1. Uncontrolled copy when printed
21/09/2018
Wargaming in the UK
Slide 1
Colin Marston
Dstl’s Wargaming Team
DSTL/PUB098428
Disclaimer: This presentation represents the personal view of the authors and is in no way representative of official UK MOD policy.
© Crown copyright 2016 Dstl

2. Uncontrolled copy when printed
21/09/2018
Wargame spectrum and application
Long-term strategic
National strategic
Theatre strategic
Operational
Tactical
Minimal adjudication
Free adjudication
Semi-free adjudication
Rigid adjudication
Slide 2
‘Wicked’ problems
Bounded problems
© Crown copyright 2016 Dstl

3. Uncontrolled copy when printed
21/09/2018
Wargame spectrum and application
Context
Long-term strategic
National strategic
Theatre strategic
Operational
Tactical
Seminar games
Computer assisted games
Matrix games
Minimal adjudication
Free adjudication
Semi-free adjudication
Rigid adjudication
Free Kriegsspiel
On this slide the top blue line represents the different levels within the problem space.  The red, middle line represents types of adjudication.  The bottom green line indicates the different levels of complexity.  On top of these axes we have the types of wargames that we employ in Dstl and across the MOD.  Please note that these techniques are not limited to their positions on the axes.  We find that the techniques on the left of the spectrum generally provide more opportunity for original thought and creativity (/imagination). In addition, methods at this end of the spectrum generally provide an opportunity for doing lots of Courses of Action with little depth – so essentially short games that might last a couple of hours to a day.  The methods on the right can provide increasing depth, but are often slower to set up and run. These methods generally employ more rigorous and precise techniques – although that does not necessarily mean that they give more accurate outputs.  All of these approaches have their merits, some being better at trying to answer certain questions than others. So, when appropriate, we try to use a combination of different approaches.
Slide 3: ‘Wargaming Spectrum’
Rigid Kriegsspiel
‘Wicked’ problems
Bounded problems
Implications
© Crown copyright 2016 Dstl

4. Essential elements of a wargame
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21/09/2018
Essential elements of a wargame
Aims and objectives (What is the purpose?)
Determining the setting / scenario
Collecting the relevant data
Selecting and setting up the simulation(s) (manual, computer or mixture)
Determining the rules, procedures / processes and adjudication
Identify participants / players (& supporting personnel & SMEs) required (& the decisions they make)
Testing and rehearsals
Information capture and listing assumptions
Confirm player roles
Delivering the event
Playing the game
Conducting in-game analysis
Conducting after action review(s) to cover observations, insights and lessons
Conducting post-game analysis (if required)
Slide 4 ‘Essential elements of a wargame’:
Now, the type of game that we use is just one part of the process. This slide highlights the other factors that we need to consider. There’s no fixed order in the way we tackle these – it’s an iterative process and depends on the question.
The wargame is not the simulation. The simulation is but a subset of a wargame.  
Effective communication and transparency are crucial throughout the whole of the wargaming process and it is crucial that everyone – from the players to the customers – are involved at the relevant stages. 
The Wargame is not synonymous with ‘simulation’
Aqua Book
Macpherson Report
© Crown copyright 2013 Dstl

5. Wargaming vs. Analytical processes
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21/09/2018
Wargaming vs. Analytical processes
Human-in-the-loop methods to generate understanding and where the human is the focus of the work.
Wargaming Team & DSA Division
Limits of applicability of current knowledge reached
Capture knowledge
Slide 5/6: ‘Observations, lessons and closing remarks’
The optimal approach to providing decision-support is often to fuse the information pertaining from both human-in-the-loop and non-human-in-the-loop techniques.  
There are many different types of wargames and careful consideration should be given as to which type, or types, of game are most appropriate for a particular problem.  Also wargaming should often NOT be used in isolation but as part of a broader analytical tool and / or iterative process that incorporates a range of different techniques.
Constructive methods, such as simulation based on understanding – e.g. via algorithms or rule-bases.
© Crown copyright 2016 Dstl

6. Uncontrolled copy when printed
21/09/2018
Closing remarks
Slide 6
2016 ISIS Crisis Matrix game
© Crown copyright 2016 Dstl