Real-time strategy computer games are an underused tool for teaching tactics and strategy. Hold your skepticism and hard eye-roll for just a moment. I’m not talking about first person shooters where you look through the eyes of a soldier (although some of these games might have a place when it comes to tactical teamwork and on the spot decision-making). I am referring to tactical strategy games where the gamer control various units against another thinking, human being. They are simulations and they are not perfect, but I believe if you can teach a tactical leader the controls of some of these games you can hit home the complexity of tactical combat.
Wargame, and other such real-time strategy video games, offer another tool to add to our TDG kit. We push LVC-G options at the unit level, why not look to open source, market solutions as well. Image retrieved from YouTube still photo.