames for many different reasons. Some play them for fun and relaxation. Others use them to train military officers in strategic thinking. Some people even use them to study how conflicts might happen. To be a true wargame, the experience must feel realistic.

There are two main ways people play these games. Professional wargames are used by militaries as serious tools for training. These games often focus on modern times and current events. Because they are used for real training, they must be very accurate. Recreational wargames are played by hobbyists for enjoyment. These can be about history, science fiction, or even fantasy worlds with dragons.

While professionals focus on realism, hobbyists might enjoy a game with magic. Recreational players often enjoy a game that is easy to learn and fun to play.

Modern wargaming has a long and interesting history. It was invented in Prussia during the early 19th century. The Prussian military used these games to train their officers and develop new ideas.

After Prussia won the Franco-Prussian War, other countries began using wargames too. For a long time, playing these games was a small hobby for a few people. This changed in the 1990s when electronic wargames were developed for consumers. Now, people can play these complex simulations on computers.

Games can happen at different scales or levels. A tactical game focuses on a single battle. In a game like Flames of War, players move tiny figurines to represent individual soldiers.

An operational game covers a larger military campaign. At this level, players move large groups of soldiers. A strategic game covers an entire war.

Strategic players must manage big things like money, research, and even politics. These games can last for many months or even years in the simulation.

Designing these games can be a very hard job. Professional designers often work with secret information. They might need to know the exact details of weapons or military bases.

Because this data is classified, it is hard to check for mistakes. If an error is found, it can be difficult to fix it. Professional games are often commissioned by the military rather than sold in stores. This can make the games very complex. Sometimes, designers must try to satisfy many different groups at once.

A wargame is a strategy game that simulates an armed conflict. In these games, two or more players command opposing armed forces. They must react intelligently to each other's decisions.

To be considered a true wargame, the simulation must feel realistic. These games can model a single battle, a long campaign, or an entire war. Wargaming is used for recreation, military training, or to study potential conflicts. While some call field exercises "live wargames," many institutions distinguish them from true wargaming. For example, the US Naval War College defines wargaming as a simulation that does not involve actual military forces.

Every wargame requires a specific setting and a detailed scenario. The setting establishes the era of warfare, which determines the available weapons and tactics.

Historical settings depict real eras, such as World War II, which is a popular choice for hobbyists. Fantasy settings use fictional worlds, such as those in Warhammer Age of Sigmar, but they still follow credible combat rules. A scenario provides the specific details of the conflict. It includes the terrain layout, the composition of the forces, and the victory conditions. Designers sometimes adjust victory conditions to balance historical scenarios that might otherwise be unwinnable.

Wargames operate at three distinct levels of war. The tactical level focuses on a single battle. At this level, players manage small units like individual soldiers or small groups.

The time span for tactical games might only be minutes. The operational level involves a military campaign. Here, the basic unit of command is a large group of soldiers. Finally, the strategic level covers an entire war. Strategic players must manage resources like economics, research, and diplomacy.

These large-scale simulations can span months or years of simulated time.

The history of modern wargaming began in Prussia during the early 19th century. The Prussian military used these tools to train officers and develop military doctrine.

After Prussia defeated France in the Franco-Prussian War, other nations adopted these methods. For a long time, wargaming remained a niche hobby for enthusiasts. This changed in the 1990s with the development of consumer electronic wargames. Today, people can experience these complex simulations through various digital platforms.

There are major differences between professional and recreational wargames. Professional wargames are serious tools used by militaries for research and training. They focus heavily on modern eras and current events to prepare officers for actual warfare. Recreational wargames are played for fun and can include sci-fi or fantasy themes. Recreational players often seek an enjoyable experience with a good interface and a reasonable learning curve. In contrast, military players often view wargaming as a necessary tool or a chore. Because of this, professional games may not prioritize ease of play.

Designing professional wargames presents unique and difficult challenges. Designers often work with classified data, such as the specific performance of weapons.

Because this information is secret, designers cannot easily verify if their models are accurate. This secrecy also makes it difficult to update games or fix errors once they are delivered. Furthermore, professional games have very small player bases compared to commercial games. This lack of a large audience makes it harder for designers to receive feedback. Consequently, errors in professional models can sometimes persist for a long time.

Professional design also faces pressure from complex organizational requirements. Unlike commercial designers who follow consumer trends, professional designers are often commissioned by the military.

A single game might be commissioned by several different user organizations. Each organization may want the game to work in its own specific way. This can lead to extreme complexity and compromises that satisfy no one. While commercial wargames focus on being user-friendly, professional wargames prioritize technical accuracy and specific military needs. This distinction shapes everything from the rules to the way the games are distributed.