Bridging Wargaming Research and Practice

17 January 2025

Earlier this week, the Wargaming and Information Systems Research Section at the Center for Intelligence and Security Studies (CISS) hosted a small yet focused group of wargaming professionals from academia and practice at the Universität der Bundeswehr München.

The event provided an excellent opportunity to engage with experts in the field and discuss emerging trends in wargaming. Prof. Andrew W. Reddie from the Berkeley Risk and Security Lab shared his expertise through a presentation on Synthetic Data Generation: Wargaming Methods, Realism, and Complexity. His talk highlighted the growing role of wargames in scientific research and their potential to address real-world complexities.

Complementing this, the head of the Wargaming Section from NATO SHAPE delivered an in-depth presentation on applying wargaming to improve strategic military decision-making. This session provided valuable insights into the practical implications of wargaming in high-stakes environments.

The second day of the event featured a wargaming session using SIGNAL, a game developed by Prof. Reddie to explore signaling dynamics and the challenges of decision-making in the context of nuclear weapons.

Bringing together practitioners, academics, and members of the Bundeswehr, the event facilitated meaningful discussions that bridged the gap between theory and practice. These exchanges supported CISS’s ongoing efforts to advance wargaming research and provide the community with actionable insights.

The gathering underscored the value of collaboration and highlighted the importance of wargaming as a tool for understanding and navigating complex scenarios.

 

 

Photo: private