GETTING WAR (GAMING) BACK INTO THE WAR COLLEGE
GETTING WAR (GAMING) BACK INTO THE WAR COLLEGE
GETTING WAR (GAMING) BACK INTO THE WAR COLLEGE
By Christopher Hossfeld and Ken Gilliam
September 11, 2020
Summary
"SHALL WE PLAY A GAME?" These are the iconic words from the 1983 movie WarGames, in which a high school student unknowingly hacks a government computer system to play a game called "Global Thermonuclear War." The protagonist sets off a chain of events that blurred the lines between gameplay and reality until the wayward artificially intelligent computer ultimately concluded that no one could win a nuclear war, a thoughtful revelation inspired after playing Tic-Tac-Toe with itself.
Prior to the 2020 academic year, the MSC course concluded with a student led operational design planning and briefing exercise that assessed how a 15-person seminar synthesized joint, multinational, and service capabilities; joint and Service concepts; and joint functions in a fictional scenario against a regime that was supported by a near peer competitor.
The learning event lacked a formal feedback mechanism to assess student thinking, did not evaluate student judgment, and did not require students to adjust to a competitive and evolving adversary.
Students analyzed a future-oriented, Euro-Atlantic scenario set in the spring of 2027 that was intended to reinforce and practice operational design, operational art, campaigning in conflict, and other principles learned throughout the course.
Students square off in Joint Overmatch as two competing combatant command level Combined Joint Task Forces with subordinated component commands.
In piloting the game in the spring of 2020, faculty observed that the students were engaged and active throughout the experience.
The faculty observations of students showed promise for future iterations of the game, but there are still some challenges.
Dice represent friction and chance within the game and pre-occupy some students, often resulting in frustration.
Diligent faculty coaching brings students back to the operational and strategic level.
Faculty involvement throughout the game is critical to achieving student learning outcomes.
Reference
Hossfeld, C., & Gilliam, K. (2020, September 11). GETTING WAR (GAMING) BACK INTO THE WAR COLLEGE. Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/wargaming-room/war-gaming-war-college/