Strategic Gaming for the National Security Community
Abstract
Located within the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University (NDU) in Washington, DC, the National Strategic Gaming Center (NSGC) designs and conducts strategic simulation exercises for diverse audiences. In support of the teaching and policy objectives of the larger NDU community, the Gaming Center conducts exercises for the colleges and components of National Defense University, the interagency community, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, combatant commands, and Members of Congress. Wargaming and the gaming of policy problems have been around a long time, and while their forms have changed with the problems of the day, the games' basic benefit remains the same: they provide a self-contained analytical environment in which players explore the constraints that form current strategic problems, examine issues arising under them, and compare possible solutions. In short, political-military games allow players -- policy makers, civil servants, and warfighters -- to examine their assumptions about a problem and its solutions. In the current strategic environment, this is a vital service, for an unexamined assumption can be a critical vulnerability. This article considers the relationship among audience, objective, and game design while introducing the mission and activities of the NSGC. It begins by proposing a common definition of games, including wargames; identifies the constitutive elements that compose all games; and asserts the relevance of these elements to game design. It then explores how these principles of game design are evident in the exercises constructed by the Gaming Center and argues why such exercises are important to contemporary civilian and military decision makers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA521928
Entities
People
- Margaret M. Mccown
Organizations
- National Defense University