So I was asked to put together a few words on the lessons learned from an extensive history of table top war gaming. First off let me say, I was not in the military. I just know a lot of people who were. I developed a love of strategy games as a young teenager and that migrated into the more complex field of commercial war games. I have played all manner of games from board games with hundreds of small square markers, table top games that use small scale models to represent armies, and computer games that take care of all the paperwork for you. I have been doing this for 30 years or more. Combine that with a love of military history books it’s given me a bit of an insight to the knowledge side of conflict. I have even war gamed with staff officers stationed at old Fort MacPherson and some guys who regularly ran games at the Naval Academy.
Now before any vet chimes in, I absolutely recognize that knowledge is one thing but practical experience is another. Any chance I get to train I take because of that fact. Your experience living the life on the ground is far more valuable than a dozen books. I don’t presume to teach you anything here. This is for people who have no insight into the matter at all.
