Although advertised as purely commercial ventures, China’s “String of Pearls” (a series of key ports) across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) gives her the option to assert sea control of that theater, and for good reason.  About 80% of the PRC’s oil transits the IOR before bottlenecking at the Strait of Malacca and then going on to terminate at ports in the PRC...

Thus, as China secures its sea lanes other powers perceive corresponding threats to their own.  India can’t help but feel surrounded.  The United States has strategic incentive to preserve India as a counterbalance to Chinese expansion.  And, any nation drawing oil from the Persian Gulf or Africa must wonder about the possible negative consequences of unrestrained Chinese power.  The increasing presence of Chinese naval vessels in the region only strengthens these concerns.  So, the IOR is not only a point of potential geopolitical friction, but also a critical theater in any larger global power conflict that erupts over friction elsewhere.

The game Indian Ocean Region enables participants to play out possible future conflicts, circa 2025, from their political beginnings to military endings with the same game mechanics as used in the South China Sea game.  Players assume the roles of nations or groups of nations and deal cards in multiple rounds of play each representing three to seven weeks to advance their separate agendas.  Each card play might trigger armed conflict.  If violence comes to pass, the time scale compresses to three to seven hours per turn and players deploy their military units to resolve matters by force.  Those forces include: individual capital ships, pairs or triples of smaller vessels, squadrons of aircraft, and battalions of ground troops all waging war at the far end of logistical shoestrings.

This game is anticipated to be played for the remainder of May. Contact Geoff Phipps for details.