Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-03
4 MILITARY KINDERGARTEN.

Il MILITARY KTNDERGARTEN
Playing at the Game Of War.
NEW ADJUSTMENTS FOR OFFICERS OF THE ARMY
INSTRUCTION AND PLEASURE COMBINED-THE
CHANCES OF WAR.
Training for war in time of peace even in
mas eeen s0wn to De matter Of I'M
to increase the tactical skill Of officers recently
at Fort Hamilton, and still more recently at
Gen. Hancock's headquarters on Governors Is
land, indicates a growing recognition OF this
fact. The game Is called Kriegsspiel or Game
OF war: A general description OF the method
to result from 1t are given herewith.
RULES AND METHODS OF THE GAME
The Game OF War. Or kf'iegSSpfel, as IL is called
in German, was invented by a PruSsian named
Won Reiswitz, and worked out In detail by his
son, who was an artillery officer In the Pr,lssi IN
army. II has long engaged the attention OF the
officers In the Prussian armies, and Count Won
Moltke was at one time the president Of society
formed f9r r Inc express purpose OF playing tn
public was astOnished at the minute knowledge
Prussian officers had Of French territory. The
explanation was very simple. The Prussian
officers had played the Game of War for years
upon maps representing the topography of
French territory. Following a knowledge of
| this TACT, increased attention has been given to
the game in France, England and otte European
| countries Aside from tactical instruction, it
makes officers familiar with the spaces occupied
by various division of troops, deployed, in line
OF march or otherwise disposed, and the time
required to transfer bodies of men from one
! point to another.
manPuyeTs OF troops upon map prepared for
| the purpose. In Europe flat maps made to rep
! resent the topography OF the country have been
| uSed-1n many cases representing particular
sections. Lieutenants Postley and Pratt, at
| Fort Hamilton, have improved upon these very
materially by constructing plaster of-paris
tsrepl esented by elevations, depressions and
level plains. Upon this map rivers and streams
re indicated by streaks OF paint and roads are
| lainly marked; miniature villages are con-
structed out Of blocks, even to the detail of the
hurch steeple; woodlands are represented by
green worsted-work, and fences are built of fine
| feet in dimenSionS-iS drawn ON a scale of 4
| inches TO mile, and consequently represents
| considerable area.
| In making preparations for play at Fort Co
| lumbus map is now being modelled In plaster
| os-rars to represent particular part OF Eng
| lish territory This is an improvement on the
| any particular place. The troops are indicated
| by small movable metal blocks, one set being
| colored red and the other blue. commander
bodies of troops are represented by blocks of
various sizes bearing various devices further to
mark the distinction. A half battalion in line
| and the same body in quarter column by seq
| ment approaching square in shape. To de-
| note squadron OF cavalry a small square is cut
| on its face by a diagonal line, and one section
| is painted red or blue. Artillery forces are rep
| resented by oblong blocks of different dimen-
sions, cut by lines and decorated in various ways
TO denote the different divisions and diSpoSt
tons of the troops; and so on through ali the
divisions of the infantry, cavalry and artillery.
| The blocks are carefully made to correspond to
| the scale of the map.
| AS it is impossible to introduce the elements
OF superior courage and training, or to calculate
the full effect OF artillery fire, it is necessary to
nished by active warfare In conjunction with
| dice By this means actual war Is approached
as nearly as possible, and to degree OF reality,
it is claimed, that can in no other way be OBJ
tanned. In this respect, it may be said, the game
| is superior to field manpuvreS in time of peace
as the commanders OF the forces are actually
| pitted against each other and the chances Of
| war are calculated by means OF the tables with
| a great degree OF accuracy.
The success or failure of an attack depends
| upon several conditions. The nature of the
| ground, the numerical strength Of the opptsin
forces, whether the troops are fresh or fat1gued
whether In order or disorder, etc. are taken into
ence to these points table Is prepared to be
used in conjunction with dice In many instan-
ces In real warfare one OF two opposing forces
will have decided advantage over the other; but
| though the defeat of the weaker side is highly
probable, the uncertainty of war is such that
defeat In the game cannot be said to be certain.
gree of probability with which success or fail
| ure may occur under various circumstances or
to supply in the game what in actual engage
| mentS may be termed the chances Of war.
| HOW PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED.
In conducting the game, If it is intended to
| represent manoeuvreS on small scale it Is only
necessary to have three persons. Two of these
umpire to settle disputes and to decide peculiar
cases which arise in the progress of the game
When the manoeuvres are on large scale there
| should be subordinate officers to carry out the
orders In detail so as to leave the superior Off
GERS free to give commands. 1t is not necessary
With ee Tgsp part oz hqsd BE
are that they should learn what the blocks Of
metal epresent should be able in some measure
to read map, and have some knowledge OF the
| leading principles governing the march of troops
and thu IT disposition In action The duties OF
tie un pfre are manifold. and require an accu-
rate'k owledge on his part Of the tactics of war
ard the conventional rules of the game. He
must see that the movements are made accord
ing to the proper measurements, must criticse
faulty dispositions and decide all doubtful ques-
IONS tIat come up In the progress Of the game.
Az the conclusion he also decides who has
! gained the advantage.
-, Befo;e the game IS opened the umpire states
| the general nature OF the operations to each of
the commanding officers, and also the special
object which each Is to endeavor to obtain. IRE
frst statement Is called the general idea," and
!ateS to what is supposed to be known to both
4! III base and principal line of operation are
stated, but nothing is furnished which in actual
war Woua h no! De IN 10 OF both opposing
Il en- that OF the other. 1t should contain the
S rength and composition of the force, the spot
az WHICH IL HAS arrived, Cne immediate objective
| roint In view, the date and hour, any informa-
! lion which may be in possession OF the COM
mander OF the force OF the strength, movements
| CT disposition OF the enemy.
When each commander has carefully studied
| the general and special ideas put into his hands
| ne sends the dispositions which he proposes to
| make OF his troops, in writing, to the umpire
| stating the manner in which he PROPOSES to
| divide his forces into advanced guard main body
ana reserve, and when necessary rear guard
| Inc general line of Outposts Is Indicated, and
| lhe detachmentS are named which are to furnish
| them. Brigade orderS-the same In form and
| substance as those given in the feld-are also
! promulgated. 1t is also stated what position is
| TO be occupied by the officer in command. After
these prelim1naries are arranged the requisite
number of metal blocks representing battalions,
batteries. squadrons, etc., is distributed to each
Gificer In command and divided by them into ad-
Nanced guard, main body, reserve etc.; the spe-
cial objects OF the proposed movements are also
communicated to the SubordinateS. To make
the game as real as possible, the map is
so covered up that each officer is only
| Permitted to see so much of the enemys
! movements as he wonld see under tho
same circumstances in the field. After com
| lpander has ordered certain movement of his
| forces 10 DE made, he retireS behind a screen
! uhtll bis opponent has made his move, Some
tines the game Is played on duplicate maps, the
olncefS occupying separate rooms, but this Is
| not The usual method AS soon as the game is
| opened all direct personal communication be-
tween the commanders-in-chief and the com
nanders OF divisions and brigades is to cease.