Heave to, and Prepare to Be Board Gamed
Heave to, and Prepare to Be Board Gamed
Jared Samuelson
February, 2025
Summary
Over the past five decades, the U.S. Navy has used wargaming, mostly tabletop-based, to train sailors, but widespread adoption faces challenges. Key requirements include senior leadership support, dedicated time, suitable shipboard space, and IT compatibility. While games like Harpoon and Command: Modern Operations offer depth, they are time-consuming or restricted by security protocols. Compact, simple games like Littoral Commander and Swarming Boats show promise. Crucially, buy-in from officers and enlisted personnel alike is essential, and roles like plans and tactics officers or warfare tactics instructors could champion shipboard gaming as a valuable complement—not replacement—to hands-on training.
Reference
Samuelson, J. (2025, February). Heave to, and prepare to be board gamed. Proceedings, U.S. Naval Institute. https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2025/february/heave-and-prepare-be-board-gamed