Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Defence
  • /
  • Dstl analysts harness commercial gaming solutions

Defence

Dstl analysts harness commercial gaming solutions

Wargaming experts at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) are harnessing the creative talents of the commercial gaming industry to bring a novel approach to their work.

Several wargaming tools – based on strategy games which can be bought and played at home – offer an additional way of looking at combat strategy as well as being relatively easy to learn and operate.

It was this creative approach which led the UK to adopt commercial games for military-decision-support use and Dstl has now placed a contract with a British video games firm. Wargaming experts from Dstl demonstrated the potential of the games with the Royal Navy, which is now trialling the use of one of the games for educational purposes.

Advertisement
Teledyne

Above: Screen shot of Combat Mission game.
Courtesy Dstl

Traditional analytical tools are often not as user-friendly as commercial games and can require significant experience to operate, being mainly focused on the algorithms over usability and engagement.

The tools will be enhanced for our purposes through gaming company Slitherine, who publish popular games such as Command and Flashpoint Campaigns. These recreational products include huge maps of simulated battlefield areas and modelling of modern and historic combat operations, vehicles and weapons. The contract with the Epsom-based company is worth up to £1.5million over a two-year period.

Nick, Principal Analyst at Dstl, said: "We work on computer-assisted wargaming and manual wargaming. I have played strategy video games myself – even some of the titles that we looked at for this project. They are generally easier to learn how to use and have far larger user bases than analytical defence simulations.

Advertisement
Gulfstream RT

"Of course there are things we can’t use these for. Our own simulation modelling, as well as more traditional manual wargaming, is still vital. It’s just another tool for the job.

"We’ll use these tools with our own data and scenarios to provide better ways of visualising military problems. The benefits are accessibility and ease of use, and the amount of existing users there are. For example, we’ve been able to train users quicker by going out to Dstl staff who have played these games and training them to use them in a professional capacity.

"We’re always looking for things to give us a wargaming edge. These games help us to think more creatively around issues."

Rob Solly, Division Head for Defence and Security Analysis said: "We are excited to be working with a non-traditional supplier such as Slitherine, supporting the UK’s prosperity agenda. We are always looking for creative, collaborative solutions to the challenges of effective and user-friendly wargaming and simulation."


Dstl is recruiting software and wargaming experts to work in this area. If you are interested in working for Dstl, click
here

 

Advertisement
General Atomics LB
MoD campaign highlights impact of public interruption to military training

Defence

MoD campaign highlights impact of public interruption to military training

18 July 2025

Soldiers sprinting through a salon, abseiling into gyms and crawling through offices feature in a striking new campaign by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), turning the tables on the issue of public interruptions to military training exercises.

UAS launched munitions set to combat air and ground targets

Defence

UAS launched munitions set to combat air and ground targets

18 July 2025

For the first time, BAE Systems has launched a precision munition from a multi-rotor Uncrewed Air System (UAS) and successfully destroyed both air and ground targets during trials in the US.

UK

Defence

UK's combat air flying demonstrator revealed

17 July 2025

Industry partners, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and MBDA UK, together with the Ministry of Defence (MoD), have revealed the design of the UK’s flagship Combat Air Flying Demonstrator, as the aircraft reaches a major milestone, with two thirds of its structural weight now in manufacturing.

Scottish defence dividend investment launched

Defence

Scottish defence dividend investment launched

16 July 2025

Scottish Secretary and Minister for Defence Procurement & Industry have visited HMNB Clyde to launch the multidecade, multibillion-pound Clyde 2070 programme.

Advertisement
Gulfstream RT
Captec to showcase next-gen computing at DSEI

Defence Events

Captec to showcase next-gen computing at DSEI

16 July 2025

As the defence landscape continues to evolve at pace, with technological advances reshaping mission requirements and placing increasing demands on deployed computing systems, computing specialist Captec will be showcasing next-generation computing platforms at DSEI 2025 (9th–12th September 2025, Excel London).

SkyShark takes flight

Defence Security

SkyShark takes flight

16 July 2025

MGI Engineering, a company forged in the fast-paced world of Formula 1, has officially unveiled SkyShark, a next-generation military drone platform designed to transform battlefield operations with speed, precision and UK-built sovereignty.

Advertisement
ODU RT