Defence Wargaming Centre
Research, design, delivery and analysis of wargames, to provide insights and support decisions in UK defence and security.
The Defence Wargaming Centre (DWC) is the UK’s analytical wargaming centre of excellence and part of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). It helps meet the increasing demand for wargaming as a tool to support decisions and to develop insights into the complex issues facing UK defence and security now and in the future.
We run wargames for customers across UK defence and security, from the frontline armed forces to the Cabinet Office. We also work with partners across other government departments, industry and academia.
What we offer
The DWC brings together expertise and experience from across Dstl to help design, deliver and analyse wargames. Our specialist work includes:
- force effectiveness wargaming and simulation
- strategic gaming and historical analysis
- tactical wargaming and simulation
- wargaming advice, research and design
Our physical infrastructure can be configured to deliver a wide variety of wargames of different types and sizes for a range of purposes.
Our teams have experience in delivering manual, computerised and hybrid wargames, all designed to suit the analytical requirements of our customers.
The DWC is also the focus for research into wargaming methods, tools and techniques used by Dstl and our partners. As part of this the DWC has developed the Wargaming Accelerated Skills Programme (WASP) to improve and grow Dstl’s wargaming capability.
We are also helping to grow wargaming capability across wider Ministry of Defence (MOD) and in industry.
The MOD wargaming handbook explains the context and guidance for wargaming within defence.
Inclusion and diversity in wargaming
Dstl and the Defence Wargaming Centre are signatories of the Derby House Principles.
The DWC is committed to:
- promoting inclusion and diversity in professional wargaming, through the standards we set, the opportunities we offer, and access to activities we organise
- making clear our opposition to sexism, racism, homophobia, and other forms of discrimination across the board, as well as in wargaming
- encouraging a greater role and higher profile for colleagues from underrepresented groups in our professional activities
- seeking out and listening to the concerns and suggestions of our colleagues as to how our commitment to diversity and inclusion could be enhanced
- demonstrating our commitment to diversity and inclusion through ongoing assessment of progress made and discussion of future steps
Diversity on the Virtual Battlefield
As an example of our work, two defence personnel have provided more diverse voices to a new version of Combat Mission that previously just featured white characters.
Contact us
The DWC is situated in Dstl’s Portsdown West campus.
Email: Wargaming@Dstl.gov.uk
We regularly send speakers to conferences on analysis and wargaming - contact us through our email address if you’d like to invite us to an event.
Suppliers who are interested in working with us can get in touch with us through the ASTRID framework.
If you would like to join the team, job opportunities are advertised on Civil Service Jobs.