War Gaming

Biological Parallel

War gaming simulates competition before committing resources. Male bighorn sheep assess rivals through ritualized displays—horn clashes that test strength without lethal combat. Both parties gather information about relative fighting ability, then the weaker retreats before serious injury. Actual fights are rare because assessment rituals provide enough information to predict outcomes. War gaming works when the simulation provides reliable signals about real-world performance and both parties honor the results. When signals become unreliable (bluffing), the system collapses into costly escalated conflicts.