Wargaming with CNA

CNA is an internationally recognized center of excellence for wargame design and analysis. Combining more than 75 years of naval operational experience with a tradition of high-quality, data-driven wargames creates an analytical wargame product like no other.
Advancing an idea from conception through implementation to successful execution requires a thoughtful and organized cycle of wargaming, analysis and exercises. We are known experts in each of these three components of the Cycle of Research, drawing on our experience as the federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) of the Navy and Marine Corps. We can bring all of those components to bear to find solutions to our sponsors’ most difficult questions.

Our wargame philosophy centers on the human decision‑making process. We design each game to uniquely address a complex or poorly understood issue facing the sponsor. Our holistic approach identifies the challenges, opportunities and insights needed to advance the sponsor’s understanding of the problem. We tailor the wargame design, data collection process, and analysis to meet those needs. CNA wargames help keep a sponsor’s ideas energized, relevant and ready to move forward into the next stages of development.

CNA’s wargames are:

CUSTOMIZED
Designed from the ground up to exactly fit the needs of the sponsor.

INFORMED
Backed up by CNA’s 500 analysts — 90 percent with advanced degrees — and more than 75 years of operations analysis experience.

IMMERSIVE
Created as a synthetic experience to help players understand the consequences of operational decisions.

DIVERSE
Built using a broad range of wargaming concepts, styles and tools to focus precisely on the required problem, while avoiding unnecessary complications.