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Ploughing in the COIN Field

Ploughing in the COIN Field. Civilian wargames and the search for enlightenment (MSRP $24.95 or less) ‏ Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, CA 20 October 2011. Civilian Game Designers and Operational/Strategic-level IW/COIN Games. Rich Davis: Chad - The Toyota Wars

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Ploughing in the COIN Field

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  1. Ploughing in the COIN Field Civilian wargames and the search for enlightenment (MSRP $24.95 or less)‏ Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, CA 20 October 2011

  2. Civilian Game Designers and Operational/Strategic-level IW/COIN Games • Rich Davis: Chad - The Toyota Wars • Karsten Engelmann: Colombia • Kim Kanger: Ici, C’est La France!, Tonkin • Ben Madison: Liberia – Descent Into Hell • Joseph Miranda: Afghan BCT Command, Battle for Baghdad, Decision in Iraq, Holy War: Afghanistan, Indochina, Marine Global Response, Nicaragua, Sealords, Somali Pirates, Stryker, Winged Horse • Volko Ruhnke: Andean Abyss, Labyrinth • Brian Train: Algeria, Battle of Seattle, EOKA, Greek Civil War, Green Beret,Guerrilla Checkers, Kandahar, Land of the Free, Operation Whirlwind, Red Guard, Shining Path, Somalia, 3rd Lebanon War, Tupamaro, Virtualia

  3. COIN games – the road not taken • Very few designs, even fewer at the campaign/operational level • Unpopular and unglamorous subject • Game variables difficult to quantify • Asymmetric, unfamiliar situation • Abstracted play of a nebulous conflict with no clear endpoint

  4. A Good COIN Game Design: • Shows the relative importance of factors • Has asymmetry of means, methods, objectives and information • Has transparent assumptions and mechanisms • Is not meant to be strongly definitive or predictive • Is flexible • Stimulates discussion!

  5. Tupamaro design decisions • No fixed period of time per turn • Non-representational map (Social Sector Areas)‏ • Interactive Operations Phase in the sequence of play • Political Support Level the main contention and measure of success • Social fracture points were avenues of Tupamaro attack, worked into choice of missions for players: • political support (propaganda, Government reaction)‏ • economic activity (robberies, riots and strikes)‏ • organizational morale (intimidation, kidnapping, Crises, Internal War)‏

  6. Tupamaro teaching points • Terrorism is a primary tactic of urban guerrillas, but it is only a tactic. • The power of terrorism lies not in the material damage it can cause, but in the psychological “cascade” effect it can have. • The “cascade” effect is nonlinear, but not completely unpredictable. • The security forces need reliable informers, a coordinated network for sharing and disseminating intelligence, and trained troops. • The tactical initiative normally lies with the insurgents, but this does not always translate into a tactical advantage.

  7. Subsequent designs Shining Path – Peru 1980-? Algeria – 1954-62 Greek Civil War – 1947-49 Virtualia– hypothetical, present day EOKA – Cyprus 1955-59 Kandahar – present day

  8. Thank you • Questions? • brian.train@gmail.com • http://brtrain.wordpress.com/coin-and-iw-game-links-and-resources/

  9. Questions for you Your positive gaming experiences - Have you used a game that seemed particularly useful? Why? Your negative experiences - How about one that wasn’t? Why was that? What topics should be gamed, but haven’t been (or should be done better)? What isn’t being captured by the training given to commanders, that could possibly be introduced or reinforced by gaming?

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