TOAW Research - request for information

[ArmyResearch]

Hi all,

I am a Research Psychologist for the Army Research Laboratory and we're considering using "TOAW: Century of Warfare" in a line of experimentation with students from a few of the military staff colleges. We're looking for realistic operational scenarios that take replicate some of the past real-life events and/or situations in Iraq. Are there any recent player created scenarios within TOAW that have been based on our recent military efforts in Iraq?

On a related issue, does TOAW have any scenarios involving urban terrains? If so, does the game simulate some of the specific issues and demands of urban warefare with conventional troops?

Thank you in advance for any information and help that you might be able to provide.

Jeff Hansberger, Ph.D.
Army Research Lab
Human Research & Engineering Directorate

[Ben Turner]

I am a Research Psychologist for the Army Research Laboratory and we're considering using "TOAW: Century of Warfare" in a line of experimentation with students from a few of the military staff colleges.

We're flattered.

We're looking for realistic operational scenarios that take replicate some of the past real-life events and/or situations in Iraq. Are there any recent player created scenarios within TOAW that have been based on our recent military efforts in Iraq?

There's a reasonably good scenario covering the actual invasion of Iraq at 2.5km/hex from Don Maddox, though it could do with some tweaking. If you're refering to the difficulties experienced since the invasion then I'm afraid TOAW really isn't your system.

For operational level simulation of the more military conflicts, TOAW's certainly the best game available.

On a related issue, does TOAW have any scenarios involving urban terrains? If so, does the game simulate some of the specific issues and demands of urban warefare with conventional troops?

TOAW does have some rules for the effects of urban terrain but since it's an operational level game (with the smallest scale being 6 hours at 2.5km/hex) I'm not sure it does what you're looking for.

As a bit of a side note the department where I'm taking a BA in War Studies does a conflict simulation course and one of the games produced this year involved urban combat in Somalia. You might like to take a look at the course's website, where you can download the game ("day of the rangers");

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/wsg/consim.html

[ArmyResearch]

Thanks for the response and information Ben. It is difficult to find simulations that are at the operational level and ones that are done with as much depth and detail as TOAW apparently has. That is why I was excited to run across it recently.

The scenario by Tom Maddox sounds very promising. I'm still trying to find my way around the Warfare HQ site, is the scenario available there for download?

Thanks for the information on the Somalia conflict game. I'll be sure to check it out as well. Thanks again for the help.

[piero1971]

hi,

you'll find many scenarios here:
http://www.the-strategist.net/RD/scenarii/

you can search by time period and hex/unit-scale, and you'll see many sorts of quality (maps, research, going from the insanely great to the really crappy and simplistic) and types.

as for urban combat, the only ones that come to mind are those around stalingrad and baghdad but of course TOAW reaches limitations when getting into very detailed (platoon/squad) combat or grand strategic, and is at his best for operational simulations..

[piero1971]

this site is also good:

http://www.toaw.co.uk/

[CPangracs]

Hi all,

I am a Research Psychologist for the Army Research Laboratory and we're considering using "TOAW: Century of Warfare" in a line of experimentation with students from a few of the military staff colleges. We're looking for realistic operational scenarios that take replicate some of the past real-life events and/or situations in Iraq. Are there any recent player created scenarios within TOAW that have been based on our recent military efforts in Iraq?

On a related issue, does TOAW have any scenarios involving urban terrains? If so, does the game simulate some of the specific issues and demands of urban warefare with conventional troops?

Thank you in advance for any information and help that you might be able to provide.

Jeff Hansberger, Ph.D.
Army Research Lab
Human Research & Engineering Directorate

With all due respect, TOAW is the LAST game you should be using for your purpose. There are much better, higher-fidelity games out there that will play terrain better than TOAW ever could, as well as playing urban situations. Contact me and we can discuss some of the sims we use and experiment with.

We may also be able to help you with developing certain types of scenarios to fit your needs, depending on what stressors you want to inject into each scenario.

Give me a call at (913) 684-3038 and I'd be happy to assist you.

Curt Pangracs
Simulations Analyst
Command and General Staff College
Simulations Team

[Ben Turner]

Thanks for the response and information Ben. It is difficult to find simulations that are at the operational level and ones that are done with as much depth and detail as TOAW apparently has. That is why I was excited to run across it recently.

The difficulty is that producing scenarios that do justice to such an in-depth system requires a major effort. A few really well researched scenarios (including a newly released one on the conflict in Vietnam) are available at www.tdg.nu

Glad to be able to help.