Summary: | Wargaming as a recurrent tool in military training, planning and analysis has been used on several occasions throughout history. There is current positive consensus regarding the use of wargames for these military purposes. The why of wargaming is therefore established but the how is a subject under-going debate, where the educational aspects and conditions have yet to be researched or explored. Based on these conditions regarding the research of wargames, this paper and its purpose has been justified in examining these educational conditions. This paper examines these educational aspects and conditions of wargaming through the handbooks that provide the structure, rules and procedures for carrying out military wargames. For this purpose, two countries with each one handbook regulating wargames and wargaming were analyzed. In order to illustrate these educational conditions within the handbooks, a theory regarding educational charac-teristics in games was applied. A theory proven applicable to more than just ordinary games, now even wargames through the result of this paper. The results of the analysis show that educational conditions are indeed present in the handbooks from both Great Britain and the US. With only a single aspect from one of the theory-based categories differing between the two nations. In conclusion the handbooks that were analyzed do provide the educational conditions and aspects that the theory advocates.
|