《TAIPEI TIMES》Han Kuang tabletop games scheduled

APRIL 19 to 26: The computer simulations are to test the military’s ability to conduct joint warfare operations and integrate civilian capabilities for defense, a report said

By Aaron Tu and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

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The Ministry of National Defense is to conduct the computer-simulated component of this year’s annual Han Kung military exercises from April 19 to April 26 — three days longer than the war game’s past iterations.

The computer part of the drill would make use of the Joint Theater Level Simulation system, the ministry said in a report submitted to the Legislative Yuan.

The simulations would test the military’s ability to conduct joint warfare operations and integrate civilian capabilities for defense, focusing on countering China’s gray-zone tactics, operational procedures at headquarters and command skills, it said.

On Thursday, the military commenced a tri-service joint operations tabletop wargame, starting with the Second Combat Theater Command, whose area of responsibility covers Hualien and Taitung, the ministry-run Military News Agency said in a report.

This series of drills is likely a precursor to set the stage for the computer-assisted component of the annual exercises next month.

It is intended to enable the armed forces to anticipate potential large-scale actions by the enemy, Lieutenant General Yu Wen-cheng （俞文鎮）, commander of Second Combat Theater Command, was cited as saying by the Military News Agency.

Military leaders are to participate in field tours to familiarize themselves with key terrain features and exploitable assets in their area of responsibility, form a common operational picture and devise battle plans, it quoted him as saying.

The Third, Fourth and Fifth Combat Theater Commands, assigned to defend the western part of Taiwan proper, joined the exercise later that day, it said.

Tabletop games are conducted to allow top officers to form a whole-of-battlefield view and an understanding of enemy forces, order of battle, intent, effective strength and tactics, Army Commander General Chung Shu-ming （鍾樹明） was cited as saying during a tour of the Third Combat Theater Command.

Senior officers must be able to use scientific and systematic methods of analysis to assess the threat and formulate an appropriate response that follows the principles of joint warfare, he said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES