War Games

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Playing war games is one of the more popular modern hobbies throughout the world. These games are available in practically every hobby or computer software store and come in versions that range from simple "one-on-one" themes to complex games that require many players and will often take days or even weeks to complete.

War games were first employed in 19th century Europe as instructional materials in the training of future military commanders and remained primarily an academic tool until after World War II. In the early 1960s the complexity of the world's political and economic situation led to the expansion of war gaming to include planning for potential future conflicts. Such planning was, and still is, commonly referred to as the "what if" scenario.

Games can be separated into general categories based on genre, whether or not the game is electronic (computer-generated), the number of players involved, and its complexity.

The genre of a game is determined by the game's relationship to reality. Reality-based games include those based on historical events such as battles (e.g. the Battle of Waterloo) or military campaigns such as the North African Campaign of World war II. Reality-based games can also involve "what if" scenarios such as what would a possible outcome of a naval confrontation in the Persian Gulf. On the other hand, non-reality genres include games that are based on science fiction, mythology, or fantasy.

Today, the majority of war games are computer-generated, meaning that all gaming activity is produced by a computer that responds to the actions of the game players. Without the speed and graphics capabilities of modern home computers, "single-combat" games (where the game player represents a character that engages "enemies" that are created by the computer program) would be impossible. Many of the older war games are "board games," where the game is played on a game board that usually resembles a map of a specific area. Such games often have complex sets of "rules" governing such variables as movements, available manpower, and resupply.

A war game's overall complexity is reflected in the number of players that are required. As mentioned previously, many of today's games pit a single player against a computer-generated enemy or group of enemies in what can be called "combat-based" games. In such games, the outcome of the individual is the ultimate goal of the player. Some games allow individuals to compete against one another in "single combat" situations.

More complex gaming scenarios, particularly those based on historic or potential future military engagements, practically always involve multiple players that are usually divided into "teams." These teams act in a coordinated fashion to achieve a particular goal, usually with one team member assuming the role of "commander in chief" with others acting as his or her subordinate commanders such as generals or admirals.

In summary, although they are usually seen as recreational pastimes, playing these games can have additional benefits than those derived from simple recreation. In proper context, they can be of use in understanding the complexities lying at the root of significant historical events.

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