Combat simulations have many uses and a wide diversity of users. As a result, choosing an appropriate simulation is a complex decision. Unfortunately, in the past the process has tended to be very unstructured. There are normally only two options: design and build
a
new simulation, or select an existing simulation and modify it as necessary. In both cases, the emphasis has been on short-term requirements, without much attention to long-term implications, such as operating and maintenance costs and how the simulation integrates with other analytical tools used by the combat modeling community. Systematic improvement in satisfying current user needs, as well as cost-effective use in the long term will occur only if some basic principles are employed in the design and use of combat models. This article first addresses the architectural principles associated with proper combat simulation design. It then focuses on user needs and the integration of combat simulations into a metasystem of analytical tools. The discussion proposes that user needs and integration cannot be properly addressed in the long term without improvements in the architecture of all combat simulations.
