
How drones and video-game techniques are coming together in Ukraine's war
'Gamification', a term coined in the early 2000s, has been used in many fields, from health care and customer-loyalty programmes to education and workplace productivity. Participants score points; leader boards, progress bars, levels and badges tend to feature. In some cases points can be translated into rewards beyond the satisfaction of game-defined 'winning'.
Gamification came to the drone war in August 2024, when the Army of Drones, a government-backed initiative to acquire drones for the armed forces, launched a 'bonus' system. The drone war is well suited for gamification because all kills are recorded by the same drone cameras that are used for flying the aircraft and a system already exists for logging them. (In other forms of combat claims may be exaggerated—combatants may not know the results of a lobbed mortar round.) Once a drone kill is logged, identified and confirmed, it wins a number of points depending on the military value of the item destroyed.
A drone operator who destroys a T-90M tank–Russia's most advanced combat vehicle–with a disposable First Person View (FPV) drone gets enough points to make his unit eligible to receive 15 more (which would cost the armed forces around $10,000 in total). The system gives operators an incentive to find high-value targets and means that the units scoring kills are rewarded with prompt resupply. Even though Ukraine produced 1.5m drones last year, there are never enough.
The elite 414th Marine Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Strike Unmanned Systems Battalion, better known as 'Birds of Magyar' after their charismatic commander, Robert Brovdi (callsign Magyar), have implemented this system to good effect. Established in 2022 as a platoon–a relatively small formation–Birds of Magyar became a full regiment at the end of 2024. It now accounts for 8% of the Russian armour that Ukraine destroys, according to official figures. In April the unit rose to the top of the leader board with 16,298 points, up from second place, and it has stayed there since. In June Mr Brovdi was appointed overall head of Ukraine's unmanned forces.
In April Mr Fedorov announced that the points system would be integrated with Brave 1 Market, a system that allows combat units to acquire equipment directly, bypassing the standard procurement process, which can be slow and cumbersome. The system also motivates troops to log every drone strike, which they must do manually. This gives commanders a more complete view of the fighting.
As well as channelling resources to where they are best used, gamification shapes the character of combat, according to Mr Fedorov. He notes that the Army of Drones recently increased the number of points for killing a foot soldier from two to six. Units like Birds of Magyar immediately began killing more infantrymen. Mr Fedorov says that this led to a doubling of the number of Russian infantry casualties. A later change doubled the number of points for taking out Russian drone operators, making them higher-value targets than tanks. Such changes show how the system can shift with commanders' priorities. They have also led to a fall in the number of tanks destroyed.
Critics have decried dehumanising 'video-game wars' since the first Gulf war in 1991. They are dismayed that gamification rewards killing with scores that can be used to win virtual cash for buying more weapons. Traditionalists may worry that gamification undermines the military hierarchy by decentralising control of supplies. But the use of quantitative targets in war is not new. Body counts were the 'primary measure of progress' for American forces in the Vietnam war, notes one historian. They determined who got medals, promotions and even rewards, such as time away from the front. Today's warriors, who grew up playing video games, will no doubt see gamification as an unsurprising evolution of that idea.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
31 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Pakistan, Russia sign deal ‘reaffirming long-standing industrial ties'
The Pakistani embassy in Russia said on Friday that the two countries have signed a 'protocol to restore and Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) in Karachi", in what it called was a 'reaffirmation' of their "long-standing industrial partnership". The agreement was signed at the Pakistan embassy in Moscow(Facebook/Pakistan Embassy Russia) The agreement was signed at the Pakistan embassy in Moscow by Pakistan's secretary of industries and production Saif Anjum and Vadim Velichko, general director of industrial engineering LLC from the Russian side. SAPM Haroon Akhtar Khan and Pakistan's ambassador to the Russian federation Muhammad Khalid Jamali were also present. The project seeks to restart and expand steel production. 'Reviving PSM with Russia's support reflects our shared history and commitment to a stronger industrial future,' said Khan. Originally built with Soviet assistance in 1973, PSM remains a lasting symbol of Pakistan-Russia ties, according to the Pakistani embassy in Russia. Pakistan, Russia to expand road, rail connectivity Pakistan and Russia have earlier this month also agreed to collaborate on establishing a robust rail and road network to link the South Asian country with Central Asia and Russia, providing landlocked states direct access to warm waters, a media report said on Friday. Federal minister for communications Abdul Aleem Khan and Russian deputy minister of transport Andrey Sergeyevich Nikitin, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) ministerial conference in Tianjin, China, agreed to accelerate infrastructure development across the region to facilitate trade and economic integration. The initiative aims to transform Pakistan into a strategic transit hub by enhancing trade corridors and logistical routes extending to Russia and Central Asia, Geo News reported. On Pakistan's modernisation efforts, Khan said the country was digitising its transport infrastructure, introducing barrier-free motorways, mandatory e-tagging, and comprehensive CCTV surveillance, according to PTI news agency. He said the reforms were part of Pakistan's broader goal to optimise regional connectivity and cross-border trade. Meanwhile, Pakistan and Afghanistan last month agreed to advance the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) rail project. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Afghanistan's Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, in a telephonic conversation, agreed to work for an early finalisation of the framework agreement. (with PTI inputs)


Hindustan Times
32 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Russian woman with expired business-visa found living in Gokarna cave with kids, rescued
A 40-year-old Russian woman, identified as Nina Kutina alias Mohi, and her two young children were rescued from a remote cave in the Ramatirtha hills of Kumta taluk, Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, after living in near-complete isolation for nearly two weeks. The rescue was carried out by local police during a routine patrol on Friday, officials confirmed on Saturday. A Russian woman was found living with her two kids in an isolated cave in Karnataka's Gokarna. Also Read - 'What could go wrong?': 'The Skin Doctor' flags BBMP's chicken-rice for Bengaluru stray dogs plan Mohi, who had come to India on a business visa several years ago, had made her way from Goa to the spiritual coastal town of Gokarna, known for its deep religious and meditative roots. Drawn to Hinduism and Indian spiritual traditions, she chose to retreat into the forested hills of Gokarna with her two children, Preya (6) and Ama (4). The family had been residing inside a natural cave, surrounded by dense forest and steep terrain. Mohi had turned the cave into a spiritual haven, installing a Rudra idol and spending her days performing puja and meditation. She reportedly lived off the land, though police are still investigating how she and her children managed food and water during their time in the wilderness. It was during a post-landslide patrol that Circle Inspector Sridhar and his team noticed sarees and clothes hanging outside the cave. Intrigued and cautious, they made their way through the thick underbrush and discovered the woman and her children living in isolation. Also Read - War of words erupts on X between Surjewala and Amit Malviya over Karnataka CM post: 'Perversity knows no extremes' Speaking to PTI, Uttara Kannada Superintendent of Police M Narayana said, 'It was surprising to find a woman with two small children living in such seclusion. Luckily, they were unharmed and in reasonably good health.' Authorities later discovered that Mohi's visa had expired back in 2017, and the exact duration of her stay in India remains uncertain. Police suspect she may have entered Karnataka from Goa before settling in Gokarna's forested region. After the rescue, police arranged temporary accommodation for Mohi and her children at an ashram run by a Sadhvi in Gokarna. With the assistance of a local NGO, the Russian Embassy has been contacted and official deportation procedures have been initiated. The family is expected to be moved to Bengaluru as part of the legal process. (With PTI inputs)


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'We expect actions that will save lives': Russia launches over 620 drone and missile strikes on Ukraine; Zelenskyy demands sanctions against Moscow
File Image In an overnight assault, Russia launched a massive aerial attack with over 620 drones and missiles, resulting in four casualties, according to Ukraine's Saturday report. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, demanded swift action against Russia and called for sanctions against countries aiding Moscow. In a post on X, Zelenskyy said, "Last night, Russia's strikes extended from the Kharkiv and Sumy regions to the Lviv region and Bukovyna. 26 cruise missiles and 597 attack drones were launched, more than half of them were 'shaheds.' More than 20 missiles and the vast majority of drones were destroyed. I thank our air defense forces for this result." Recent months have witnessed intensified aerial operations from both sides, whilst US-mediated ceasefire discussions have reached an impasse. The strikes caused two fatalities and injured 20 people in Chernivsty, western Ukraine, away from the eastern and southern frontlines, according to Zelensky. Lviv reported six wounded, whilst the eastern regions saw two deaths in Dnipropetrovsk and three injuries in Kharkiv. Russia's defence ministry confirmed targeting Ukraine's military-industrial facilities in Lviv, Kharkiv and Lutsk, including a military airfield. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Doctor: '10-Second Morning Method Helps Drain Swollen Legs" (See How) goldentree Learn More Undo Ukrainian forces conducted retaliatory strikes on Friday, causing three Russian casualties. The overnight barrage follows a Ukrainian drone and shelling offensive on Friday that killed three people in Russia. The escalation comes amid stalled U.S.-led ceasefire talks, as the war nears the three-and-a-half-year mark. "The pace of Russia's aerial strikes demands swift decisions – and it can be curbed through sanctions right now. Tough secondary sanctions are needed against everyone helping the Russians produce drones and profiteer from oil. More air defense systems are needed, along with investments in interceptor drones, which are already delivering good results. This war can only be stopped through strength. We expect not just signals from our partners, but actions that will save lives," Zelenskyy added in the post of X.