Dstl launches new strategic communications wargame

Based on a real incident, 'Defending Defender' highlights the importance of understanding and shaping the information environment.

A Russian attempt to disrupt HMS Defender’s innocent passage through Crimean waters in 2021 and the subsequent campaign to influence opinion is the focus of a new wargame developed by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).

‘Defending Defender – Battle for the narrative’ educates players on the principles of strategic communications and has been co-designed with the Joint Information Activities Group (JIAG), part of the UK MOD’s Defence Academy. JIAG successfully trialled the initial prototype with around 1,500 users as part of relevant training courses. Due to the success of the prototype, a new boxed version of the game has been developed that can be played without the need for a facilitator in order to reach a much broader audience. 

Designed for 2 to 8 players representing the UK and Russia, with unique challenges for each country, the game runs for 3 phases cumulatively lasting around 45 minutes. The high-tempo activity forces students to make decisions under time pressure and illustrates that different real-world actors play with different rules and shows the risk of unintended consequences. No wargaming or strategic communications experience is required to play.

The boxed game is now being rolled out within MOD as well as across 15 NATO nations and institutions in Australia.

Colin, Dstl Chief Wargamer and Head of the Defence Wargaming Centre, said:

Dstl has the largest number of professional wargamers in the MOD, and we’ve used wargaming to prepare thousands of members of the armed forces for the challenges they will face and the decisions they will have to make on operations.

Influence in conflict can be as important as physical force, so by developing impactful, value-for-money wargames that factor in influence effects, such as strategic communications, we will help our warfighters to achieve mission success.