war games
Simulated military exercises
War games are military exercises that simulate combat scenarios, used to train personnel and test strategies without actual fighting.
The term extends to tabletop and video games that recreate battles or conflicts: We spent the weekend playing war games.
As a verb, to war-game is to work through hypothetical scenarios: The Pentagon war-gamed various responses to the crisis.
Enclosed play area
- scenarioPostulated event sequence
- wargamingSimulating military conflicts recreationally
- miniaturesTiny representations of larger things
- turn-basedPlayers alternate actions
real-time strategy · combat simulation · modeling · red team · blue team · white cell · after-action review · RAND
Outdoor military training operation
- drillHole-boring device
- bootcampInitial military training program
- maneuversPlanned strategic movements
- reenactmentStaged reproduction of events
mock battle · fieldcraft · marksmanship · survival training · combat readiness · military academy · officer training · staff college
Long-term national military planning
- campaignOrganized effort toward goal
- theaterVenue for live drama
- offensiveCausing displeasure or attack-oriented
- defensiveProtective or easily threatened
attrition · blitzkrieg · containment · deterrence · nuclear strategy · mutually assured destruction · first strike · second strike
At the sides of
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
- pincer movementTwo-pronged tactical encirclement
- diversionRedirection of attention
feint · reconnaissance · infiltration · formation · breach · assault · retreat · skirmish
Miniature wargaming franchise
Genre without pauses or turns
- first-person shooterCombat game, protagonist's viewpoint
- multiplayerInvolving multiple participants
- esportsProfessional video game competitions
- StarCraftBlizzard's interstellar strategy franchise
Call of Duty · Civilization · modding · LAN party · campaign mode · leaderboard
sandbox
Enclosed play area
- scenarioPostulated event sequence
- wargamingSimulating military conflicts recreationally
- miniaturesTiny representations of larger things
turn-based · real-time strategy · combat simulation · modeling · red team · blue team · white cell · after-action review · RAND · think tank
field exercise
Outdoor military training operation
- drillHole-boring device
- bootcampInitial military training program
- maneuversPlanned strategic movements
reenactment · mock battle · fieldcraft · marksmanship · survival training · combat readiness · military academy · officer training · staff college · command training
grand strategy
Long-term national military planning
- campaignOrganized effort toward goal
- theaterVenue for live drama
- offensiveCausing displeasure or attack-oriented
defensive · attrition · blitzkrieg · containment · deterrence · nuclear strategy · mutually assured destruction · first strike · second strike · brinkmanship
flanking
At the sides of
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
- pincer movementTwo-pronged tactical encirclement
diversion · feint · reconnaissance · infiltration · formation · breach · assault · retreat · skirmish · envelopment
Warhammer
Miniature wargaming franchise
hobby · collectors · grognard
real-time strategy
Genre without pauses or turns
- first-person shooterCombat game, protagonist's viewpoint
- multiplayerInvolving multiple participants
- esportsProfessional video game competitions
StarCraft · Call of Duty · Civilization · modding · LAN party · campaign mode · leaderboard
- history gamesreenactment, ancient Rome, ancient Egypt
- war gameswargaming, wargame, combat simulations, Age of Empires, Command and Conquer
- military exercisesmilitary drills, maneuvers, combat training, field training, field exercises
- media violenceviolent imagery, content warnings, age restrictions, parental controls, V-chip
- gameschess, checkers, poker, baccarat, dominoes
- tabletop gamesbackgammon, chess, checkers, Carcassonne, Go
war gamesarmed conflict
Military combat between groups
hot war · combat operations · military engagement · active combat · shooting war
war gamespeace talks
Formal conflict-resolution discussions
peace negotiations · peace conferences · diplomacy · disarmament · cooperative games
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