Hedgemony: A Game of Strategic Choices

Hedgemony is a tabletop game that presents players, representing the United States and its key strategic partners and competitors, with a global situation, competing national incentives, constraints, and objectives; a set of military forces with defined capacities and capabilities; and a pool of periodically renewable resources. The players are asked to outline their strategies and are then challenged to make difficult choices by managing the allocation of resources and forces in alignment with their strategies to accomplish their objectives within resource and time constraints.

More information on how and why RAND researchers developed Hedgemony and a link to purchase the game is available here.

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  • The game box cover for Hedgemony, design by Rick Penn-Kraus/RAND Corporation

    Hedgemony: A Game of Strategic Choices

    Sep 22, 2020

    Michael E. Linick, John Yurchak, et al.

    In this tabletop military strategy game, players represent the United States, its allies, and its key competitors. They must use “hedging” strategies and decide how to best manage their resources and forces.

  • An amphibious landing demonstration, part of Rim of the Pacific exercise at Pyramid Rock Beach, on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, July 29, 2018, photo by Sgt. Aaron Patterson/U.S. Marine Corps

    Why Militaries Should Play Games with Each Other

    Aug 14, 2020

    Jonathan Cham , Deon Canyon

    With rising rates of COVID-19 and vulnerable populations at risk, Hawaii's people are understandably nervous about the upcoming Rim of the Pacific exercise scheduled for August. But COVID-19 cannot be a blanket check on international engagement by the U.S. military. With the effects of COVID-19 expected to last for decades, the forward thinking found in games may be exactly what is needed.

  • Naval War College President Rear Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, left, views the wargaming hub at the college's Naval Postgraduate School program in Monterey, CA, January 29, 2020, photo by Javier Chagoya/U.S. Navy

    Wargaming the Department of Defense for Strategic Advantage

    Aug 3, 2020

    Elizabeth M. Bartels

    Defense acquisition, personnel, and management systems have long been seen as areas in need of reform, as costs and man-hours continue to increase over the years. Gaming new policies that govern these areas can offer early insights into potential stumbling blocks and provide leaders valuable feedback on decisions before major costs are incurred.

  • Yuna Wong standing behind a wargame, photo by Dori Walker/RAND Corporation

    The Serious Side of Gaming: Q&A with Yuna Wong

    May 8, 2020

    Yuna Wong, codirector of RAND's Center for Gaming, didn't expect to make gaming a focus of her career. In this interview, she discusses what drew her to the field, what makes a good wargame, and her latest research on the dangers of putting too much trust in artificial intelligence.