search ABOUT US OUR EXPERTS OUR RESEARCH CENTERS AND DIVISIONS NEWS CAREERS VIDEO PODCASTS Wargaming at CNA CNA’s wargames incorporate our greatest strengths: subject matter experts with deep understanding of the people, processes, and organizations combined to create wargames that deliver actionable, useful information. As senior military and government leaders grapple with complex decisions, wargames offer the rare opportunity to experience realistic scenarios in a test environment. Leveraging decades of operational experience, CNA creates analytical decision-making games for clients, tailored to meet their unique needs. At CNA, we believe that wargames are not about solving a problem, but about understanding a given situation and its variables—people, roles, resources, and external events. Our experts design the games and play them – portraying real roles or groups – so that at the end of a wargame, the client walks away with a more clear understanding of the problem and potential solutions. Equipped with new insights, leaders can combine actions they know are possible with underlying data to determine their path forward. CNA is constantly developing new methods, mechanisms, and mechanics to create wargames that are custom-built for each client; we have several broad categories which serve as the foundation, including: Force-on-Force Operational Wargames – A “classic” wargame where teams controlling opposing forces debate and decide on combat movement and actions. Operational Troop-to-Task Wargames – CNA developed this style of resource management wargame to explore organization staffing. By building a custom wargame around an organization’s staff and specific circumstances, this style of wargame can be used to stress-test a new or proposed organizational design before it is implemented and avoid inadvertent holes in the new structure. Event-driven Decision Support Wargames – These are the most diverse style of wargame that CNA regularly runs. These wargames are best in the early stages of concept development, when participants want to explore the planning process of a potential action. Seminar-Style Wargames – The seminar style wargame focuses less on the specifics of what is happening in an operational setting and focuses more on the exchange of ideas between the participants. Seminar-style wargames bring in the top experts in their field to engage with each other to focus on education and idea generation. How Wargames Impact Warplans So You Want to Sponsor a Wargame... Refining Plans with Scenario-based Operational Games Wargaming at CNA CNA is a proud supporter of The Derby House Principles CNA press release PAXsims press release NEWS The Challenge of Virtual Wargaming Myth: You Cannot Patent Wargames Rolling the Iron Dice: From Analytical Wargaming to the Cycle of Research Wargaming is Just One Part of the Solution Thoughts on the DOD Wargaming Workshop at the Army War College Now Hear This – Improving Wargaming Is Worthwhile – And Smart: PODCASTS The Parallels Between Education and Wargaming, CNA Talks: Episode 66: On this episode of CNA Talks, Wargame designers and former professors, Jeremy Sepinsky and Justin Peachey discuss what the latest ideas in education might tell us about successfully running a wargame. Why We Wargame, CNA Talks: Episode 63: Samantha Hay, CNA's newest wargamer, sits down with Cate Lea, CNA's most experienced wargamer. They discuss the process of designing a wargame and CNA's role in the broader wargaming community. After the Wargame, CNA Talks: Episode 32: CNA’s chief wargame designer Jeremy Sepinsky returns, accompanied by Robin Mays, research analyst for CNA’s Gaming and Integration program, to discuss how they analyze the results of a CNA Wargame. Playing a Wargame, CNA Talks: Episode 26: CNA’s chief wargame designer Jeremy Sepinsky and Chris Steinitz, director of CNA’s North Korea program, discuss what it’s like to play a CNA Wargame. How to Make a Wargame, CNA Talks: Episode 22: Don Boroughs sits down with CNA’s lead wargame designer Jeremy Sepinsky to discuss what it takes to create a CNA wargame. REPORTS Organizational Troop-to-Task (OT3) Wargames, Jeremy Sepinsky, Margaux Hoar, March 2019. Systems Thinking and Wargaming, Peter P. Perla • Edsel D. McGrady, November 2009. Reprinted April 2019. Advancing Globally Integrated Logistics Effort 2017 Wargame Report, Robin L. Mays, Nicholas L. Chapman, Lauren R. McBurnett, Colton D. O’Connor, Thomas Humplik, Eric V. Heubel, and Christopher K. Ma, September 2017. EXPERTS Christopher Ma, Ph.D., Research Program Director Jeremy Sepinsky, Ph.D., Lead Wargame Designer Contact Us 3003 Washington Boulevard Arlington, VA 22201 USA For additional contact information, click here. 703.824.2000 General Inquiries Media Inquiries About This Site Privacy Policy Employee Information Careers Have questions about recruiting and/or employment? Please contact inquiriesjobs@cna.org. CNA is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, committed to diversity in the workplace. Copyright © 2021 CNA All Rights Reserved