Duy Nguyen | Email: duydnguyen@umass.edu | UMass Amherst

Automata Of War

States of the Automata
In creating cellular automata for our simulation, I had to define a set of states and the transition function. The simulation must also be able to distinguish between different factions. These are the states I proposed for cells, as derived from the example of the Eastern Front:

State name	State properties	Representation in simulation
Terrain	This state is fixed under every circumstance, representing the geometry of the war which will not change throughout the course of the simulation.	Fig. 4.1. Terrain cells denoted by gray squares
Unoccupied	This state represents any territory that hasn't been occupied, or has been cut-off. This state is the default for cells.	Fig. 4.2. Empty cells denoting unoccupied cells
Capital	This is the initial state for any cell designated to generate and expand an invading force.	Fig. 4.3. Terrain cells denoted by gray squares
Supply	Supply: This state is set for cells which are bridges between capital cells and frontline cells. Supply cells would be generated from frontline cells that are already behind the frontline, simulating a “reinforcement” of the frontline.	Fig. 4.4a. X supply cells denoted by red Fig. 4.4b. O supply cells denoted by red
Frontline	This is the state that will be assigned for outermost cells of the “advancing force.”	Fig. 4.5. Frontline cells (X and O) denoted by yellow.

Transition Function
From here, I will define some simple transition function to give the growing cluster of cells the semblance of an army expanding its territory:

Cell target	Function
Capital	If one or more neighbors is a frontline cell, and those neighbors are of the opposite faction, then the cell becomes unoccupied and factionless.
Unoccupied	if two or more neighbors is a capital cell, then the cell becomes a frontline cell. This also happens if one or more neighbors is a frontline cell.
Supply	if more than one neighbor is a frontline cell, and that neighboring cell is an enemy, then the cell becomes unoccupied and factionless. This also happens if there is one or less neighboring supply cell.
Frontline	if more than 3 neighbors are frontline cells, and there are no enemy cells, then the cell becomes a supply cell. If there is no neighboring supply cell, then the cell becomes unoccupied and factionless.