Tactical Decision Games as a Tool for Teaching Decision-Making under Conditions of Uncertainty

• Published in: Scientific Journal of the Military University of Land Forces Vol. 214; no. 4; pp. 67 - 83
• Main Author: Rygiel, Kamil
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Akademia Wojsk Lądowych imienia generała Tadeusza Kościuszki 2024; General Tadeusz Kościuszko Military University of Land Forces
• Subjects: Military policy; Peace and Conflict Studies; Security and defense; war in Ukraine; tactical decision games; combat decisionmaking; creative thinking in the army
• ISSN: 2544-7122; 2545-0719

This article presents a phenomenon observed during the armedconflict in Ukraine, consisting in the use of atypical military oper-ations, primarily by soldiers of the Ukrainian army, which signifi-cantly differ from the principles of classical warfare. Consequently,new content and methods of training candidates for officers of thePolish Army were proposed, which should improve the level of cre-ative thinking in the process of combat decision-making under con-ditions of uncertainty and stress on the battlefield. The focus wason analysing the possibility of using the experience gained duringcombat operations by the Ukrainian Army in the process of trainingPolish Army commanders at the tactical level. Difficulties arisingfrom attempting to implement such tools in the training system forsoldiers are also presented. The final part of the article describestactical decision games, which constitute an example of a tool usedto support the training process for commanders (including cadets –candidates for commanders). The explained approach opens newperspectives for the development of command skills in the PolishArmy. The text is based on publications and scientific reports, aswell as on the combat experience of commanders who took directpart in the armed conflict in Ukraine. The author’s interest in theissue of conducting atypical military operations stems from tworeasons – diagnostic and pragmatic. It is a desire to examine whatphenomena, characteristic of unconventional warfare, affect theability of commanders to develop effective responses, as well as toindicate directions for improving the training processes for PolishArmy soldiers with respect to effective preparation of commandersfor a potential armed conflict of a new type.