Over the course of an intense, two-day crisis simulation, policymakers, analysts, and international security students gathered at George Washington University to immerse themselves in Iron Requiem: Europe 2032.

The wargame dropped participants into a complex, fractured geopolitical future set in the year 2032. With the United States heavily focused on the Indo-Pacific and increasingly skeptical of its traditional European commitments, players were forced to navigate a reality where the U.S. had all but officially stepped away from NATO’s security umbrella. Left to defend itself, Europe faced a volatile landscape marked by rising Russian aggression, growing instability in North Africa, and the encroaching influence of China.

Gameplay & Factions

Participants stepped into high-stakes, multi-faceted roles representing NATO members, Russia, the United States, and China. To manage escalating tensions and navigate the global flashpoints of 2032, players had to coordinate strategy across the full DIME spectrum:

• Diplomatic & Information: Navigating heavily compromised narratives, shifting alliances, and regional diplomacy.

• Military & Economic: Deploying defensive strategies while contending with China's weaponized economic power via its Belt and Road Initiative, particularly across Africa and Eastern Europe.

Throughout the weekend, teams went head-to-head to manage rapidly evolving crises, testing their strategic decision-making under the immense pressure of great-power competition.

Key Insights Explored

The exercise put a spotlight on the critical strategic challenges defining the next decade of international relations, specifically answering:

• How European powers must militarily and economically adapt when forced to operate independently of traditional U.S. backing.

• The hybrid strategies external superpowers employ to exploit regional security vacuums in Europe and Africa.

• The delicate tipping points that dictate whether a localized security fracture can be managed or if it will inevitably escalate into a wider global conflict.

Thank you to all the dedicated participants who brought their expertise to the simulation and committed their weekend to analyzing the future of regional stability and global strategy!