re: #2 Bob Levin

Your point is well taken.
A significant difference with ASTTs (Action Speed Tactical Teachers and Weapons Trainers): Picture a movie theater with individual private rooms surrounding the main floor. In the projector room and across the back wall are the IT guys and gals with their controlling computer systems along with the “Brass” observing a gods eye view on the screen of the operation being played out by the students in the private rooms, each configured to emulate a sub, surface craft of some type, aircraft, whatever. And made up as the real CIC or control room of said war machine. (vs. ones bedroom or parents basement). When the doors to the private rooms closed - they locked for the duration of the exercise. All communications were as they would be in real warfare.

All operations, communications and individual decisions are recorded.

After the exercise everyone meets in the theater and reviews the recorded exercise, learning how to do it better. Think en.wikipedia.org. Kobayashi Maru before the term was invented.

It allowed huge savings (fuel, personnel, wear & tear on equipment) and most importantly practicing high risk stuff without life threatening consequences.

This was serious war gaming.