Too Much Tech Can Ruin Wargames
Too Much Tech Can Ruin Wargames
Too Much Tech Can Ruin Wargames
Jonathan Compton, Joseph Mroszczyk, Matthew Tattar
June, 16, 2025
Summary
The U.S. defense community is increasingly drawn to integrating AI, simulations, and data modeling into military wargames, hoping to boost analytical rigor. However, experts caution that over-reliance on technology can distort wargaming’s core purpose: exploring human decision-making in complex, uncertain scenarios. Wargames are not predictive models but qualitative tools for strategic insight. Automation risks “false precision” and undermines critical thinking. While simulations can aid adjudication and post-game analysis, they must support—not replace—human judgment. The power of wargaming lies in participant dialogue and strategic reflection. True modernization preserves this core, resisting blind faith in technological solutions. Insight, not computation, must lead.
Reference
Compton, J., Mroszczyk, J., & Tattar, M. (2025, June 16). Too much tech can ruin wargames. War on the Rocks. https://warontherocks.com/2025/06/too-much-tech-can-ruin-wargames/