Wargames (or war games) are a technique used to simulate humanitarian decision problems.
These simulations can focus on any task of strategical importance; such as forecasting, logistics, pre-empting, stress-testing, or resource allocation — and they can cover virtually any crises; such as wars, pandemics, climate change, or election fraud
The sector gets most of its funding from governmental entities — mainly the military — and uses video- and tabletop games to simulate the events. Hence the name.
Wargames are an economic option to test plans in advance for serious crises. They are intended to aid decision-making by simulating the consequences of one's actions.
However, it is important to understand that wargames can easily yield misleading results; the games' effectiveness is heavily dependent on the quality of the game design and the behaviour of the players.
These simulations can focus on any task of strategical importance; such as forecasting, logistics, pre-empting, stress-testing, or resource allocation — and they can cover virtually any crises; such as wars, pandemics, climate change, or election fraud
The sector gets most of its funding from governmental entities — mainly the military — and uses video- and tabletop games to simulate the events. Hence the name.
Wargames are an economic option to test plans in advance for serious crises. They are intended to aid decision-making by simulating the consequences of one's actions.
However, it is important to understand that wargames can easily yield misleading results; the games' effectiveness is heavily dependent on the quality of the game design and the behaviour of the players.
Military General: I just ran wargames to simulate the impact of a nuclear bomb being dropped on one of our biggest cities. And as an added bonus, producing this board game for the simulation was much cheaper than actually dropping a nuke on Boston! Wheeeeeeee ^w^
The Red Cross: I just played wargames to plan helicopter routes dropping off critical aid to remote villages. And running this little video game was way less wasteful than trial and error! yayyyy :D
The Red Cross: I just played wargames to plan helicopter routes dropping off critical aid to remote villages. And running this little video game was way less wasteful than trial and error! yayyyy :D
by MrKacsa March 16, 2025
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