Thursday 25 April 2019

Professional Wargaming

  
 

As you can all tell by the paucity of posts here I've not been doing much wargaming or model making. Let's just say I've been going through a rough patch health wise and leave it at that.

However, I have maintained my interest in all things wargaming, and read around for idea etc. and I came across these two articles about professional wargaming that I thought I would share.

Both articles are by Dr. James Lacey who is the Professor of Strategic Studies at the Marine Corps War College. I am now a fan and shall be following his work.

The first article is an overview of Wargaming in the Classroom. Be advised that there's a formatting issue with the pictures, but right-clicking on them to view will reveal the picture in the correct aspect ratio. It makes for a fascinating read and I learnt new stuff about the Peloponnesian War (though I don't wargame anything much prior to WW1 – No Tanks, No Thanks – being my motto, my wargaming roots are in Greek Hoplite warfare).

The second article was firmly in my bailiwick, being a piece on wargaming WW3, called Lessons from a Wargame. This article is about the use of commercial wargames and the things that they bring to teaching that professional wargames used by the military don't. So it makes for a fascinating read.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading these two articles as much as I did. Catch you all on the bounce.
  

14 comments:

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    1. I thought so too, and I'm glad to be of service.

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  2. I hope you feel better soon. I understand about the health issues. Have had my share this year.

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    1. Sorry to hear that, it's a bit of a thing.

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  3. Thanks for these artciles Ashley. Hope you're on the mend.

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    1. Slowly, but surely. Too dam slow, but them's the breaks.

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  4. Thanks for the links - I'll have to read them later :)

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  5. Good morning from rainy Canada. Thanks for these links, Ashley. The second read was particularly sobering, as it ends after two days of brutal, high-casualty warfare with everyone calling for permission to use nukes. That's going to end badly. I recall often thinking during the Afghanistan war that the Canadian army invested huge amounts of psychic energy in coping with the loss of handfuls of soldiers, often turning out most of the Kandahar base for ramp ceremonies, and wondering how we would ever manage as we did in the Great War, when we as a small country lost thousands of men on single days.
    I am very sorry to hear of your health challenges. Keeping you in prayer, my friend.
    Blessings,
    Mike

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    1. Yes, you're right about the emotional costs of loss and how woefully inadequate provisions are for counseling and consoling those reacting to grief.

      However, I saw you had a lovely honeymoon? and I'm happy you've found joy after your loss. Take care.

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  6. Thanks for the links and hope you feel better. I've got some reading material tonight other than just depressing myself with youtube vidoes! :) Have you or your partner had a chance to try out the 3d printer yet for a chance of hobby pace?

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    1. Thank you. I have a long term condition, so it's going to be a while before I'm stabilized.

      I haven't printed anything yet, but Susan has been making small items that have come out very successfully.

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  7. Take care, hopefully it isn't something too serious and these problems will be a thing of the past soon.
    Thank you for the links, I'll give the articles a read.

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    1. Thank you. I have some RAFM Gears to make up and really want to start working on them again.

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