Historica Olomucensia

This article deals with the somewhat neglected history of the use of war games in Austria before the First World War. Primarily based on contemporary studies and articles, it reconstructed the journey of kriegsspiel from Prussia to Austria and the role of the circle of officers around Friedrich von Beck, as well as the methods and benefits of introducing war games into the classroom. War games became established in the Austrian army at all levels, from military schools to the general staff, and their practice was intended to shape officers’ skills such as the correct formulation of orders or practice with commanding larger detachments. A loose form of wargaming was soon adopted, which emphasized the role of the referee, rather than dice and tables, in solving game situations. While this led to a quicker and easier adoption of kriegsspiel, it degraded over time. Even despite the criticism of some officers who, such as Csicserics von Bacsány, had witnessed the modern style of warfare in the Russo-Japanese War, this degradation led to a stagnation of military doctrine resulting in Austria’s poor entry into the First World War.

Keywords: War game, kriegsspiel, Austria-Hungary, Prussia, World War I, army, military