About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (Full Version)

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AlanChan -> About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (2/17/2016 1:11:25 PM)

I am considering to conduct a rigid three rooms educational game. Now I have two ideas, one is to use one single computer running CMANO in editor mode, let umpires control the PC, keep changing sides and let each team see their own situation. The other is let multiple users use joint command and let umpires monitor situation using GeoStream.

Which one is better? I think single PC method gives umpires more control and can inject commands more easily, but it is more time consuming and more complex compared to Joint command approach.



Dysta -> RE: About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (2/17/2016 2:29:56 PM)

You mean hotseating?

I had that idea before since I was young and played some Japanese chess-n-turn based wargames. There is a mode when side 1 is deployed and ready, the game will save up and quit, Then the next player will load the saved game and play as side 2.

Not sure about umpiring though, I know it is for anti-cheating and scenario adjustment, but it means the game has to be 3 players involved.



RoryAndersonCDT -> RE: About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (2/18/2016 11:01:50 AM)

I'd recommend your first idea, using a single computer and an umpire. It would reduce the time required to teach how to play Command and really focus on the essentials of naval wargaming.

Pro tip for switching sides in Command: Alt-S quickly changes sides

Joint Command is more useful for long distance games that occur over a couple of days.





Aivlis -> RE: About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (2/18/2016 1:01:19 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Baloogan
Pro tip for switching sides in Command: Alt-S quickly changes sides

quote:

Alt-S quickly changes sides

quote:

Alt-S


All this time, I didn't know that[X(]
Thanks!



AlanChan -> RE: About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (2/26/2016 1:01:30 PM)

Many thanks. Do you have any resource about how to conduct serious wargame using CMANO? For example, I wonder how long a step should be in the beginning, after first contact and after first missile fired.

I heard in harpoon, time for one step before contact is 30min, step after contact is 2min, after missile launch is 30sec. However, if the operation is quite complex, I guess it will take too long to play.



RoryAndersonCDT -> RE: About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (2/26/2016 1:19:27 PM)

In Joint Command the theory was that most actions the players would take would be to set up missions using the mission editor (as well as WRA and doctrines) to set up behaviors for their units. The player acting more as as a theater commander than the officer on board a ship.



RoryAndersonCDT -> RE: About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (2/26/2016 1:21:06 PM)

Turn lengths varied from 2 minutes to 1 hr in Joint Command.

Most popular turn times were between 10 minutes and 30 minutes.



AlanChan -> RE: About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (2/27/2016 12:11:20 PM)

OK, I got it, many thanks.



AlanChan -> RE: About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (3/12/2016 9:19:25 AM)

Sorry, but I have a little question, then what about ships? Should player just specify their missions and courses and let AI do the rest or micro-managing is allowed? (EG, have a backup ASW heli on stand-by and release it when a sub is found near SAG).



SeaQueen -> RE: About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (3/12/2016 11:54:22 AM)

Depends on the nature of the game, and who's playing it, I'd say. If you're working with a bunch of Air Force guys then they don't care about fiddling with ships. They might be important for the services they provide (e.g. TBMD, SAMs) but they don't have any say in the specifics of how they do it. On the other hand, if you were dealing with a bunch of Navy guys, then they won't have much say in anything other than Navy/USMC fighter. They certainly won't be dictating the details of bomber employment unless that bomber and it's crew had essentially been "loaned" to the Navy for a role like anti-shipping or mining.



quote:

ORIGINAL: AlanChan

Sorry, but I have a little question, then what about ships? Should player just specify their missions and courses and let AI do the rest or micro-managing is allowed? (EG, have a backup ASW heli on stand-by and release it when a sub is found near SAG).




AlanChan -> RE: About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (3/15/2016 10:39:24 AM)

The players are some international studies studentsC the aim is not to train the next generation of tactic masters, but to evaluate the consequence of certain policies. I guess some of them might focus the air part of game while others focus commanding surface ships. Many thanks for your advice.


quote:

ORIGINAL: SeaQueen

Depends on the nature of the game, and who's playing it, I'd say. If you're working with a bunch of Air Force guys then they don't care about fiddling with ships. They might be important for the services they provide (e.g. TBMD, SAMs) but they don't have any say in the specifics of how they do it. On the other hand, if you were dealing with a bunch of Navy guys, then they won't have much say in anything other than Navy/USMC fighter. They certainly won't be dictating the details of bomber employment unless that bomber and it's crew had essentially been "loaned" to the Navy for a role like anti-shipping or mining.





SeaQueen -> RE: About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (3/15/2016 4:51:09 PM)

Interesting! What sorts of policies?


quote:

ORIGINAL: AlanChan

The players are some international studies studentsC the aim is not to train the next generation of tactic masters, but to evaluate the consequence of certain policies. I guess some of them might focus the air part of game while others focus commanding surface ships. Many thanks for your advice.




mahuja -> RE: About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (3/17/2016 3:06:27 AM)

> or micro-managing is allowed? (EG, have a backup ASW heli on stand-by and release it when a sub is found near SAG).
See asw strike missions.

It really depends on what level you want the students to work at.
Therefore, some examples of the decisions they'll make would be helpful.
But from what you have said, I think this is the format you'll want:

You have a big screen in each of the two teams' rooms, and have the umpire take screenshots to be displayed on their screens.
(Just make sure the screenshots always go to the right screen, and to be empty of logs for the other side.)
In each case, they can discuss what they want to happen. Once they reach a decision, the umpire implements it, and the game continues on.
The downside is the meta-gaming part of "the game's proceeding slowly, they must be doing something".
(How much is about decisions made before the scenario starts?)
When the umpire is not doing something for either side, he may want to have an omniscient "observer" faction.

This means that the umpire is the only one who needs to know how to play the game mechanically. If a student would spend time thinking on "how can *I* do it" rather than "can this be done, and what are the consequences", you're probably doing it wrong. And, as illustrated above, people who have played for a while may still not have picked up on everything. Which could still be a problem if the umpire is in that situation.


Would love to see the After Action Reports from it!



AlanChan -> RE: About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (3/17/2016 1:22:47 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: SeaQueen

Interesting! What sorts of policies?



The first thing to test is current Japanese military doctrine "isolated island defense". I know this doctrine is doable, but I do not believe current Japanese defense budget could support such doctrine. Japan is lagging behind the ship building race with China.

The second, if we have enough students to play US Pacific Command, is it better to position more ships and aircraft in FDNF or pull them back to second island chain? Will PLA devastate first island chain before US force are mobilized?



AlanChan -> RE: About using CMANO to conduct educational wargaming (3/17/2016 1:57:54 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: mahuja

> or micro-managing is allowed? (EG, have a backup ASW heli on stand-by and release it when a sub is found near SAG).
See asw strike missions.

It really depends on what level you want the students to work at.
Therefore, some examples of the decisions they'll make would be helpful.
But from what you have said, I think this is the format you'll want:

You have a big screen in each of the two teams' rooms, and have the umpire take screenshots to be displayed on their screens.
(Just make sure the screenshots always go to the right screen, and to be empty of logs for the other side.)
In each case, they can discuss what they want to happen. Once they reach a decision, the umpire implements it, and the game continues on.
The downside is the meta-gaming part of "the game's proceeding slowly, they must be doing something".
(How much is about decisions made before the scenario starts?)
When the umpire is not doing something for either side, he may want to have an omniscient "observer" faction.

This means that the umpire is the only one who needs to know how to play the game mechanically. If a student would spend time thinking on "how can *I* do it" rather than "can this be done, and what are the consequences", you're probably doing it wrong. And, as illustrated above, people who have played for a while may still not have picked up on everything. Which could still be a problem if the umpire is in that situation.


Would love to see the After Action Reports from it!




Actually, I have no idea about the student's proficiency. I am still recruiting game participants and talking with professors. I guess they will function as high level commanders, relieved of duty to issue specific tasks. Your suggestion is really good. Because if only umpire knows how to play, both sides get a equally stupid tactical commander. This is fairer compared to let students issue specific order.

I guess to save time, they will make some decisions (e.g. AC load out) before game start.



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