The cutting edge of military gaming
The cutting edge of military gaming
The cutting edge of military gaming
By Sarah Brice
March 25, 2021
Summary
Military leaders, deep thinkers, and gaming enthusiasts alike can look forward to a new invention that may be coming to tabletop exercises in the near future.
Troy Pierce, a C-130 Hercules navigator and student at the Marine Corps War College, introduced a game of his own invention, called "Kingfish ACE" to members from the 821st Contingency Response Group at Travis Air Force Base, California, March 25-26.
The 821st CRG Airmen were the first to test out the innovative strategy game designed to help military leaders understand the complexities of planning and mobilizing multi-capable Airmen and contingency response forces in support of Agile Combat Employment operations.
The game focuses on a hypothetical situation in the Western Pacific and contains elements of popular role-playing games like "Risk" and "Dungeons & Dragons." Depending on the time available and desired learning objectives, "Kingfish ACE" can be played in casual social settings or delve into day-long campaigns.
"The Marine Corps War College emphasizes the educational value of gaming," he said.
"We play a lot of war games, and I noticed that this would be a great tool to help Airmen understand ACE concepts."
To help bring the game to life, Pierce teamed with Master Sgt. Brad Johannes, 921st Contingency Response Squadron flight chief.
Since Pierce began working on "Kingfish ACE" in December of 2020, he has been able to play with other classmates, former colleagues and family members, making improvements to the game along the way.
Like most games, hearing the rules left the new players a little skeptical at first, but as soon as they started playing, the appeal of "Kingfish ACE" was seen immediately.
Although reviews from the 821st CRG were positive, Pierce says he still faces a few challenges ahead. "I am not a game or graphic designer, so those are skills I have had to learn along the way," he said.
Reference
Brice, S. (2021, March 25). The cutting edge of military gaming. Retrieved July 20, 2021, from https://www.dvidshub.net/news/393055/cutting-edge-military-gaming