Toward a History Based Doctrine for Wargaming

“In 1811 the Herr von Reisswitz, the Prussian War Counselor at Breslau invented an innovative wargame. First, he constructed a table with a model actual terrain. He then represented units by blocks. Each side would give their orders to an umpire who was required to update the terrain table, resolve combat and tell each sides only what they would know. To determine casualties umpires first consulted complex tables that indicated a envelope of likely attrition based on range, terrain and other factors. The exact attrition was determined by a die role, to depict the uncertainties of the battlefield!” Matthew Caffrey —Toward a History Based Doctrine for WargamingAir & Space Power Chronicle)