In reality, all the forces are being generated by the computer. The controllers can modify the simulation at any time by adding additional challenges for commanders. For example, weapons could fail, communications might by interrupted or intercepted, supplies may be late or wrong, troops could tire or casualties could mount. These options represent significant improvements over a previous simulation system, the colonel states. The war game model incorporates additional operational characteristics and allows finer grain information to be stored.
Software modules manage combat models, exercise control and display controls.
The MTWS data base can store information on as many as 1,000 major combat assets. All significant operational characteristics are stored in the data base for each of the assets. Programmers simply examine the specifications of a piece of equipment and plug those parameters into the model, the colonel explains. Theoretical combat assets also can be defined. The system increases simulation realism and training usefulness through the use of mapping and terrain data.