Personal statement

John Curry is a Reader in Cyber Security with deep expertise in both offensive and defensive cyber operations and a global reputation for designing and directing high stakes cyber wargames and conflict simulations. He leads sophisticated exercises that probe cyber resilience across critical national infrastructure, hybrid warfare, and information operations, and routinely advises key organisations in Washington and beyond.

He has designed and run wargames for senior national and international bodies including NATO, the FCDO, Cabinet Office, MOD, DSTL, Royal Navy, BAE Systems, and the Pentagon’s Office for Net Assessment, among other public sector partners. His work spans strategic scenario design, red team/blue team operations, and bespoke simulations on virtually any policy or operational topic.

A prolific scholar and editor, he has authored, co authored, and edited numerous books and articles on professional wargaming, including leading texts on cyber wargaming. He currently supervises a large cohort of PhD candidates researching offensive cyber security, professional wargaming, and the application of AI to national level policy. In 2024 he received the DSET Prize for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of his sustained contributions to professional wargaming and academic excellence.

Outside work he remains an avid gamer, applying the same curiosity and strategic thinking to leisure pursuits.

Academic qualifications

  • BA (Hons) Sotn
  • CertEd UWE
  • MPhil UWE
  • PhD Bath Spa University.

Professional qualifications

  • NCC Certified Systems Analyst.

Professional memberships

  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Other external roles

  • Co-Editor MORS Wargaming Journal
  • Assistant Dean MORS Wargaming (Europe).

Teaching specialisms

  • Offensive Cyber
  • Game design and development
  • Serious games.

Research and academic outputs

Go to ResearchSPAce

Applying deception in wargaming: introducing limited intelligence into wargames
book

Curry, J (2026) Applying deception in wargaming: introducing limited intelligence into wargames. History of Wargaming Project, London. ISBN 9798271791659

Cold War nuclear wargaming 1947-1991: professional wargaming of dark themes
book

Curry, J (2025) Cold War nuclear wargaming 1947-1991: professional wargaming of dark themes. History of Wargaming Project, London. ISBN 9798313305288

Advanced matrix games for professional wargaming
book

Curry, J and Price, T (2023) Advanced matrix games for professional wargaming. History of Wargaming Project, London. ISBN 9798863887890

Roll to save: gaming disease response; how to construct games in support of public health professionals
book

Curry, J and McGrady, E (2021) Roll to save: gaming disease response; how to construct games in support of public health professionals. History of Wargaming Project, London. ISBN 9798754461932

The handbook of cyber wargames: wargaming the 21st century
book

Curry, J and Drage, N (2020) The handbook of cyber wargames: wargaming the 21st century. History of Wargaming Project, London. ISBN 9798644730209

Successful professional wargames: a practitioner's handbook [by Graham Longley Brown]
book

Curry, J, ed. (2019) Successful professional wargames: a practitioner's handbook [by Graham Longley Brown]. History of Wargaming Project, London. ISBN 9780244803643

It could happen tomorrow! Emergency planning exercises for the health service and business [by] Russell King
book

Curry, J, ed. (2015) It could happen tomorrow! Emergency planning exercises for the health service and business [by] Russell King. History of Wargaming Project, London. ISBN 9781326455507

Matrix games for modern wargaming: developments in professional and educational wargames innovations in wargaming - volume 2
book

Curry, J and Price, T (2014) Matrix games for modern wargaming: developments in professional and educational wargames innovations in wargaming - volume 2. History of Wargaming Project, London. ISBN 9781291979657

Dark guest: training games for cyber warfare - volume 1, wargaming internet based attacks
book

Curry, J and Price, T (2013) Dark guest: training games for cyber warfare - volume 1, wargaming internet based attacks. History of Wargaming Project, London. ISBN 9781291669121

Peter Perla's the art of wargaming: a guide for professionals and hobbyists
book

Curry, J, ed. (2012) Peter Perla's the art of wargaming: a guide for professionals and hobbyists. History of Wargaming Project, London. ISBN 9781471615191

A case for using blended learning and development techniques to aid the delivery of a UK cybersecurity core body of knowledge
book_section

Bird, D.A and Curry, J (2020) 'A case for using blended learning and development techniques to aid the delivery of a UK cybersecurity core body of knowledge.' In: Cyber warfare and terrorism: concepts, methodologies, tools, and applications. IGI Global, Hershey, PA, pp. 964-984. ISBN 9781799824664

Wargaming national cyber emergencies
book_section

Curry, J (2020) 'Wargaming national cyber emergencies.' In: Austin, G, ed. National cyber emergencies: the return to civil defence. Routledge, Abingdon, pp. 198-210. ISBN 9780367360344

Developments in state level cyber wargaming
book_section

Curry, J and Drage, N (2018) 'Developments in state level cyber wargaming.' In: SIN '18: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Security of Information and Networks. ACM. ISBN 9781450366083

The history of wargaming
book_section

Curry, J (2016) 'The history of wargaming.' In: Harringan, P and Kirschenbaum, M.G, eds. Zones of control: perspectives on wargaming. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, pp. 33-42. ISBN 9780262033992

The use of computer games in military training by the British Army
book_section

Curry, J and Mouat, T (2012) 'The use of computer games in military training by the British Army.' In: Cruz-Cunha, M, ed. Handbook of research on serious games as educational, business and research tools. IGI Global, Hershey, PA, pp. 1122-1144. ISBN 9781466601499

Playing the future: insights from wargaming cyber conflict
article

Curry, J (2026) 'Playing the future: insights from wargaming cyber conflict.' The Cyber Defence Review, 11 (2). ISSN 2474-2139

Professional wargaming: a flawed but useful tool
article

Curry, J (2020) 'Professional wargaming: a flawed but useful tool.' Simulation & Gaming, 51 (5). pp. 612-631. ISSN 1552-826X

The utility of narrative matrix games - a Baltic example
article

Curry, J (2020) 'The utility of narrative matrix games - a Baltic example.' Naval War College Review, 73 (2). e6. ISSN 0028-1484

A cyber storm on the horizon
article

Curry, J and Austin, G (2019) 'A cyber storm on the horizon.' ITNOW, 61 (2). pp. 38-39. ISSN 1746-5702

Dezinformatsiya and the art of information warfare
article

Curry, J and Blanks, L (2018) 'Dezinformatsiya and the art of information warfare.' ITNOW, 60 (3). pp. 34-35. ISSN 1746-5702

A case for using blended learning and development techniques to aid the delivery of a UK cybersecurity core body of knowledge
article

Curry, J and Bird, D.A (2018) 'A case for using blended learning and development techniques to aid the delivery of a UK cybersecurity core body of knowledge.' International Journal of Systems and Software Security and Protection, 9 (2). pp. 28-45. ISSN 2640-4265

IoT: the internal and external threat
article

Curry, J and Drage, N (2017) 'IoT: the internal and external threat.' ITNOW, 59 (1). pp. 30-31. ISSN 1746-5702

Commercial-off-the-shelf-technology in UK military training
article

Curry, J, Price, T and Sabin, P (2016) 'Commercial-off-the-shelf-technology in UK military training.' Simulation & Gaming, 47 (1). pp. 7-30. ISSN 1552-826X

Donald Featherstone, 1918- 2013: iconic wargaming author
article

Curry, J (2015) 'Donald Featherstone, 1918- 2013: iconic wargaming author.' Simulation & Gaming, 46 (1). pp. 3-18. ISSN 1552-826X

Preparing for the next attack
article

Curry, J (2014) 'Preparing for the next attack.' ITNOW, 56 (2). pp. 26-27. ISSN 1746-5702

Active defence
article

Curry, J (2012) 'Active defence.' ITNOW, 54 (4). pp. 26-27. ISSN 1746-5702

The man next door is starting war
article

Curry, J (2011) 'The man next door is starting war.' ISNOW, Summer. pp. 10-11.

Paddy Griffith - 1947-2010
article

Curry, J (2011) 'Paddy Griffith - 1947-2010.' Simulation & Gaming, 42 (1). pp. 5-8. ISSN 1552-826X

Applying confrontation analysis
conference_item

Curry, J (2024) Applying confrontation analysis. In: Connections Wargaming Conference, 25 - 27 June 2024, Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA, USA.

Cyber wargames
conference_item

Curry, J (2024) Cyber wargames. In: Connections Wargaming Conference, 25 - 27 June 2024, Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA, USA.

Building better wargames
conference_item

Curry, J (2024) Building better wargames. In: DSET (Defence Simulations Education and Training), 11 - 13 June 2024, Bristol, UK.

Tactical gaming the Ukraine War of 2022
conference_item

Curry, J (2023) Tactical gaming the Ukraine War of 2022. In: Connections Oz: Professional Wargaming Australia, 8 - 9 November 2023, Canberra, Australia.

Simulations and the reality of the Ukraine crisis 2014/15
conference_item

Curry, J (2018) Simulations and the reality of the Ukraine crisis 2014/15. In: Connections UK: Wargaming for Professionals, 4 - 6 September 2018, Kings College London.

Confrontation in the South China Sea
conference_item

Curry, J (2018) Confrontation in the South China Sea. In: Gaming the Future: Markets and Geopolitics in an Uncertain World, 25 - 27 April 2018, Ditchley Park, Oxfordshire, UK.

An overview of current developments in simulations from Europe: random tales from across the great pond
conference_item

Curry, J (2017) An overview of current developments in simulations from Europe: random tales from across the great pond. In: Connections 2017: Advancing Wargaming and Analysis as Distinct yet Complementary Tools, 1 - 4 August 2017, Quantico, VA, USA.

Confrontation Analysis: the new method on the gaming/analysis block
conference_item

Curry, J (2017) Confrontation Analysis: the new method on the gaming/analysis block. In: Connections 2017: Advancing Wargaming and Analysis as Distinct yet Complementary Tools, 1 - 4 August 2017, Quantico, VA, USA. (Unpublished)

Dominating the information narrative in times of international crisis: a practical games workshop
conference_item

Curry, J (2017) Dominating the information narrative in times of international crisis: a practical games workshop. In: Journal of Media Practice and MeCCSA Practice Network Symposium, 8 June 2017, Bath Spa University, Bath, UK.

Exercises in cyber resilience
conference_item

Curry, J, Mouat, T, King, R and Downes-Martin, S (2015) Exercises in cyber resilience. In: Cities2050: Securing the Future in a Connected World, 19 - 20 May 2015, RSA, London, UK.

Wider lessons from military simulations
conference_item

Curry, J (2011) Wider lessons from military simulations. In: 1811 - 2011: 200 Years of Simulation Games - 200 Years of Making Sense of Business, 15 November 2011, The Dutch Cafe, Soesterberg, Netherlands.

Hiding in plain sight: the influence of hobby wargaming on the development of the art and science of professional wargaming
thesis

Curry, J (2021) Hiding in plain sight: the influence of hobby wargaming on the development of the art and science of professional wargaming. PhD thesis, Bath Spa University.

Gaming the Future
artefact

Curry, J (2018) Gaming the Future.

The First World War in computer games [book review]
other

Curry, J (2019) The First World War in computer games [book review]. First World War Studies, 10 (1). pp. 167-168. ISSN 1947-5039