Strategos

(invented by Lieut. C. A. L. Totten, 4th U. S. Artillery). The American “game of war,” which takes its name from the Greek word strategos , the title of an A then i an general officer, derived in turn from stratos , “an army,” and ago , “I lead;” the secondary meaning of this term being a board or council of ten A then i ans chosen annually to conduct the war department at home. The game of strategos is divided into six separate ones, or studies, of gradually increasing importance, and is far more comprehensive than the foreign war games, which have little in common with the subaltern and the student, and are so complicated as to excite interest only among the most profound and advanced scholars of military science. The six parts of strategos are: (1) The “minor tactical game,” which embraces all the details of the tactics of each of the three arms. (2) “Grand tactics,” embracing the topographical and strategical game, for the general elucidation of the grand principles of this branch of military science. (3) The “historical game,” for the study of historical battles and campaigns. (4) “Text-book illustration.” (5) A “battle game,” based upon military principles and precepts, which is calculated to instruct as well as interest without fatiguing that large cla of students whose patience would not stand the close application required in a more advanced game. (6) The “advanced game,” which affords to the profe ional military student every opportunity for pursuing studies commenced in more elementary fields to their legitimate termination. It is only in the “advanced game” that strategos solves the same problem attempted by the Germans in kriegspiel , and other military nations in various alterations and improvements upon the great original. War games are by no means of such modern invention as may at first appear; che is a very ancient “battle game,” and checkers one in which decisive concentration plays a most important part. During the last century two games, the jeu de la guerre and the jeu de la fortification , appeared in France and were played with cards. These games differ, however, entirely from the modern ones. Kriegspiel, the father of modern war games, was the invention of a civilian, Herr von Reitwitz, the details of which his son, a Pru ian artillery officer, carefully improved. It rapidly grew into military favor, and since 1824, when it was first mentioned by officers of note, has undergone many modifications except as to its underlying principles. Von Moltke himself some twenty years ago was the president of a society whose special object was to play this game, and the great skill of Pru ian officers and their succe in their late wars is in no small degree to be attributed to this game, familiarity with which has become a sort of nece ary step in advancement in the Pru ian army. The American game po e es all the valuable features of kriegspiel, and some noticeable improvements thereon as to method, men, tables, etc., while it po e es the peculiar advantages of having elementary games of special interest to all cla es of military men. The cost of this game is about $50.