Using a Low-Fidelity Wargame for Training Fleet-level Command and Control in the Classroom

Today, the military increasingly rely on simulators to support training and education. One reason for this is simulators are seen as a cost-effective to achieve realistic training. Modern simulators can replicate almost any aspect of the real world, a development in part driven by the implicit assumption that the better the simulator, the better the training. But does higher fidelity necessarily lead to better learning? Recent research point in an alternative direction it is not the quality of the simulator that determines the quality of training, but rather how well the simulator is integrated in a larger training setting. This paper presents an attempt along these lines the simple surface warfare model (SSM). SSM is a low-fidelity naval wargame that has been used for several years to train fleet-level decision making skills at courses on both junior and senior officers levels. The paper begins by discussing the use of simulators in training and education. The SSM is introduced, and its integration in fleetlevel decision-making courses is presented. Evaluations of the use of the wargame are presented. The paper finishes off with a discussion of how low-fidelity simulators can be used to support training and education.