Bridging theory and practice: wargaming innovation highlighted at the Defence Academy

17 February 2025
training-and-education
Tri-service personnel stood around a table playing a wargaming exercise.

Tri-service personnel stood around a table playing a wargaming exercise.

The value of wargaming to the future delivery of professional military education (PME) has been explored at a recent Defence Academy event.

Wargaming uses innovative technology, data, and analytics to visualise different threat environments, in turn promoting strategic decision-making.

The initiative was hosted by the Joint Services Command and Staff College, building on engagement between Major General Peter Rowell, Chief Executive and Commandant of the Defence Academy, and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl)’s Project WIRE (Wargaming Influence and Representation of Effects) team, last November.

As part of Dstl’s Influence and Command Programme, Project WIRE seeks to promote the practice of wargaming to better represent and explore ‘influence effects’ across PME, with specific focus on:

  • policy and strategy
  • force development
  • planning
  • education and training

Following the publication of the Influence Wargaming Handbook by Project WIRE, Defence Futures, and the Joint Information Activities Group (JIAG) in 2023, Project WIRE has been generating a series of wargames based on UK and NATO doctrine. These wargames have been designed specifically to improve players’ understanding of influence-related concepts.

Attending the event, Major General Rowell said:

“I am really excited by this work because it allows us to consider the gamification of our education. Here at the Defence Academy we already run courses on wargaming and simulation, and I am keen that we accelerate this across defence.”

Air Commodore Ian Sharrocks, Director of JSCSC added:

“As we continue to emphasise the importance of educating our war fighters, wargaming is a key element of everything we do. This is absolutely at the heart of improving our education offer to defence, both in the UK, abroad, and indeed the whole force.”

Dstl’s Chief Wargamer, Head of the Defence Wargaming Centre and lead for Project WIRE, Colin Marston, said:

“At Dstl we are committed to delivering science and technology to enable operational advantage for defence and security. The wargames Project WIRE develop, alongside stakeholders such as JIAG, provide an innovative way to deliver PME and enhance learning. Today provided us with an excellent opportunity to showcase these games.”

During the afternoon’s activity, directing staff from across the Defence Academy were offered hands-on experience of a total of nine games, covering themes that included:

  • fundamentals of military deception
  • behaviour change
  • principles of influence
  • strategic communications

Commander Carrie Insley, Director of Royal Navy Division said:

“It was really beneficial to see how other areas are using wargaming in education, and to get ideas as to how we could expand wargaming within the Intermediate Command and Staff Course (Maritime). The variety of games on display was also surprising. It was great to see how effective a 15-minute card game could be!”