Once upon a time the professional soldiery side of the West, there was the prevailing thought was that they only ever face the "Three Block War" problem and it was a matter of training (see link below, courtesy of the US Marine Corp):
Then came along the prospect of a peer adversary conflict in a First World setting, and a resurgent Southern Hemisphere "New World Order" to contend with! The times are certainly "a changing"!
I thought I knew something about John von Neumann, but this book amazed my by revealing how little I really knew about him at all. He was the definition of a Polymath .. and a Nobel one at that, in many fields! So, hand on heart, I can thoroughly recommend this title (see below, I listened too it via Audible, but intend to buy the book too, so I can skim through the chapters again .. I cannot give a higher recommendation than that):
"The smartphones in our pockets and computers like brains. The vagaries of game theory and evolutionary biology. Self-replicating moon bases and nuclear weapons. All bear the fingerprints of one remarkable man: John von Neumann.
Born in Budapest at the turn of the century, von Neumann is one of the most influential scientists to have ever lived. His colleagues believed he had the fastest brain on the planet - bar none. He was instrumental in the Manhattan Project and helped formulate the bedrock of Cold War geopolitics and modern economic theory. He created the first ever programmable digital computer. He prophesied the potential of nanotechnology and, from his deathbed, expounded on the limits of brains and computers - and how they might be overcome."
It is also pitched at the general reader (so I didn't have that Stephen Hawkins Brief History of Time, "What does that mean?" - effect here on me).
Despite this being a quick Audible listen of just one hour and eight minutes, it is as powerful and revolutionary now as when it was first written with teh ink drying on its pages (see below, the old master - I took the opportunity to download it with my Audible subscription as a "Freebie"):
Somebody at the USMC has been asking this question (see below, someone thinks there is a certain merit playing the same battle many different ways):
Virtual Online Conference from last year. Videos to catch up on and watch. Note, respect for the British Army Fight Club and the development "Take That Hill" Ed Farren along with Phil Sabin (see below, so many videos and so little time to watch them all!):
Wargaming and The Cycle of Research and Learning (sjms.nu)
Thanks to John Curry from the History of Wargaming Project, Peter Perla himself in the Lost Battles groups.io, Rex Brynan and SDM in Paxsims for bringing this to my attention.
When three respected sources of information point something out independently, best listen - or even better read it!
https://warontherocks.com/podcasts/
Ukraine pieces:
https://warontherocks.com/understanding-the-russo-ukrainian-war-a-guide-from-war-on-the-rocks/
Always insightful!
Another interesting presentation from KCL Wargaming Network (see link below):
Brief:
Natalia Wojtowicz will showcase different methods of evaluating effectiveness of wargames, compiled from academic, industrial and governmental sector. A comparison of common and distinct factors will be analyzed to connect the effects with structure of the wargame. The question of objectivity of results will be explored based on recent experiments on adjudication. This presentation will be focused on identifying next steps in measuring and evaluating wargames.
Natalia Wojtowicz is a lecturer at the Hague University of Applied Sciences in the Safety and Security Management Programme. She teaches about wargaming, game design, and digital skills. Her research includes effectiveness of wargaming, new methods and experimental implementation. Previously she worked at the NATO Civil-Military Cooperation Center of Excellence, leading the Wargaming, Modelling and Simulation project focused on introducing civilian population into training and education. Later she designed 14 new wargames implemented across NATO. Currently she is researching adjudication in wargaming and testing an upcoming game about uprising in Belarus. You can follow her at @Wojtowicz_N
Watch Natalia Wojtowicz's presentation and the audience Q&A now at the Wargaming Network's YouTube channel, and we look forward to your participation in the upcoming 2022-2023 public lecture series.
https://wikenigma.org.uk/start
Lots of science and maths stuff here, but some history too
It is a nice moment when you discover a favourite author has delivered another book (see below, Jane McGonigal of "Super Better" and "Reality is Broken" fame):
She hooked me on this one because she made reference to the USN Naval War College, Bought my copy on wife's Audible subscription so that I can listen to it when I am in the kitchen. Up to chapter two and its interesting, very much so, written in the spirit of Super Better with lots of thought exercises along the way.
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/144/1446896/imaginable/9781787635623.html
