Wargaming the future

DSTG has developed comprehensive, state-of-the-art modelling and simulation infrastructure to support the Army in the design of its future force structure.

In a series of recent wargaming activities, DSTG has looked at how Army may need to re-design its armoured vehicle fleets to enhance their effectiveness in future joint land warfare.

As part of this, a recent study examined the question of how well the different types of vehicle will fare in various ambush situations. Subject matter experts from Army participated in a week-long series of computer-based war games in which they played out vehicle ambush scenarios. By recording their responses, information on manoeuvre and tactics was generated for a range of vehicle types and ambush scenarios.

This information was then fed into a computer model that tested dozens of options through thousands of simulations in which certain events occurring in them were randomly determined. Through this work, the researchers arrived at the key characteristics a modern armoured vehicle must have in order to survive in a future ambush scenario.