Warfare games, also known as military simulations, are an important part of military training and as such have played a crucial part in the history of warfare. The basic premise behind warfare or combat games is to test and refine theories of warfare without having to partake in actual hostilities.
At the most basic level it could be reasonably argued that chess is a military simulation, and certainly the Prussian game of Kriegspiel, first played around 1811, was used in training Prussian soldiers for combat and strategy. Moving forward in time to today’s modern military, war games are used extensively in training of military personnel. It is hoped that by simulating actual combat situations soldiers will learn how to react and in tandem military leaders will know what to expect and be able to adjust accordingly when games become reality in a real conflict.
Warfare games are used for other purposes too. For example, how long does it take a Corps of Engineers to construct an airfield or a bridge? How long can one reasonably expect it to take two battalions to move twenty kilometers through jungle conditions? Variables are constantly added, scenarios are constantly changed, and results recorded in order to obtain as much useful information as possible.
Critics, and there are always critics of any theoretical situation, will argue that since you are dealing with the unpredictable nature of human beings, it is impossible to predict future responses to stimuli based on past responses. In other words, simply because a soldier reacted one way to one simulation does not mean he/she will respond identically if faced with a similar situation in actual combat. Human emotions must always be considered a wild-card. Also, because actual warfare by its very nature is filled with ever-changing aspects such as weather, terrain, and opposing armies, it really is impossible to simulate that which cannot be simulated.
Warfare games are not only conducted using actual personnel; the militaries of today conduct many combat scenarios using computers, constantly changing scenarios and variables as field leaders respond to an ever-shifting battle arena.
Setting aside the pros and cons of warfare games for a second, it cannot be argued that online warfare games such as Aces High have become wildly popular. From the safety and comfort of home players from around the world can log on and test their battle and tactical skills against hundreds of other players at any time of the day or night. Just as in real combat simulations, online games offer changing variables, new scenarios, and call for split-second decision-making on the part of the gamers.
Next time you are in the mood for a challenge, leave the actual warfare to the professionals and log on to an online warfare simulation and test your mettle against the best gamers out there.