Naval Wargaming Research

InternationalTechnology & Science

Naval Wargaming Research

The project, based in the Department of War Studies, has aimed since 2016 to regenerate research into the history, theory, and practice of naval wargaming and maritime strategy.

It explores these themes through research into the theory and practice of naval wargaming and develops them into practical events. These events use wargaming to support historical and contemporary discussions on topics such as strategic studies, tactical and operational warfare, decision-making, critical thinking, risk analysis, and more — all within a safe-to-fail environment.

Wargaming came to King’s through naval historians, who not only brought military history to the university in the late 19th century, but also founded the sub-field of naval history.

Aims

To research the history of the development of naval wargaming.
Explore the contemporary relevance of naval wargaming as a tool for historians and strategists when developing maritime strategic concepts.
Continue developing naval wargaming as a tool for teaching maritime strategic concepts, analyse historical events and further thought into strategic theory and strategic studies.
Aims to provide the ideal platform to develop research into naval wargaming and networking naval wargaming scholars across a broad multi-disciplinary base.
Trial and test maritime strategic concepts in wargames and frontiers such as space warfare and strategic space theory.
Support the development and objectives of King’s Wargaming Network.

Methods

Run a series of events open to King’s staff and students to learn more about wargaming, naval wargaming and maritime strategy.
Run a series of wargames with naval warfare scenarios, historical and contemporary.
Scholarly outputs on the history of naval wargaming, naval wargaming’s relationship to strategic studies and the ‘art, philosophy and practice’ of wargaming.
Explore digital and conventional wargame development and testing, including scenario writing. Beta testing of 3D rendering, augmented reality and other concepts.
Support the creation of a conventional and digital repository of resources for civilian and professional military education students at King’s or elsewhere related to naval wargaming. Including securing historical items of importance to the history of the development of naval wargaming within the King’s library’s and King’s Liddell Hart Archives.
Liaise with other research groups and centres.
Develop a unique strategic studies wargame or set of wargame rules—designed, tested, and run in-house—for use by civilian policymakers, educators, and the military.