US3333852A

US3333852A - War game

Info

Publication number: US3333852A
Application number: US342932A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jaggers Jerry Fred
Original assignee: Texas Achievement Corp
Current assignee: Texas Achievement Corp
Priority date: 1964-02-06
Filing date: 1964-02-06
Publication date: 1967-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 1984-08-01

Description

Aug. 1, 1967 J. F. JAGGERS WAH GAME Filed Feb. G, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l DEFENSES OO Nrn OO ma OO ovm OO Low OFFENSES O fr) I3 /4/5 /6 /7 I8 I9 ATTORNEY J. F. JAGGERS Aug. 1, 1967 WAR GAME 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 6, 1964 I INVENTOR. L/EFFYED c// GGEES ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,333,852 WAR GAME Jerry Fred Jaggers, Arlington, Tex., assignor to The Texas Achievement Corporation, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Feb. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 342,932 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-135) This invention relates to a war game such that the players will develop an appreciation of the complexity and destructiveness of modern warfare.

It is becoming increasingly recognized that in the event of a third world war, there will be no winner in the conventional sense, due to the sheer awesomeness of the weapons used. Both sides will lose millions of people and billions of dollars Worth of property. It is an object of this invention to mathematically simulate this war so as to demonstrate the devastating etlects to both sides.

The weapons used in this invention have been tailored after existing and future weapon systems and mathematically described and costed, as Will be presently described, to give a dollars worth of capability for each dollar spent. It is to be understood that as new weapon systems come into use, they may be introduced into the game without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

In playing the game each player starts off with a lixed sum of money to purchase such offensive and defensive systems as he chooses. A player could purchase all offensive weapon systems or all defensive weapon systems but most players will purchase a mixture of offensive and defensive weapon systems from the variety of systems available in the game. In terms of relative values, the costs used for the various weapon systems in this game represents todays money situation. Each player then deploys the offensive and defensive systems he has purchased at locations provided on the game board of this invention. Locations of targets such as cities containing various portions of the players population are also provided on the game board. Suitable markers representing the various systems are provided for this purpose.

It is well known that a great many problems are associated with the use of the complex weapon systems of today. An offensive weapon such as a liquid fueled guided missile may not be available for tiring when needed. It may be available for tiring but be unreliable in that it does not function properly once red. Finally, it must be invulnerable to the various defenses it will encounter and must penetrate to the target tired against. Once there, the weapons warhead must function properly to cause the desired destruction of the target.

It is an object of this invention to develop an appreciation of these complex problems in the minds of the players. This invention does this by providing on the game board a probability determining device such as a spinner, die, etc., and means for determining the probabilities of each weapon system successfully overcoming these problems, preferably in the form of an operational variables table. The probability spinner consists of a circle divided into equal parts having probability values such as 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100 indicated thereon and an associated `manually lrotatable pointer.

ICC

A player selects the weapon system he wishes to fire, the target he wishes to attack, and uses the probability spinner to determine whether the weapon system satisies its probability characteristics, as found on the operational variables table. The defending player also uses the probability spinner and operational variables tables to determine whether the defensive weapon systems he wishes to use against the attacking weapon satisfy their probability characteristics. The game continues until both players expend all their oifensive weapons or until one player concedes. The player who has survived the war with the largest fraction of population undestroyed wins.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheets of illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a plan view of one form of game board and associated playing pieces, distinctive colors being indicated thereon according to the chart for draftsmen in the Patent Oice Rules of Practice, constructed according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a game board with a portion broken away and showing the rotatable disc positioned between the upper and lower pieces of the board, which may `be used in conjunction with the game board shown in FIGURE 1 according to one variation to this invention; and

FIGURE 3 represents a set of cards which may be used in one variation to this invention.

The game board 1 is shown of generally rectangular configuration and may be formed of cardboard, plastic, wood, or any other suitable material.

The game board 1 is provided on the upper surface thereof by printing or any suitable means with areas or locations or zones or maps containing the offensive and defensive systems locations for each player as 2 and 3, respectively, and located ybetween areas 2 and 3 is a central area 4 containing an olenses operation variables table 5, a defenses operational variables table 6 and a probability spinner 7.

Each players area 2 or 3 contains cities 8, a command control center 9, hardened missile sites 10, submarine sites 11, and airlields 12.

Used With game board 1 are playing pieces or markers representing Supersonic Low Altitude Missiles (SLAM) 13, Bombers 14, Minuteman type and Polaris type Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) 15, high altitude Nike Hercules missiles (H.A. Red) 16, high altitude Nike Zeus missiles (H A. Blue) 17, low altitude Typhon missiles (LA. Red) 18, and low altitude Hawk missiles (LA. Blue) 19. Piece 20 is used in conjunction with city locations 8 in a manner as will be subsequently described. Piece 21 is used in conjunction with command control center 9 to indicate when it has not been destroyed. The use of each of these pieces will be described in more detail below.

The Supersonic Low Altitude Missiles (SLAM) 13 if based in hardened silos 10 carry iive warheads each, if based on submarines 11 carry three warheads. They cost fifty million dollars each.

The minuteman type Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM Hard) 15 is based in hardened silos 10, carries one warhead and costs ten million dollars.

The Polaris type Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM Sub) 15 is based on submarine 11, carries one warhead and costs ten million dollars.

The Bomber 14 carries three warheads and can be based on airfield 12a or on air alert 12b. Based on airfield 12a, a Bomber 14 costs ten million dollars; if based on air -alert 12b a bomber costs thirty million dollars.

The high altitude defensive missiles are effective against ICBM Hards 15, ICBM Subs 15, and Bombers 14. Each missile contains one shot only and survives with the target it defends (i.e., if the target is destroyed, the defense is ralso destroyed). There are two types of high altitude defensive missiles, the Nike Zeus (H.A. Blue) 17 costing twenty million dollars and the Nike Hercules (H.A. Red) 16 costing ten million dollars.

The low altitude defensive missiles are effective against SLAM 13 and Bombers 14. Each missile contains one shot only but will survive with the :target it defends. There are two type of low altitude defensive missiles, the Typhon (LA. Blue) 19 costing twenty million dollars and the Hawk (LA. Red) 18 costing ten million dollars.

It should be noted that weapon choice, capability, and

4costs are somewhat arbitrary fand could be drastically different without departing from the spirit and intent of Vthe game.

(1) Availability-A-the probability that the weapon is operative and ready for use when needed. Y

(2) Reliability-R-the probability that the weapon will function properly throughout its mission.

(3) Invulnerability-I-the probability that the attacking weapon is not shot down by the defensive weapons.

(4) Destructivity-D-the probability that the weapon destroys the target once it gets there.

The operational variables for the offensive weapons are represented in table 5 and for the defensive weapons in table 6 on the game board 1. The A and R- values for the offensive and defensive weapons lare independent of the weapon they encounter. The -I- and -D- values of the offensive weapons vary with the different types of defenses. and targets respectively. This may be seen by examination ofthe operational variables table 5.

Each player has several cities 8 to defend against attacking weapons. Each city 8 is numbered and has the percent ot the total population indicated. A maximum of four defenses may be deployed at each city, for example, at locations 53. A playing piece 20 is placed at each city 8 in an opening 53 provided thereat with the color banded end uppermost until the city S is destroyed, at which time the playing piece 20 located thereat is removed. With reference to table 5, the cities 8 'are considered to be soft targets for destructivity purposes.

A city 8 which is normally a soft target can be made a hard target by the player spending one million dollars per percentage population located thereat for civil defense shelters. These shelters may be purchased in :addition to regular defenses. When a city 8 is protected by civil deense shelters, a playing piece 20 will be placed thereat with the unbanded end uppermost until the city 8 is dev .stroyed, the player may select any target he chooses for his weapons to attack. There is essentially no population at the command control center 9, but without it the player must use the target selector 22, described below, to determine which target his weapons attack. A maximum of four defenses may be deployed at the command control center 9 for example at locations 54. The command control center 9 is considered a super hard target for table 5. A playing piece 21 is located at each command control center 9 until it is destroyed, at which time playing piece 21 is removed.

Each player has two airelds 12 at which to base his Bombers 14. Each airfield 12 is divided into a red area- 12a and a blue area 12b. Area 12a is for ground based Bombers 14 and 4area 12b is for Bombers 14 on air alert. Each airfield 12 holds a maximum of ten Bombers 14 land four defenses, for example, at locations 55. The airfield 12 and ground based Bombers 14 are considered soft targets for table 5.

Each player has ten hard sites 10 in which to base his ICBM Hards 15 and SLAMs 13. Each site may be defended by a maximum of two defenses, for example, at locations 56.

Each player has two submarines 11 on which to base ICBM Subs 15 and SLAMs 13. They have no defenses but each submarine 11 is very difcult to destroy as is shown in the -D- section of offenses table 5. Each submarine holds five ICBM Subs 15 and/or SLAMs 13.

Probability values lie between 0 and 100 percent. In general a probability of 70 means you have 70 out of 100 chances of getting a yes answer and 30 out of 100 chances `of getting a no answer to a question with that probability value assigned to it. The probability spinner 7 in the center of board 1 is divided into -ten equal parts and the sections have probability values as indicated of: 10, 20, .30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, .and 100. If it is given that you have an availability -A- of 70, this means that the pointer 23 must fall in a sector of probability spinner 7 that contains 70 or less for a yes answer meaning the weapon is available. By inspection of probability spinner 7 one can see there are 7 out of 10 sectors which contain 70 or less.

In the event one players command control center 9 is destroyed, he must use the target selector 22 in the center of probability spinner 7 with pointer 23 to determine which target his weapons attack. If the target selected has already been destroyed, the following results:

(l) ICBM Hards 15 and ICBM Subs 15--they are lost.

(2) SLAM 13-they -lose one warhead and attack the target with the next higher number.

(3) Bombers 14the bomber pilot has a 50 percent probability of recognizing the target has been destroyed, then proceeds to the next higher number target.

When the game is being played, each player has purchasing power means, preferably each player has three hundred fifty million dollars with which to purchase his offensive and defensive weapons. The first one hundred million is spent in secret, then both deploy their forces. This procedure is repeated for the next two increments of one hundred million and one fifty million increment. Each player should watch closely the forces his opponent is buying in order to defend against them.

After each player has spent theentire three hundred fifty million allocated to him, one player will spin the pointer 23 with a 50 percent probability to see who tires first. If he gets a yes answer as defined above, he preempts or takes the initiative and lires first.

The pre-emptor chooses the Weapon he wishes to re first, places it on the launch pad 57, and spins for the .availability -A- of the weapon. If he gets a yes, he

proceeds to the reliability -R-. Ifhe gets a no, the weapon was not available and he must wait until Vhis next turn to fire his weapon.

A no answer on the reliability -R- spin means the weapon failed and must be discarded. A yes answer allows this player to continue to invulnerability -I-, at which point he selects and designates the target being attacked.

If the player chooses a target with no defenses, then the weapon automatically penetrates and is ready for destructivity -D-. If there are defenses at t-he target, then the opponent must spin for the availability and reliability of these defenses. The -I- value is determined from table 5 for the particular offense and defense combination. If a yes answer for that particular -I- value is obtained against the first defense, then the procedure is repeated for other defenses, if any. After yes answers have been obtained against all defenses fired, the attacker then spins for destructivity -D-. It is not required that the defender fire all his defensive weapons.

The D value is determined from table 5 for the particul-ar offense and type of target combination. A yes answer or destructivity -D- means the target and the defenses are destroyed. A no answer means the warhead missed and the target survived.

The above procedure is repeated until both players expend all the oiensive weapons or until one player concedes. The player who has survived the war with the largest fraction of population undestroyed wins.

One variation to the basic game as outlined above uses the board 25 shown in FIGURE 2 in conjunction with game board 1. Board 25 is made of two pieces 25a and 25b of suitable material such -as is used for board 1 mounted one on top of the other with space being provided between the two pieces for rotatable disc 26. A pin 27 extends through the top piece 25b and entirely through disc 26 holding disc 26 in position between the upper piece 25b and lower piece 25a of board 25 with disc 26 rotatable on pin 27. The upper piece 25b of board 25 is provided with an arcuate cut out 28 in which pin 29 mounted on disc 26 may be moved. The upper piece 25b of board 25 is provided with

circular openings

30, 31 and 32 and rectangular opening 33 all covered with any suitable transparent material such as clear plastic or glass.

Probability pointers

34, 35 and 36 are mounted on the transparent material covering

circular openings

30, 31 and 32, respectively.

Areas

37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45 corresponding in size and shape to

circular openings

30, 31, and 32 are delineated in any suitable manner on the upper surface of disc 36. Similarly

areas

46, 47 and 48 corresponding in size and shape to rectangular opening 33 are delineated on the upper surface of disc 26. The various areas mentioned above are delineated on disc 26 in such a manner that when area 47 is visible through opening 33

areas

38, 41 and 44 will be visible through

openings

30, 31 and 32, respectively. Similarly

areas

46, 39, 40 and 45 will all be visible together as will

areas

48, 37, 42 and 43.

On each of the

areas

46, 47, and 48 is printed in any suitable manner the name of one of the previously mentioned offenses as BOMBER, SLAM, and ICBM. Opening 33 is labeled Offense in any suitable manner. Similarly opening 30 is labeled A for availability, opening 31 is labeled R for reliability and opening 32 is labeled D for destructivity.

Each of the

areas

37, 38, 39 is marked in any suitable manner to present the availability -A-t values for the offense whose name on

areas

46, 47, or 48 will appear through opening 33 at the

same time area

37, 38, or 39 is visible through opening 30. As shown in FIGURE 2 this may be accomplished by using a colored segment 49 of circle 38 to represent the no answer for the availability -A- of oiense SLAM printed on area 47 visible through opening 33 at the same time area 38 is visible through opening 30.

Areas

40, 41, 4and 42 are marked with the reliability -R- values for the various oienses and areas 43, 44,

and Y4S are marked with the destructivity -D- values for the various offenses in a similar manner.

Board 25 is used in playing the garne to provide individual probability spinners and pointers for the -A-, -R-, and -D- of each offense. The player chooses the weapon he wishes to fire, rotates disc 26 by moving pin 29 through cut out 28 until the name of that offense is visible on disc 26 through opening 33. The --A-, R-, and -D- areas for that weapon on disc 26, marked as indicated above, are visible through

openings

30, 31 and 32 at the same time. The player then spins

probability pointers

34, 35, and 36 to determine the availability -A-, reliability -R-, and destructivity -D-, of the selected offense in the same manner as described above for the basic game. Where a probability may vary for a particular offense as for example -D- varies with the target selected, separate segments may be marked on the corresponding circular area as for example 50, 51, and 52 on area 44 to indicate this.

It will be understood that a rotatable disc board similar in basic design to that shown in FIGURE 2 can be used by the defense; the indicia, however, will relate to invulnerability and will determine the probability of the defense destroying the incoming weapon through determination of availability -A- and reliability -R-.

Another variation to the basic game uses the good-orbad break cards 53 shown in FIGURE 3. A number of cards 53 are provided with suitable legends printed thereon such as Bad weather causes you-r next bomber to turn back. Lose one turn. and and shuied at the beginning of the game. A player is required to draw a band break card 53 when he spins probability pointer 23 and probability pointer 23 lands in the red sector 24 on probability spinner 7.

Another possible variation to the basic game may be described as war by avalanches. The game is set up as before except the pre-emptor is allowed to rire his complete oifensive arsenal before his opponent is allowed to retaliate. This variation to the basic game illustrates many facts of a thermonuclear war. They are as follows:

(l) The distinct advantages of the pre-emptor.

(2) The need for survivable offensive weapons.

(3) The damage inflicted on the attacker even though he attacks iirst.

It is to be understood that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claim.

I claim:

A war game wherein the actual Vcapabilities of oensive and defensive systems in a war are simulated comprising: a plurality of first game pieces defining an offensive weapons system; a plurality of second game pieces defining a defensive weapons system; a ga-me board; an operational variables on said game board having indica thereon correlated with and identifying the probabilities of success of the game pieces of said offensive weapons system and said denfensive weapons system, a probability determining means correlated with said operational variables table to define operational moves of the offensive and defensive game -pieces and operable by a player on offense to determine the effectiveness of said offensive weapons system and its relationship with the defensive Weapons system and operable by a player on defense to determine the effectiveness of said defensive weapons system and its relationship with the offensive weapons system, said probability determining means including in device having -a board, and a rotatable disc, the top of said board having a slot and an annular series of spaced circular transparent windows with probability pointers rotatably mounted thereon, said rotatable disc being mounted for rotational adjustment beneath said windows to align selected offensive weapon probability information 7 8 at predetermined windows with the selected weapon being 2,310,686 2/ 1943 Freer 273-134 Iidentied through said slot, said board having an arcuate 2,479,747 8/ 1949 La Chance 273-134 cut `out,' a pin connected to said rotatable disc and extend- 2,749,128 6/ 1956 Arnold 273-134 ing outwardly through said cut out for facilitating weapon 2,825,564 3/ 1958 Macht et a1 273-93 selection.

References Cited 5 OTHER REFERENCES UNITED STATES PATENTS P1ayfhingS,May1947,page 3- 2,058,079 10/1936 Heath 273-130 l. 2,154,066 4/1939 De Giers nu; 116 133 X RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Przmary Examzner.

2,257,636 9/ 1941 Cohen 273-134 10 S. NATTER, L. J. BOVASSO, Assistant Examiners.