Tactical decision game

While most tactical decision games depict problems faced by the commanders of military units, [1] a growing number deal with the situations of types dealt with by police[2] and firefighting[3] organizations .

[4] In Chapter 14 of The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli tells the story of the Greek general Philopoemon, who made extensive use of tactical decision games.

“Philopoemon, Prince of the Achaeans, among other praises which writers have bestowed on him, is commended because in time of peace he never had anything in his mind but the rules of war; and when he was in the country with friends, he often stopped and reasoned with them: “If the enemy should be upon that hill, and we should find ourselves here with our army, with whom would be the advantage?

If they should retreat, how ought we to pursue?” And he would set forth to them, as he went, all the chances that could befall an army; he would listen to their opinion and state his, confirming it with reasons, so that by these continual discussions there could never arise, in time of war, any unexpected circumstances that he could deal with.” [5]Helmuth von Moltke, who served as chief of the Prussian General Staff from 1857 to 1888, made extensive use of tactical decision games to train his subordinates and inform contingency planning.

[6] In sharp contrast to Moltke's tactical decision games, which had no direct connection to actual engagements, those published by Julius von Verdy du Vernois often made explicit use of real-world events.

Designed to be used in conjunction with a war game of the same name, this package consisted of scenarios that described situations faced by the commanders of battalions, companies, and platoons.