The Marine Corps University (MCU) is launching a wargaming tournament that will pit military personnel against an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered adversary to test tactical decision-making, battlefield strategies, and whether humans can outmaneuver machines in simulated combat.
The university announced the “FIGHT CLUB Humans vs. Machine Mindgame Tournament” in an Oct. 14 announcement. The competition will run from Dec. 1, 2026, through April 1, 2027, with applications due Nov. 14.
The tournament is designed to explore the use of autonomous AI agents in military wargaming, allowing participants to compete against a simulated adversary capable of adjusting its strategy as scenarios unfold.
The Marine Corps described the competition as “a pathway event towards integrating Super Intelligence into wargaming by leveraging an autonomous agent to act as a highly trained adversary in digital wargames versus humans.”
Participants will face an AI-controlled opponent in two modern combat scenarios: a carrier strike group versus carrier strike group engagement and a drone swarm scenario.
The competition will use Command Professional Edition (CPE), a digital wargaming platform, integrated with an AI opponent developed by Strategy Robot.
According to the announcement, the AI system uses strategic reasoning and computational game theory to generate, evaluate, and adapt potential courses of action. Unlike traditional scripted computer opponents, the system is designed to assess changing battlefield conditions, anticipate human decisions, and adjust its tactics throughout the simulation.
The tournament will also give participants access to an AI-enabled after-action review capability powered by a large language model.
The tool will allow players to examine data from completed games, evaluate their decisions, and interact conversationally with game data to identify performance patterns, strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
MCU said the competition will “explore the potential of AI to enhance wargaming, player development, and performance analysis.”
The tournament will take place online through MCU’s Wargaming Cloud, which provides remote access to digital wargaming capabilities used for military education, experimentation, and professional development.
Participation is open to active-duty and reserve Marines, members of the joint force, government civilians and contractors associated with the Defense Department, and personnel from allied military organizations.
Applicants with previous experience using Command: Modern Operations or CPE will receive preference, although individuals willing to learn the platform may also apply. MCU will select participants based on their wargaming experience, interest in the competition, and professional development goals.
Selected participants will be able to play against the AI multiple times, subject to software license availability.
To qualify for the final standings, players must complete at least five games in each scenario. Final scores will be determined by averaging each participant’s five highest scores in each scenario and combining those averages.
An online scoreboard will allow participants to track tournament standings and compare performance throughout the competition. Awards will recognize the top overall competitors and top Marine participants.
The initiative is part of MCU’s FIGHT CLUB extracurricular wargaming program, which provides opportunities to practice tactical and operational decision-making through competitive simulations.
Beyond the competition itself, the tournament will provide an opportunity to examine how adaptive AI adversaries and AI-assisted performance reviews could support military education and training.
Applications must be submitted through the MCU Wargaming webpage by 11:59 p.m. ET on Nov. 14. MCU plans to offer tutorials and practice sessions ahead of the Dec. 1 launch.