Episode 166 What are Military Simulations?
What are Military Simulations?
Hi and welcome to Experience Points by University XP. On Experience Points, we explore different ways we can learn from games. I’m your host Dave Eng from games-based learning by University XP. Find out more at www.universityxp.com.
Some of the most well-known games - chess, checkers, and Go - can all trace their lineage to battles, warfare, and general conflict. These games are related, at least in some way, to how humans have waged war against one another for millennia.
But if these games are based on warfare, then what was their original purpose? Why recreate battles and tactics in this format? To answer that, we need to look at military simulations.
Military simulations share many of the same goals as applied games - especially for teaching, training, and development. They recreate systems, decisions, and consequences in a structured format so individuals can learn from them.
In this episode, I’ll define what simulations are, differentiate general simulations from military simulations, briefly review their history, and compare them to wargaming in both professional and commercial contexts.
I’ll also discuss the advantages of military simulations, the different types - live, virtual, and constructed - and how fidelity and authenticity shape their usefulness. Finally, I’ll close with their limitations, their broader implications, and what the future may hold.
Before we can discuss military simulations, we must first define what simulations are. A simulation is a model that mimics a real or planned system to test scenarios or decision-making. Simulations allow individuals to explore how systems behave under different conditions - without incurring the full cost of real-world experimentation.
The first type of simulations are discrete simulations. These test sequences over time - such as manufacturing processes or traffic flow.
Second are dynamic simulations. These focus on motion throughout space – like examining machines, moving parts, or observing ergonomic interactions.
Third are process simulations. These tests are physical interactions - like chemistry experiments or product stress testing.
Simulations can also serve different purposes. In business contexts, they are often used to study organizational change - running small-scale models to understand operational impact.
In instructional settings, simulations may be simple hypothetical scenarios designed to spark discussion and learning.
All of these examples apply to military use.
Military simulations are models that allow armed forces to explore tactics, strategy, logistics, cooperation, and communication - without sacrificing critical resources. They range from live field exercises to abstract computer models.
Modern military simulations increasingly incorporate virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence. But at their core, they still serve the same function: to simulate real-world processes so individuals can experiment, understand, and make better decisions.
Military simulations are not new. However, what is new is how we use them and the technology that supports them.
Their conceptual origins can be traced to Sun Tzu’s Art of War and to medieval sand tables used to plan battles.
Modern military simulations, however, trace their lineage to the 19th-century Prussian Kriegsspiel - an abstracted war game used by officers to plan and refine strategy.
The Kriegsspiel was developed because live exercises were costly and risky, and that rationale remains unchanged today.
Over time, military simulations diverged into two related but distinct paths: professional military wargaming, and commercial wargaming. Both share structural similarities. But their purposes differ.
A professional wargame is a strategy simulation involving opposing forces in scenarios of armed conflict. These are used by military leaders and researchers for training and experimentation.
They can operate at tactical, operational, or strategic levels - representing individual battles, campaigns, or entire wars.
Professional wargames emphasize realism over balance. They incorporate fog of war, incomplete information, and adjudication by impartial umpires.
Unlike commercial games, they are not designed to be “fair.” Instead, they are designed to be revealing. However, it’s important to note that they do not prove outcomes. They provide insight, they surface assumptions, and they expose weaknesses in thinking. That… is their value.
Commercial wargaming represents the recreational side of this lineage.
From hex-and-counter board games popularized in the 1970s, to miniature systems like Warhammer or historical simulations such as Flames of War, these games blend realism and strategy with play. More modern board games such as Twilight Struggle abstracts geopolitical conflict in asymmetrical and strategic ways.
There is also live-action military simulation - or MilSim - including airsoft, paintball, and tactical shooters like the Arma series.
Interestingly, some commercial simulations have achieved enough realism to support actual military training applications. But, the distinction between professional and commercial wargaming lies in purpose.
Professional military simulations prioritize preparation and decision-making. Commercial wargames prioritize immersion and enjoyment - even when they are historically grounded.
Military simulations exist because live exercises are expensive - in personnel, materials, and time. Simulations allow forces to rehearse procedures, test new strategies, and evaluate doctrine without deploying actual equipment or altering real-world operations.
They also allow for repetition. Especially in virtual environments, strategies can be tested, compared, adjusted, and tested again. This repeatability enables analysis in ways that real-world exercises cannot.
At strategic levels, simulations generate data and insight that can inform future planning. They improve readiness while reducing cost and risk.
Military simulations are often categorized into three conceptual types.
Heuristic simulations explore strategies and develop ideas without attempting to predict specific outcomes.
Stochastic simulations introduce randomness to reflect uncertainty - incorporating probabilistic variables that simulate real-world unpredictability.
Whereas constructed simulations rely on mathematical or computer-based models. Participants input decisions, and the system models likely outcomes.
These simulations may operate within live, virtual, or constructed modalities - often referred to as LVC.
Live simulations involve real personnel using real equipment in physical environments under controlled conditions. They offer high fidelity - closely replicating real-world conditions - but they are resource intensive.
They are immersive and physically demanding. They provide valuable experiential learning, especially for tactical applications.
Virtual simulations occur within digital environments. Flight simulators are perhaps the most recognizable example.
Often described as synthetic training environments, these simulations aim to replicate missions and systems with high fidelity while minimizing risk.
Participants may use headsets or large-scale immersive systems to rehearse specific skills.
An important thing to note with virtual military simulations is that high fidelity is often essential, especially when training involves complex vehicles or operational procedures.
Constructed simulations typically operate at strategic levels. They often involve abstract representations and roleplaying elements - with participants assuming roles such as friendly forces and adversaries.
Because these simulations explore doctrine and strategy, abstraction is necessary. Their value mainly lies in analysis - examining how decisions unfold and identifying gaps in thinking.
Fidelity refers to how closely a simulation represents real-world phenomena. Not all simulations require high fidelity. In some cases, excessive realism can obscure insight. In others, abstraction risks oversimplification.
The key question is not whether fidelity is high or low - but whether it matches the intended learning outcome.
At strategic levels, political and ideological realism may matter more than physical detail. Conversely, at tactical levels, physical accuracy may be critical. Therefore, fidelity must serve a purpose.
Learning from military simulations occurs in reflection. After-action reports evaluate decisions, identify strengths and weaknesses, and inform future actions. Additionally, Observer-trainers provide feedback and guidance; and stochastic disruptions force adaptation.
Simulations cannot replicate the full chaos of warfare. But they provide structured opportunities to practice decision-making under uncertainty. That practice matters.
It’s important to remember that military simulations have limitations. They cannot predict the future. They can be distorted by flawed design, biased adjudication, or institutional assumptions, and they may generate echo chambers rather than challenge thinking.
Therefore, disciplined analysis is essential. Simulations are tools for exploration - not proof. Their value lies in revealing relationships between decisions and consequences, not in guaranteeing outcomes.
Some simulations explore perspectives beyond the battlefield. Games like This War of Mine examine the civilian experience of conflict. While not a military simulation in the strict sense, they highlight the ethical and emotional dimensions of warfare.
These perspectives are often absent from strategic military simulations, but they remain important for understanding the broader implications of conflict.
Looking towards the future, advances in computing continue to expand the possibilities of military simulations. Virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality environments allow for increasingly immersive training experiences. Additionally, artificial intelligence introduces adaptive opponents and unpredictable dynamics.
These technologies enhance realism and variability - but they do not eliminate uncertainty. The effectiveness of simulations ultimately depends on how thoughtfully they are designed, interpreted, and applied.
In closing, military simulations are tools for exploring conflict without incurring its full cost. They exist to train decision-makers, test strategies, and surface weaknesses in thinking.
They cannot predict outcomes with certainty, but they can prepare individuals to face uncertainty more effectively.
And that remains their enduring value.
I hope you found this episode useful. If you’d like to learn more, then a great place to start is with my free course on gamification. You can sign up for it at www.universityxp.com/gamification You can also get a full transcript of this episode including links to references in the description or show notes. Thanks for joining me! Again, I’m your host Dave Eng from games-based learning by University XP. On Experience Points we explore different ways we can learn from games. If you liked this episode please consider commenting, sharing, and subscribing. Subscribing is free and ensures that you’ll get the next episode of Experience Points delivered directly to you. I’d also love it if you took some time to rate the show! I live to lift others with learning. So, if you found this episode useful, consider sharing it with someone who could benefit. Also make sure to visit University XP online at www. universityxp.com University XP is also on Twitter @University_XP and on Facebook and LinkedIn as University XP. Also, feel free to email me anytime. My email address is dave@universityxp.com Game on!
Dave Eng, EdD
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Cite this Episode
Eng, D. (2025, September 9). What are Military Simulations?. Retrieved MONTH DATE, YEAR, from https://www.universityxp.com/blog/2025/9/4/what-are-military-simulations
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