The application suite has been developed to require little or no specialist support during exercises. It provides a complete training solution, comprising:

• scenario authoring facilities.
• intuitive game play.
• review and analysis tools.

The entire application suite has a consistent Microsoft “look and feel” providing the user with immediate familiarity with the toolset.

Scenario Authoring
The scenario authoring facilities are provided within the following URBAT 2 components:

• Terrain Editor – simple user editing of vector terrain data (up to 50km x 50km) and meta-data including building properties. Includes direct import of DTED and GML data formats, allowing urban OS MasterMap data resolved to within 1m to be used. Other formats readily manipulated include DFAD and VMAP levels 0, 1 and 2.
• System Data Editor – provides a graphical interface to the model database and allows addition and modification of unit data and performance characteristics.
• Scenario Generation Tool – creates scenarios by allowing the user to select the required terrain and system databases and to edit the ORBAT, initial unit dispositions and obstacle plans.

Game Play
The URBAT 2 toolset used by the training audience during the exercise itself is comprised of:

• Application Manager – allowing the simulation custodian to manage the software execution across the network.
• Workstation Interface – the interface through which users issue orders to units, visualise the battlefield and receive situational reports.
• Simulation Engine – processes entity orders and resolves combat.

The Simulation Engine includes modelling of engineering functions, engagements at single shot resolution for a wide variety of weapon types, indirect fire and building clearance algorithms which are based on the number of occupying forces, the defensive state of the building and its characteristics, including the building usage, construction type and number of rooms.

Review and Analysis
Analysis of a completed exercise is available through the After Action Review (AAR) tool, which records the simulation as it progresses allowing immediate playback from either the “god” view or from the perspective of any player.

The AAR toolset also calculates statistics to support analysis of the exercise outcome and integrates with MS PowerPoint to enable the rapid production of reports.

Hardware
The URBAT 2 software has been designed to be completely configurable and runs on standard desktop PCs. The software operates on a TCP/IP network allowing system configurations for 2-20 players.