40:45 – Conclusion

Especially valid in putting into the correct perspective the „Nimitz Quote“ (see below, not using wargaming as the oracle’s tool – but rather as a tool that could sharpen a commander’s mind):  

War Plan Orange (Japan):

• Phase 1: Protect Western Coast of USA!
• Phase 2: How do you get to Japan [„The Hard Bit“]?
• Phase 3: Defeat and Invasion of Japan?

Fantastic though, the NWC finally goes Rainbow (see below, why have one plan when you can have four+, one of them has got to work, right?):

But at the heart of it all was the concept and practice of adversarial „gaming“ .. 318 games [scenarios] .. and by god they did it every day when they were at the NWC .. learning how to play (a month of the school year) ,, both at a tactical, operational and strategic levels (see below, including multi-aggressor [even RN „Red“], multi-discipline [Sailors, Marines and Aviators] multi-spectrum [even testing out hypothetical ships] – respect and well done, that shaped the senior officer cadre for WWII): 

„And“ they always finished with „The Battle of Jutland“ (RN v HSF), turned on its head and into „The Battle of Sable Island“ (RN v USN). Something I can perhaps aspire to use as a background campaign or scenario development for my 1/3000 Navwar fleets 😉 

Note: I did take „War Plan Red“ as an „Atlantic Chase“ influenced mini campaign to CoW in 2021:)