Wargaming at the Land Forces Academy: Defence24 recognized
Photo. AWL
The Land Forces Academy (AWL) in Wrocław hosted the conference Wargaming as an Analytical and Training Tool in Military and Civilian Environments. The importance of wargaming was highlighted not only in preparing for conflict but also in the development and training of new military and civilian personnel. Defence24 was recognized at the event for its support, and the role of wargaming was also emphasized during the Defence24 Days conference.
The growth of Poland’s wargaming sector has become increasingly visible in recent years, not only due to the ongoing full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. At the Defence24 Days conference, two wargames focused specifically on Poland and the Baltic states were conducted. In 2025, cadets from the Land Forces Academy in Wrocław claimed 1st and 3rd place in the two most prestigious wargaming tournaments organized by the United States.
AWL's Wargaming Development with Defence24
AWL itself has taken significant steps in this area. On October 14th and 15th, Wrocław hosted a two-day conference dedicated to both the use of wargaming and the challenges associated with it. Alongside the panel discussions, attendees could explore wargaming offerings presented by exhibitors, and a Wargaming Tournament for the AWL Rector’s Cup also took place.
During the opening, the Rector of the Land Forces Academy, General Marek Tomaszycki (ret.), admitted that he had initially been skeptical about introducing wargaming at his institution.His perspective changed following a visit to the 2024 Defence24 Days conference and participation in a wargame there.
”I observed the game and thought, »Interesting.« Who knows, perhaps this is something that, besides preparing future commanders, could accompany them throughout their careers? I decided that we should implement this at our academy and teach our future non-commissioned officers how to apply it in practice,” the Rector said in his speech.
Special recognition went to Defence24. During the event, General Jarosław Gromadziński (ret.), President of Academy24, received a token of appreciation and words of recognition for the entire team for their support in organizing and promoting the conference, along with a commemorative medal. Thanks were also extended to the University of Wrocław and the Orlen Foundation for their cooperation and support.
Wargaming: More than training
Two leading cadets from the Academy, Senior Corporal Cadets Oskar Dawid and Adrian Krakowski, explained that in the three years since the establishment of the War Analysis Scientific Circle, wargaming has allowed them to develop key skills in tactics and command.”(Wargames - ed.) allow us to test planning processes, commanders« decisions, and reactions under pressure. More importantly, they provide something no model or sketch can: an active, thinking adversary,” they said.
On paper, everything usually works: plans are logical, charts consistent, sketches look fine. But once we enter the game and have to make decisions, respond to unexpected opponent actions, and see the effects unfold in time and space, then theory meets practice. Wargaming shows where our assumptions were overly optimistic, where we underestimated terrain, weather, friction, time constraints, communications, or logistics. This allows us not only to train personnel but also to verify conceptual plans and test doctrinal schemes.
Senior Corporal Cadets Oskar Dawid and Adrian Krakowski
The cadets also highlighted this year’s Defence24 Days conference, where they participated in the Polish Shield 2040 wargame. It was their first exposure to multidomain operations, where players had to consider not only armies and air forces but also cyber and space operations.
”We learned to plan actions in environments where success depends not only on maneuver forces but also on deep strikes, electronic warfare, redeployment timelines, supply lines, and IST capabilities. It was our first experience seeing how systems warfare works in practice, where an advantage in one domain significantly affects the balance in others,” they said.
Defence and civil applications
During his presentation, Colonel Olaf Werner from JFTC Bydgoszcz highlighted land operations planning using computer-assisted wargames. These tools allow not only testing commanders« plans but also assessing and improving them. The methodology’s main goal is analytical, positioning it firmly in the realm of analytical wargaming.
”For wargames, it makes sense to test a plan, usually in a sandbox or table-top exercise. It lets you see whether the plan truly works or still needs improvement. These are never final, even for regional plans, but serve as a starting point for further planning and review. It is a continuous process we aim to support” explained the Colonel.
Patrick Feng from the U.S. Center for Naval Analyses noted that wargames are not destined solely for military personnel. In one exercise focused on South America and the U.S. Coast Guard, civilians took control of different factions. However, the primary challenge from a U.S. perspective remains building resilience among the general population.
Feng noted that currently, homeland defense is a major focus for the U.S. military. He said that USA mobilizes its forces while maintaining readiness and domestic security. Realistically, even though the U.S. is protected by two large oceans, Feng added, this matters less in the age of information and cyberspace. He concluded noting and strategic environment is completely different from 50 years ago.
