Optimizing Force Design Through Structured Wargaming (warontherocks.com)

• Development of a formal wargaming architecture for force modernization.
• Refining amphibious and expeditionary capability requirements.
• Bridging the gap between conceptual planning and hardware procurement.

"This piece outlines the methodological shift in military planning initiated by the U.S. Marine Corps' 'Force Design 2030'. It argues that effective force design requires a structured pipeline of wargames to test operational hypotheses. By drawing on 20th-century inter-war planning successes, the authors propose five core wargaming categories essential for modern threat assessment. For European defense planners, this framework serves as a critical model for integrating rigorous simulation into procurement cycles, ensuring that technological investments are stress-tested against realistic, adversarial combat scenarios before assets are fully committed."