TEAM STRATEGY GAMESB u i l d i n g a n U n d e r s t a n d i n g o f I n t e r n a t i o n a l A f f a i r s

t h r o u g h S t r a t e g i c G a m e Wa r f a r e

P U R P O S E :

Nation Rebuilder’s team based strategy games are designed to provide an opportunity

for students to engage in outdoor intelligence gathering and strategic command games

that resemble a current international crisis. While the games are fun and active for all

ages, they also provide a valuable opportunity to teach and inform participants about the

weighty responsibility of intelligence gathering and strategic decision making.

D E S I G N :

The program was designed with input from an international affairs professor and a

former Navy Seal in order to create hypothetical missions that are based upon current

international events at the time. The games generally involve a group of approximately

20-40 participants that are assigned to various teams, some in opposition, others in

alliance, who are tasked with specific strategic objectives depending on the emerging

crisis. The strategic games are a great team building exercise and fun learning activity for

school outdoor-ed programs, church camps, youth retreats.

TEAM STRATEGY GAMES

TEAM STRATEGY GAMES

E X A M P L E S T R AT E G Y G A M E E X A M P L E S :

2009 Operation Mountain Shield

The future stability of Afghanistan was in question as Taliban extremists operating in

neighboring Pakistan sought to regain power in Afghanistan. British intelligence and U.S.

Special Forces worked together to obstruct Taliban objectives in the region.

2010 Operation Desert Strike

The Saudi government requested security assistance along its southern border with

Yemen as the stability of the Yemeni government was threatened by a growing Al Qaeda

presence in the country. Growing concerns regarding Al Qaeda’s capacity to encroach

into neighboring Saudi Arabia and control its oil fields resulted in the Saudi’s pursuing

international intelligence and requesting security operations to eliminate Al Qaeda

threats in the region.

2011 Operation Unified Protector

Gadhafi’s ongoing attempt to maintain control through his loyal supporters was tottering

as Libyan opposition groups were aided by U.S. military forces and British intelligence in

their attempt to find and capture Gadhafi supporters themselves, and free their country.

2012 Operation Spearhead

Intelligence being gathered in Syria seemed to confirm that the Assad regime in Syria had

been using chemical weapons on opposition forces. U.S. and British intelligence were to

confirm these reports, locate weapons of mass destruction and obtain permission for

their elimination.

S T R AT E G I C G A M E M I S S I O N :

Each game is designed to correspond to actual events that are happening around the

world at the time. Although based on events in real-time, the games adopt a

hypothetical element for the sake of simulating an international crisis and a potential

response of key state actors. Depending on the geographic features of the available

game location, examples of strategic game objectives could include:

• Locate and destroy Iranian nuclear facilities

• Liberate South Korea from invading North Korean forces

• Find prisoners taken hostage by Taliban groups operating in Afghanistan

• Disrupt Somali pirate networks operating off coast of East Africa

• Disrupt ISIS operations in their attempt to regain control of Iraq

S T R AT E G I C G A M E O B J E C T I V E S :

Teams are created by identifying what likely groups would be involved in a particular

crisis, such as U.S. Special Forces, British intelligence operatives, local national groups,

terrorists, dictator regimes, etc. Each team is given a set of clearly defined objectives,

that if fulfilled will determine a winner for one side or another.

The game location is researched using geospatial intelligence apps such as Google Earth

so that a map of the current international hotspot can be superimposed upon the game

location. National boundaries, geographic features and mock military assets can be

appropriately marked upon the map

Game objectives require strategic planning by participants by requiring teams to fulfill

consecutive tasks. Before launching an all out attack on an enemy, teams maybe

required to coordinate their activities with allies or conduct intelligence gathering

missions to locate enemy assets such as hidden oil fields, or missile sites, or prisoners.

As information is gathered, team commanders then communicate further plans for

additional missions or enemy engagements.

The next page provides an example satellite imagery of a 3 acre woodland with an

outline of Libya superimposed over top and the objectives listed for each team. The

maps was distributed and objectives explained to participants in a pre-game intelligence

briefing.

TEAM STRATEGY GAMES

Operation Unified Protector: Game Objectives

Strategic Objectives:

Gadhafi's forces: • Protect Gadhafi from being removed from power.

• Maintain control of oil fields in West and gain control of oil fields in the East.

• Capture Libyan opposition, U.S. & British forces in the West.

• Avoid being captured in the East.

Libyan opposition:• Maintain control of oil fields in East and gain control of oil fields in West.

• Capture Gadhafi forces in the East who are looking for oil fields.

British MI6 intelligence:• Locate and capture Gadhafi.

• Avoid being captured by Gadhafi forces.

U.S. Army Rangers:• Assist Libyan opposition in gaining oil fields in the West.

• Assist Libyan opposition in attack and capturing Gadhafi forces in the East.

• U.S. cannot remove Gadhafi from power.

• Evacuation area in water is considered a safe zone.

To Win:

Gadhafi forces must gain 4

out of 5 bases and protect

Gadhafi.

Libyan opposition, U.S. & MI6

must gain all 5 bases and

capture Gadhafi.

West: Gadhafi controlled

East: Opposition controlled

TEAM STRATEGY GAMES

U.S. Embassy

British Embassy

Libyan oil fields

U.S. Navy evacuation

Libyan Prison

H OW I T WO R K S :

Terrain

The strategic games are ideally conducted on 3-4 acres of private property. Property

with geographic features make the game more challenging. A wooded area is preferable,

with dense undergrowth for hiding, or streams that have to be crossed, or open areas to

be traversed without being caught. The greater the variance, the more interesting the

game.

Teams

It is recommended that you have between 20-40 students that can be split into 3-4

teams that will compete against one another or form alliances in their mission. It is

recommended that adults operate as judges who roam the property to help decide

issues and discrepancies that arise.

Game Briefing

A pre-game intelligence briefing creates great expectation and excitement and is a good

learning experience for participants to learn about the real world situations that the

game simulates.

The purpose of the briefing should be to convey clearly the overall nature of the

situation and explain specific objectives of each team. Use PowerPoint to present a map

and show various features of the game location.

TEAM STRATEGY GAMES

TEAM STRATEGY GAMES

A B O U T U S :

Nation Rebuilders is a family owned business that was started in 2011 in order to

create and distribute curriculum and educational materials to train the next

generation to both understand the times, and to know how to effectively lead with

Christian character and wisdom in 21st century world affairs.

M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N :

www.nationrebuilders.com

TEAM STRATEGY GAMES