How Our Naval Officers Play at Battle 



In the naval war game all the world's at war 

 and all the men merely officers and fighters 



One of the players is receiving an order. On his decision rests a move which if faulty will score 

 heavily against his side. The table on which the game is played represents the sea 



THE game-board on which our naval 

 officers fight out imaginary naval 

 battles based on a problem with 

 which they would be confronted in real war 

 is a low table which represents a section of 

 the sea. It is divided into small squares. 

 The pawns in the game are small leaden 

 vessels that represent in outline the differ- 

 ent classes of warships. When the problem 

 is first assigned, the players, who are 

 usually experts at the Navy War College, 

 Newport, R. I., are divided into two sides. 

 Each has its Commander-in-Chief, who is 

 assisted by a staff just as he would be in 

 war. The game begins on a chart. When 

 the scouts report "Contact with the enemy" 

 the problem is transferred to the game- 

 board, on which the supposed engagement 

 is fought out to its smallest detail. Fuel 

 supply, casualties, wind and weather figure 

 in this theoretical battle. 



The ships are moved on written orders 

 which may be either radio or flag signals. 

 In the illustration one of the players is 

 receiving an order, and on his decision rests 



a move, which, if faulty, will score heavily 

 against his side. The track of each ship, 'as 

 it moves across the squares, is marked by 

 chalk to show its position at any time of the 

 twenty-four-hour fight staged on the board. 

 The tracks help in working out the torpedo 

 runs so that effect of torpedo fire may be 

 plotted. 



When the fleets come in effective range, 

 say at 14,000 yards, fire is opened. The 

 effect of the fire is marked by a card system 

 on the blackboard in rear of the players. 

 Actual war conditions are thus simulated. 

 A ship damaged fifty per cent, for instance, 

 is marked down in loss of speed and maneu- 

 vering ability. 



The importance of approach to battle is 

 driven home; for a slight initial error may 

 turn out to be the pivotal point in the 

 fight. The game-board trains officers to 

 make quick and accurate surveys. Delays 

 in making the right move spell disaster. 

 Maneuvering for the best position to be 

 ready when fire action opens is another 

 point on which stress is laid. Every detail 



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