Title:  Approaches to Title X Gaming: Concepts or Capabilities

Author: Prof. Doug Ducharme, CDR, USN (ret.)

Abstract: Title X war games are a series of major service-sponsored war

games that address future concepts and capabilities in the context of Title

X responsibilities to organize, train, and equip its forces to carry out its

roles and functions as a component of the national instruments of power.

Current Title X war games include the Navy Global War Game Series, the Army

Unified Quest War Game Series, and the Air Force Unified Engagement and

Future Capabilities War Game Series, and the Marine Corps Expeditionary

Warrior War Game Series.

While each service conducts Title X war games annually and incorporates

joint participation, each service seems to have different approaches to

extract value from these events. Despite that all service Title X war games

reflect elements of examining war fighting concepts as well as force

structure, there is no standard approach. Some services emphasize concepts

over capabilities, or vice versa, in their war gaming process. Likewise,

some services stress the experiential aspects of war gaming over the

analytical aspects. The value of these various approaches are discussed in

this presentation in order to assess whether the services are getting

adequate value from their respective Title X war gaming.

Professor Ducharme presents on this topic based on his participation in

various Title X War Games as well as coordinating the Navy’s role in the

design of these games. However, the opinions contained in this presentation

are those of the author alone and do not reflect official policy of the US

Naval War College, the US Navy, or the US Government.

Last Updated: 25 June 2012