Playable simulations were developed for several courses in Canadian military colleges in 2022:
- Investigating Atrocity (Version 2 in development)
Played by military officers and civilians in graduate courses at the Canadian Forces College (CFC) and the Royal Military College (RMC).
- Climate Security and Peace Operations (2022)
Played in a course at the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean (CMR St Jean) to teach and illustrate the effects of climate change on the local population, on armed conflict (both the positive and negative effects), and on peace operations in the field.
- Protection of Civilians (Early prototype)
These prototypes explore the range of activies that peacekeepers must carry out in order to protect local population from imminent threats.
The simulations were also demonstrated at the United Nations, including to the Military and Police Advisers Community (MPAC), and to offices in the UN Secretariat, including the Department of Peace Operations (DPO) and the Office for Information and Communication Technology.
Detailed Descriptions:
Investigating Atrocities
This simulation is a murder mystery set in a realistic scenario of an ongoing armed conflict. It is based on the Table Top Exercise that the United Nations introduces in its United Nations Military Observer (UNMO) training materials. An attack has occured on the border village called Maremane, which was once the centre of a multi-ethnic community. In accordance with UN principles and protocols, the player must investigate arson, the killing of cattle, and the kidnapping and disappearance of civilians including minors … and dead bodies they must find. As UNMO Team Leader, your role is to understand the security situation and investigate the situation in the village and on a checkpoint along the way. You will need to pay attention to UN security updates and proceed with caution when interacting with villagers. Consider the peacekeeping principle of impartiality when phrasing questions and seeking answers.
Player performance is indicated through two means:
1. Skill in conducting standard interactions in the field, including:
- Basic Investigation and Verification Techniques
- Learning Activity Liaison and Interviewing Techniques
- Negotiation, Mediation, amd Use of Language Assistants
- Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR)
2. The accuracy of the report at the end of the investigation.
Climate Security and Peace Operations
As a peacekeepers in Naraland, you must try to grasp the effects of climate change on this highly-affected island. You can see strong evidence of stark effects on the local population, on conflict (both the positive and negative effects), and on peace operations in the field. This updated version of the simulation aims to showcase the multidimensional aspects of peacekeeping. Players will act as investigation-lead heading into an IDP camp, where one of the armed groups dominates.
The simple videos below show the basic steps in the simulation. More videos (including with commentary) are coming soon ….
In future simulations, players will be able to plan mission logistics and dive deeper into the planning of investigations. Players will also get exposure to a greater variety of actors that peacekeepers must engage with on a day-to-day basis including, peacekeepers in the civilian pool, vulnerable populations impacted by the conflict (and climate change), and even belligerents that aim to spoil the peace process.