by Armchair Dragoons PAO, 14 May 2025
The Origins War College continues to evolve, and the current programming is largely dominated by a combination of the Armchair Dragoons, and the National Security Decision-Making Game (NSDMG). As a combination of historical presentations, wargame design, and publisher presentations, the War College gives you several days of solid wargame-adjacent programming. Here’s what we’ve got for this year’s program, sorted by start time/date.
Most of the War College talks are held upstairs in the “A” pod of conference rooms, at the South end of the building housing the exhibit hall, near the escalators to the walkway over the railroad tracks. Look for the company logos to help find their update sessions.
The Siege of Fort Niagara 1759
Event #4955 held 6/19/2025 1000 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
This is one of very few conventional, Vauban-style sieges of a fortress in North America
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Jim Werbaneth
Duration: 60 minutes
The Ultimate Gun Cruiser – US Des Moines Class
Event #4207 held 6/19/2025 1100 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
The US Des Moines class heavy cruisers, built right after WWII, were the ultimate expression of the all-gun cruiser. This presentation will go over the details that made it so and show pictures of the various systems of the class from the remaining example, the USS Salem, a museum ship.
Featuring Gordon Bliss
Duration: 120 minutes
Treaty of Vienna (200th Anniversary)
Event #2728 held 6/19/2025 1100 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
An overview of the treaty creating a European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring David March
Duration: 120 minutes
The Pursuit of John Wilkes Booth
Event #4956 held 6/19/2025 1300 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
This session will discuss the largest manhunt in US history and how we modeled it into a game published by Blue Panther, LLC.
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Ryan Heilman / Wes Crawford
Duration: 60 minutes
Israel, Hexbollah, Hamas -oh My!
Event #2717 held 6/19/2025 1300 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
Overview of the recent history of the Middle East and its consequences. Will address the shortcomings of all participants and the potential consequences of
current proposals from the participants and international spectators.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring Doug Samuelson
Duration: 120 minutes
Company Update: Academy Games
Event #4957 held 6/19/2025 1400 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Update on the current and upcoming games from Academy Games and audience Q&A
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Uwe Eickert
Duration: 60 minutes
Company Update: Ares Games
Event #4958 held 6/19/2025 1500 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Update on the current and upcoming games from Ares Games and audience Q&A
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Jim Long
Duration: 60 minutes
Intel in AmerRev: Shadows & Secrets of Powerful & Powerless
Event #4213 held 6/19/2025 1500 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
It is often said that US Intelligence began at the dawn of WW1. While the present model of Intelligence can be argued, intelligence activity has been part of the American Story since the days dawn of the American Identity.
Featuring Kathleen Caffrey
Duration: 60 minutes
The Battle of Inchon
Event #4959 held 6/19/2025 1600 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Game designer Jim Werbaneth talks about the Inchon campaign from The Korean War, including the game he designed
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Jim Werbaneth
Duration: 60 minutes
Canada’s FLQ Crisis
Event #2710 held 6/19/2025 1600 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
Overview of domestic terror in Canada in the 1960s & 70s. What, Why, When & How.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring Michael Tucker
Duration: 60 minutes
The Battle of New Orleans
Event #4960 held 6/19/2025 1700 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
The great American victory of the War of 1812, which reverberated through the US for several decades
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Brant Guillory
Duration: 60 minutes
Anthropologists in Ranks: History of an Uneasy Relationship
Event #4214 held 6/19/2025 1700 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
The modern form of the US Intelligence and the field of American Anthropology formed in the same years. It was inevitable they would interact.
Featuring Kathleen Caffrey
Duration: 60 minutes
50 Years of Wargaming at Origins
Event #2697 held 6/19/2025 1800 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Examining the history of Wargaming at Origins, going all the way back to the first Origins from Avalon Hill
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Ryan Heilman / Gary Mengle
Duration: 120 minutes
The Financial Crisis of 2025
Event #2725 held 6/19/2025 1800 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
We will look at the financial crash that either has already occurred or is expected to happen in Fall 2025 based on years of excess government spending, excess malinvestment, and other financial shenanigans making a crash inevitable.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring Louis Desy
Duration: 120 minutes
Mark Clark: The Problematic General
Event #4961 held 6/20/2025 0900 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
There’s a reason that Mark Clark was persona non grata in Texas for decades after WW2, and not just because he was a jerk
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Jim Werbaneth
Duration: 60 minutes
Cyber Interventions in Electoral Politics
Event #2714 held 6/20/2025 1000 in Meeting Room A 123-125
Background on documented activities and approaches toward manipulating elections here and abroad.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring Doug Samuelson
Duration: 120 minutes
Company Update: Slitherine & Matrix
Event #4962 held 6/20/2025 1000 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Update on the current and upcoming games from Slitherine Games & Matrix Games and audience Q&A
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Paolo Paglianti
Duration: 60 minutes
Abraham Lincoln and the Constitution
Event #2709 held 6/20/2025 1000 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated March 9, 1861 yet Congress was in recess until July 4th. During that time, Lincoln was unchecked in addressing the “insurrection and rebellion” created by the Confederacy. Did he violate the Constitution or did he honor it? Come and find out.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring David G. Cox
Duration: 120 minutes
Company Update: Decision Games
Event #4963 held 6/20/2025 1100 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Update on the current and upcoming games from Decision Games and audience Q&A
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Doc Cummins
Duration: 60 minutes
Chernobyl (25th anniversary of closing)
Event #2711 held 6/20/2025 1200 in Meeting Room A 123-125
On 26 April 1986 an explosion of the No. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant led to the worst nuclear disaster in history. Discussion of the event and its aftermath including the continuing consequences/risks remaining.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring Mark McDonagh Capt USN (ret)
Duration: 120 minutes
Company Update: The Deitz Foundation
Event #4964 held 6/20/2025 1200 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Update on the current and upcoming projects from The Deitz Foundation and their non-profit investors and audience Q&A
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Jim Deitz
Duration: 60 minutes
Engine Thieves’ and ‘The Confederate Raid on St. Albans, VT
Event #4965 held 6/20/2025 1300 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
this session I’ll discuss my approach to designing a largely overlooked topic, covert raids in the ACW, through my games ‘Engine Thieves’ (about The Great Locomotive Chase) and ‘The St. Albans Raid’ by Confederates launching from Canada. Published by Compass Games
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Wes Crawford
Duration: 60 minutes
The Implications of AI
Event #2726 held 6/20/2025 1400 in Meeting Room A 123-125
Opportunities and potential limitations of Artificial intelligence.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring Doug Samuelson
Duration: 120 minutes
Wargame Designers Panel #1
Event #4966 held 6/20/2025 1400 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
A group of Wargame Designers hold court on their design philosophies and take questions from the audience
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Paul Rohrbaugh, David Thompson, Tim Densham, Jason Matthews
Duration: 120 minutes
Current Operational/Tactical Uses of Drones
Event #2713 held 6/20/2025 1400 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
Review of current capabilities and uses (primarily on land) of small an mid-sized drones on today’s battlefields.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring Merle Robinson
Duration: 120 minutes
1775 -The Outbreak of the American Revolution
Event #2680 held 6/20/2025 1600 in Meeting Room A 123-125
How the differences between Britain & its American colonies escalated to armed conflict.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring Mark McDonagh Capt USN (ret)
Duration: 120 minutes
Company Update: Catastrophe Games
Event #4967 held 6/20/2025 1600 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Update on the current and upcoming games from Catastrophe Games and audience Q&A
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Tim Densham
Duration: 60 minutes
Military Logistics in Ancient & Medieval Times
Event #2718 held 6/20/2025 1600 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
Coverage of how armies/navies moved, ate, and sustained operations from the end of the Roman era to the 1300s. A great primer on the history of war and a source of ideas for various RPG/fantasy campaigns.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring Merle Robinson
Duration: 120 minutes
Company Update: GMT Games
Event #4968 held 6/20/2025 1700 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Development update and Q&A from GMT Games
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Jason Carr
Duration: 120 minutes
The Charles S Roberts Awards
Event #4969 held 6/20/2025 1900 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Some historical persepctive on wargaming’s premier awards, and the current state of them
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Gary Mengle / Ryan Heilman
Duration: 120 minutes
To Applied History-Using History Wargames to help save lives
Event #4208 held 6/20/2025 1900 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
It has been said those who fail to learn from history are doomed. Bad news if there is little applicable history. Airpower has been around for little more than 100 space power for far fewer years. Matt will present a proposal for increasing the impact of Joint and military dept. history programs.
Featuring Matthew Caffrey
Duration: 120 minutes
This is part of our comprehensive coverage of The 2025 Origins Game Fair from GAMA; you can find the links to all published articles at the end of each one
The Sinking of the Kursk (25 anniversary)
Event #2727 held 6/21/2025 1000 in Meeting Room A 123-125
Russian nuclear submarine K-141 Kursk sank in an accident on 12 August 2000 in the Barents Sea, with the loss of all 118 personnel on board. Analysis of the accident and aftermath by a retired submarine officer.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring Mark McDonagh Capt USN (ret)
Duration: 120 minutes
Company Update: High Flying Dice Games
Event #4970 held 6/21/2025 1000 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Update on the current and upcoming games from High Flying Dice Games and audience Q&A
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Paul Rohrbaugh
Duration: 60 minutes
Human Survival in Space
Event #2716 held 6/21/2025 1000 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
An overview of what humans need to survive in space.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring Carol Abbot & Lily Zahor
Duration: 120 minutes
Company Update: Strategy & Tactics Press
Event #4971 held 6/21/2025 1100 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Development update and Q&A from Strategy & Tactics Press
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Doc Cummins
Duration: 60 minutes
Company Update: Fort Circle Games
Event #4972 held 6/21/2025 1200 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Update on the current and upcoming games from Fort Circle Games and audience Q&A
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Kevin Bertram
Duration: 60 minutes
Seven Days Battles of 1864
Event #2724 held 6/21/2025 1200 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
Following the Battle of the Crater- The second Deep Bottom Campaign contains battles at places such as New Market Heights, Fussell’s Mill, and Charles City Road. As part of the Fourth Offensive launched by Ulysses S. Grant to capture Petersburg.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring James Ryan
Duration: 120 minutes
Company Update: Wharf Rat Games
Event #4973 held 6/21/2025 1300 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Development update and Q&A from Wharf Rat Games
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Ryan Heilman / Wes Crawford
Duration: 60 minutes
The Australian Light Horse in World War I
Event #4974 held 6/21/2025 1400 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Operating throught the eastern end of the Mediterranean theather in WW1, the Australian Light Horse were involved in many famous campaigns in the war
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Jim Werbaneth
Duration: 60 minutes
Civil War Facts and Trivia
Event #2712 held 6/21/2025 1400 in multiple rooms
Fun/informative way to learn about our great Civil War. See how much you know about the people, battles, and events. Strange occurrences will be uncovered as the enormity of the conflict is explored.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring Van Young
Duration: 120 minutes
Wargame Designers Panel #2
Event #4975 held 6/21/2025 1500 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
A group of Wargame Designers hold court on their design philosophies and take questions from the audience
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Hermann Luttmann, Tory Brown, Ian Brown, Jim Werbaneth
Duration: 120 minutes
Proposed Lunar projects
Event #2723 held 6/21/2025 1600 in Meeting Room A 123-125
NASA and others have big plans for the moon. We will examine possible approaches to planting such projects on the moon, specific proposed projects, their requirements, and what humanity’s future on the moon could hold.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring Scott MacMann
Duration: 120 minutes
Serving w/o Permission: WW1 American Pilots Who Fought Early
Event #4212 held 6/21/2025 1600 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
It took time for the Political Process to work out what it was going to do after WW1 started. For some Americans it was just too slow, and they chose to fight before the country entered the war.
Featuring Kathleen Caffrey
Duration: 60 minutes
Games & Sims for Military Training & Learning
Event #4976 held 6/21/2025 1700 in Meeting Room A 210 – War College
Bringing back an old favorite panel, this free-wheeling discussion covers many ways in which the military uses wargaming
Hosted by Armchair Dragoons & featuring Brant Guillory, James Sterrett
Duration: 180 minutes
On Wargaming, Second Edition, Volume One – History
Event #4209 held 6/21/2025 1700 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
On Wargaming was not only the most downloaded book published by the Naval War College it was downloaded more time than the other 44 books in its series combined. Matt will describe his new two volume edition, in particular Volume One – History.
Featuring Matthew Caffrey
Duration: 120 minutes
On Wargaming, Second Edition, Volume Two – Applications
Event #4210 held 6/21/2025 1900 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
Who needs to know what for wargaming to save lives, time and treasure? Matt will cover how wargaming can be applied from national leaders to platoon leaders, from winning battles at a lower cost to restoring or saving the peace, from out competing other businesses to helping create a better future.
Featuring Matthew Caffrey
Duration: 60 minutes
On Wargaming – The Workshop
Event #4211 held 6/21/2025 2000 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
Want to be part of history? Matt needs your help. Based in his two previous talks describing On Wargaming, and the book’s annexes (timeline, key leaders, wargame organizations) that he will post on the wall, Matt is looking for your inputs on things he missed or got wrong. Can you spare an hour ?
Featuring Matthew Caffrey
Duration: 60 minutes
Global Hotspots
Event #2715 held 6/21/2025 2200 in Meeting Room A 211 – War College
Our annual review of major world issues and hotspots with emphasis on those not covered in other presentations. We examine trends, possibilities & consequences about the subjects gleaned form the news.
Hosted by NSDMG & featuring NSDMG Staff & Friends
Duration: 120 minutes
Origins 2025 Coverage
Wargame HQ Events ~ War College Previews ~ Wargame HQ Previews ~ Exhibitor Spotlight ~ All The Wargaming Events ~ The Final Countdown ~ Setup & First Games ~ The Charles S Roberts Awards ~ The View From Above ~ AAR for A&A Arnhem ~ The Kind Spirit ~ The AAR ~ Exhibit Hall
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