In the whole range of human activities, war most closely resembles a game of cards.
Quotes by Philip Sabin
Both war and games pit humans against one another in a dynamic interactive contest of wits and resources, as the opposing sides struggle to prevail.
What is it about war and games that has bound them together for millennia, despite the apparently stark contrast between the gravity of fights for survival and the frivolity of play?
It is hence not surprising that the issue of where to strike the balance between accuracy and simplicity (or, as it is usually put, between realism and playability) has been one of the most enduring and vexed debates within the wargaming hobby.
It may seem odd to describe books, articles and lectures on war as “models”, but that is exactly what they are.