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USA can't even win a war game without cheating

BillieTheBotBillieTheBot Posts: 8,721 Bot
in Politics & Debate
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,787018,00.html


Makes interesting reading, maybe the next Iraq vs US war won't be so cut and dried :lol:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    War Games are intended to test specific units in specific tasks. They are always controlled, and never free exercises. Free exercises are a waste of budget and training, since the only effective free exercise test is war. Not really a big deal at all, just whining.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Re: USA can't even win a war game without cheating
    Originally posted by Whowhere
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,787018,00.html


    Makes interesting reading, maybe the next Iraq vs US war won't be so cut and dried :lol:

    If anything this proves that some US commanders are capable of free thinking, looking at what resources they have at their disposal and using them to the maximum effect.

    What this doesn't show, is how good the Iraqi Commanders are. I think that the Gulf War has already show that...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Read the article. it began as a free exercise until Van Riper sank 16 US capital ships and killed thousands of marines.

    MOK, you're right of course, but isn't it usual for commanders to learn things from previous wars? How do you know they won't try a similar tactic?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Whowhere
    MOK, you're right of course, but isn't it usual for commanders to learn things from previous wars? How do you know they won't try a similar tactic?

    Well, unless Saddam has had a complete change of heart, he won't let his Generals actually command. By allowing free thinking he endangers himself...

    The problem with Dictators (as shown by Hitler and Stalin) is that they believe themselves to be the greatest generals. Thankfully they aren't...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Whowhere
    Read the article. it began as a free exercise until Van Riper sank 16 US capital ships and killed thousands of marines.

    MOK, you're right of course, but isn't it usual for commanders to learn things from previous wars? How do you know they won't try a similar tactic?

    It never was a free exercise. I'm very familiar with the particulars. Van Riper took advantage of portions of the exercise that were not in play because of manpower involvement restrictions. Security against small boats is done at a lower command level than was involved in the exercise, so the decisions those leaders might or might not make are untested by this particular exercise. There are ground rules to all exercises of this type for a reason. In this case, someone ignored those, so of course he "won". Completely immaterial and proves nothing.

    As for the Iraqi's, read "Into the Storm". 7th Corps faced the best of Iraq's troops and they did learn and try to adjust. Didn't help. And there are a lot more tricks in the bag than there were 11 years ago.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Surely having rules in a wargame is pointless? Isn't it always your lot who tell us there are no rules, or fair play to warfare?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Unless you are willing to spend the same type of money that would be spent in waging a real war, free-play wargames are simply not feasible. Rules are placed to restrict the games to the specific functions being tested. That still gives plenty of options for working "outside the box".

    Let me give you an example...

    Let's say that an Infantry Battalion is being tested on their defense skills. Part of the rules will be that there are units holding their flanks, which is what would really occur in war. The testing command may choose to pull one of those fictional flank units, furthering the test to include refusing a flank. But the Opfor doesn't make that choice.
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