MARADMIN 494/26
MCU FIGHT CLUB HUMANS VS MACHINE WARGAMING TOURNAMENT
R 141539Z OCT 26 MARADMIN 494/26 MSGID/GENADMIN/CG EDCOM QUANTICOVA// SUBJ/MCU FIGHT CLUB HUMANS VS MACHINE WARGAMING TOURNAMENT// POC/MR. TIM BARRICK/WARGAMING DIRECTOR/KRULAK CENTER/MCU/EMAIL: [email protected]// GENTEXT/REMARKS/ 1. Situation. Marine Corps University (MCU) announces the FIGHT CLUB Humans vs. Machine “Mindgame Tournament.” This MARADMIN provides tournament eligibility requirements, application procedures, execution details, scoring methodology, and awards. The Mindgame Tournament is conducted through MCU’s FIGHT CLUB, an extracurricular wargaming initiative that provides participants opportunities to practice tactical and operational decision-making while developing cognitive warfighting skills through competitive wargaming. This tournament is a pathway event towards integrating Super Intelligence into wargaming by leveraging an autonomous agent to act as a highly trained adversary in digital wargames versus humans. 2.Tournament Construct. The Mindgame Tournament pits individual players against an AI-controlled opponent in two modern warfighting scenarios using Command Professional Edition (CPE) digital wargaming software: a carrier strike group (CSG) versus CSG scenario and a drone swarm scenario. The AI you’ll face is not a scripted computer opponent. Developed by Strategy Robot and integrated into Command Professional Edition, it uses advanced strategic-reasoning and computational game-theory techniques to generate, evaluate, and adapt courses of action against a thinking adversary. Rather than following a predetermined playbook, the AI continuously assesses the battlespace, anticipates opponent actions, and adjusts its strategy as the game unfolds. In this tournament, players will not simply be competing against the simulation—they will be competing against an AI designed to think strategically, adapt under uncertainty, and actively try to outmaneuver them. Players may compete against the AI as many times as desired during the tournament, subject to license availability. To qualify for final standings, players must complete a minimum of five games in each scenario. Players compete to achieve the highest combined tournament score. See paragraph 3.B.2.C for final scoring methodology. 2.A. MCU Wargaming Cloud. The tournament will be conducted online through MCU’s Wargaming Cloud. The Wargaming Cloud provides remote access to CPE and other digital wargaming capabilities used by MCU for education, experimentation, and professional development. 2.B. Player Eligibility. The Mindgame Tournament is open to active and reserve members of the Marine Corps, Joint Force, government civilians and contractors associated with the Department of War and allied military organizations. Applicants must provide a valid government or military email address. 3. Execution. 3.A. Commander’s Intent. The purpose of the Mindgame Tournament is to showcase competitive wargaming as a means to develop and assess tactical and operational decision-making in contemporary warfighting scenarios. By challenging participants against an AI-controlled opponent and providing access to an AI-enabled after action review (AAR) capability, the tournament will also explore the potential of AI to enhance wargaming, player development, and performance analysis. 3.B. Concept of Operations. 3.B.1. Application and Selection. Due to limited the complexity of the tournament scenarios, participants will have to submit applications to play in the tournament. Previous experience with Command: Modern Operations (CMO) or CPE is preferred; however, applicants willing to learn CPE may also apply. Applicants should describe their relevant wargaming experience, interest in the tournament, and how participation will contribute to their professional development. MCU will select participants based on the information provided in their applications. 3.B.2. Tournament Execution. Selected players may compete against the AI as many times as desired during the tournament period, subject to CPE license availability. Because of limitations with CPE licenses available for tournament play in MCU's floating license manager not all players can play simultaneously. This will result in some players having to wait to play until a license is checked in. More details will be provided regarding the cloud before the tournament kicks off. 3.B.2.A. AI-Enabled AAR. Throughout the tournament, participants will have access to an AI-enabled, large language model (LLM)-based AAR capability. The tool will allow players to analyze data from completed games, examine their decisions and performance, and interact conversationally with game data to identify patterns, strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement. 3.B.2.B. Tournament Scoreboard. An arcade-style scoreboard will provide participants visibility of tournament standings and comparative performance throughout the competition. 3.B.2.C. Final Scoring. Final tournament scores will be calculated using each player’s five highest scores from each of the two scenarios. For each scenario, the player’s five highest scores will be averaged to produce a scenario score. The two scenario scores will then be added together to determine the player’s final tournament score: Final Tournament Score = Average of Top Five CSG vs. CSG Scores + Average of Top Five Drone Swarm Scores. Only players who complete at least five games in each scenario will be eligible for final tournament standings and awards. 3.B.3. Awards. Prizes will be awarded to the top three players achieving the highest final tournament scores and to the top three Marine players: 3.B.3.A. First Place: Highest Score overall and Highest Marine Score 3.B.3.B. Second Place: Second highest score overall and second highest Marine score 3.B.3.C. Third Place: Third highest score overall and highest Marine score 4. Administration and Logistics. 4.A. Tournament Application. Applications for the Mindgame Tournament must be submitted no later than 14 Nov 2026 at 2359 Eastern Time. Late applications will not be accepted. The tournament will kick off 1 Dec 2026 and end 1 Apr 2027. There will be tutorial sessions offered and the opportunity for practice in Command PE in the weeks leading up to the tournament. Applicants must submit the tournament application available through the MCU Wargaming webpage at: https://www.usmcu.edu/Academic-Programs/Wargaming/. Selected applicants will receive additional instructions regarding Wargaming Cloud access, tournament schedules, scenario procedures, and CPE orientation. The Wargaming Cloud works best from a laptop or desktop computer as interface on a tablet through the Microsoft Windows app is not optimized for a tablet with Command PE. 5. Command and Signal. 5.A. MCU Wargaming Cloud Access. Selected participants will be granted access to MCU’s Wargaming Cloud for the duration of the tournament. Participants will access the Wargaming Cloud from outside the Marine Corps Enterprise Network (MCEN) using a personal computer and internet connection. 5.B. Points of Contact. MCU Wargaming Deputy Director Ms. Calleen Bottenberg Email: [email protected]. 6. Release authorized by Brigadier General M. W. Tracy, Commanding General, Education Command.//