Abstract
This study investigates the organizational structure, technological platforms, and core research themes of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) computer wargaming community. Through a bibliometric analysis of 480 academic publications from 2010 to June 2025, the research delineates a complex collaborative ecosystem composed of four primary pillars: military academies, civilian universities, defense industries, and operational units. While core knowledge production is led by institutions such as the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) and the Academy of Military Sciences (AMS), the analysis highlights significant practical contributions from frontline entities—such as Unit 31002—indicating a research trajectory heavily driven by combat requirements.
Technologically, the PLA is transitioning from the legacy, classified "Red Mountain" system toward indigenous, commercialized platforms including "Mozi: Future Commander" for air-maritime domains and the "Ironclad Assault" series for ground operations. These platforms are increasingly integrating Artificial Intelligence, specifically Deep Reinforcement Learning and Game Theory, to address "Third Generation" wargaming challenges such as modeling human cognition and autonomous unmanned systems.
The paper concludes that the PLA has established a functional wargaming ecosystem that bridges theoretical modeling with practical decision-making, utilizing data-driven simulations to enhance joint operations capability and command efficacy in modern multi-domain warfare.
Keywords: PLA, Wargaming Community, Mozi, Ironclad Assault, Artificial Intelligence