@independentpen for sure! Although examples might vary extremely in what is actually done in detail.
One nice example, which is also one of the earliest historical simulations I found, is about simulating how early polynesian settlers were able to navigate the pacific ocean to find islands. So in the model the geographic space was modeled, with proper distances, ocean currents and weather patterns. Added are then boats which have properties assumed to be true to the originals of ca. 800CE...