Conceptual Design for a Multiplayer Security Force Assistance Strategy Game

The authors explain the conceptual underpinnings and basic rules for a RAND-designed security force assistance strategy game. The game is a tool to explore the potential benefits and risks of different security force assistance strategies under different conditions. The game engine draws on empirica...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Policy File 2019
Main Authors: Bartels, Elizabeth M, Chivvis, Christopher S, Grissom, Adam R, Pettyjohn, Stacie L
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
Foreign aid
International cooperation
National security
RAND Corporation
Online Access:Request full text
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Summary:The authors explain the conceptual underpinnings and basic rules for a RAND-designed security force assistance strategy game. The game is a tool to explore the potential benefits and risks of different security force assistance strategies under different conditions. The game engine draws on empirical evidence and best practices and, thus, can be applied in many contexts. The Security Force Assistance Game is a portfolio game in which players decide how to invest in the capabilities of different partner forces in order to achieve objectives. Twelve principles of security force assisstance were identified from empirical literature and used to build an adjudication tool to project plausible operational outcomes from player investments. Changes in the strategic relationship between actors caused by operational shifts in relative capability were adjudicated based on expert judgement. This game allows structured comparison of different SFA strategies, enabling players and sponsors to consider the potential benefits and risks of different courses of action.