The abbreviation thread

[Alpha_1]

Okay I think it is about time we settle on the abriviations of the different ships/mods in the game. I'll start off with what I use and anyone wanting to suggest a better one pipe right up.

MS = mothership
SY = shipyard
SM = strike craft or fighter mod
FM = frigate mod
CM = Capital mod
RM = research mod
HM = Hyperspace mod
PM = platform mod
ARM = advanced research mod (could use AR instead?)
Grav = Hyperspace inhibitor mod (can use HiM instead?)
FCT = Fire control Tower mod

inties = interceptors or assault craft (some use AC for vay)
bombers = plasma/fusion bombers
lance = lance fighters
GS = gunship corvette
Pulsar = Pulsar corvettes (could use PC)
MC = missile corvette
Laser = laser corvettes (could use LC)
CC = command control corvette (maybe C3 would be better?)
Mines = minelayer corvettes
Trop = torpedo frig
Flak = flak frig
ICF = Ion cannon frig
HMF = heavy missile frig
AF = assault frig
MF/IF = marine/infiltrator frig
DD = destroyer
BC = battle cruiser
ICP = ion cannon platform
GP = Gun turret platform
DP = disruption probe
proxy = proximity sensor


I am probably missing a few since I don't have access to the manual and game right this moment, but I felt it was time to add this topic for ease of strat postings and to develop a means to assure continuity of terms. Hopefully after a week or so we can make have the compilation of the abriviations added to MajorFreaks FAQ.

[Edit]

Reki adds:

plats = platforms (all types)
figs = fighters (all types)

AntaresSITH suggests:

HBC = Hiigaran Battle Cruiser
VBF = Vaygr Battle Cruiser
DFF = Defense Field Frigte (forgot that one I did, in HW it was DFG wonder how it is listed in the HW2 big file)

UberJumper suggests:

ML or MLC = minelayer corvette so mines denotes mines only
CF = Marine and capture frigates collectively since both are used to capture ships

Hopalong adds:

VM = Corvette Modules (vette mod)

[reki]

well the two ive heard the most on irc, are platforms referred to as plats and fighters referred to as figs, so i guess they should go in.

[AntaresSITH]

vay = vaygr
hig = hiigaran

HBC = Hiigaran BattleCruiser
VBC = Vaygr BattleCruiser
DFF = Defense Field Frigate

[Wirlwind]

good thinking. was gonna start a similar thread but ya beat me too it.

[ÜberJumper]

I would suggest Minelayer become ML or MLC instead of Mines... mines should denote mines.

Marine and Infilitrator frigates are collectively Capture Frigates... CF?

[Retroboy]

Why not a simple standard based on letter and position? This would admirably support additional modded-in or expansion-pack ships.

Letter 1: Race. [h]iigaran or [v]aygr

Letter 2: Function (when required to clarify). [m]inelayer, [a]ssault, [c]ommand, [f]lak...

Letters 3-6: Shipclass - Ship[yard], [Moth]erShip, [Car]rier, [Frig]ate, [Corv]ette, [Figh]ter, [Dest]royer, [Bomb]er, etc.

ergo: HFFrig = Hiigaran Flak Frigate
VIFrig = Vaygr Infiltration Frigate
HIFrig = Hiigaran Ion Frigate
HCar = Hiigaran Carrier
VBomb = Vaygr Bomber

and so on

:loco:

-- Retro

[Alpha_1]

Nice idea retro but the thing is very few ships actually share enough name wise to bother making a race designation for every ship/mod. Not to mention that missile vette and minelayer vette could both be designated VMC by different people.

[reki]

How about I just delete the spelling B and ask jinpache not to post in this thread again.

[Alpha_1]

That works for me.

[Retroboy]

Was afraid that my naming convention would result in duplicates, but couldn't think of any when I came up with it. Ah well. :)

-- Retro

[Alpha_1]

Well it was an excellent idea, just not as easy to impliment as it looks. Thanks for the effort though!

[tigrali]

abbr = abbreviation? :P

good stuff! when i first saw ac i was like, wtf? (regarding vaygr)
i was thinking of accolytes or something... <--- dumbass! hehe

[tigrali]

could we dock this as a good reference?

[Hopalong]

What about the Corvette Module?

VM = 'Vette Module?

[Alpha_1]

Good one, I forgot about that one.

[CECIL]

Someone explain why Destroyer becomes DD to me. That one really annoys me...

[Vampyre]

How about a 3 layer abreviation.

Race: h = Hiigaran and v = vagyr

Class: s = strikecraft, c = corvette, f = frigate, p = capital, m = module, u = utility

Function: b = bomber, f = interceptor/assault, l = lance; g = gun corv, p = pulsar corv, mi = missile corv, l = laser corv; ml = minelayer; f = flak, t = torpedo, m = missile, a = assault, i = ion, c = infiltrator/marine, d = defense; d = destroyer, c = carrier, s = shipyard, b = battlecruiser, m = mothership

With only two exceptions, I think this covers all the military vessels in 3 letters, and from reading it you can figure out first what race, then what ship class, then what function, quickly.

I didn't detail specific modules or probes or other utility vessels. Frankly, this seems somewhat weighty to me to try and use. BC seems common, and DD seems common for destroyers. Most people I've seen use SY for shipyard and MS for mothership. Everything else people either use a word for or an abreviation that seems unique to them.

HSB = Hiigaran strikecraft bomber. VPD = Vagyr Capital Destroyer.

Problems with this: Some levels are unnecessary. Both races only have one destroyer type, for example, which could easily be abreviated as HD or VD. Missile, Mine, and Marine all start with M, forcing a different letter to be used, or a combination of letters. Some ships serve the same function across both races, and some don't. Assaultcraft are essentially Interceptors. Fusion bombers are essentially bombers. Assault Frigates are similar in use to flak frigates.

I really don't care, but we could probably do with something more unified here on the strat forum. I'll keep this thread in mind and check back regularly to see what's been decided upon.

[Vampyre]

Originally posted by CECIL
Someone explain why Destroyer becomes DD to me. That one really annoys me...

There was MD, for missile destroyer, and DD for a regular destroyer. The DD has just carried over from that.

[CECIL]

Ahh of course. Thanks.

[Alpha_1]

Well actually I think the DD was decided on because real world destroyers are refered to as DD in the navy. This is from memory so considering my age it could be a delusion of an alternate reality, or just old age, if that wasn't really the case, it has been almost 5 years after all.

Vampyre,

LOL your scheme is almost identical to Retroboy's, the difference being the swithing of function/class. As I said to him above, the differences between the actual names of ships is great enough that a race designation is redundant on the majority of ships and mods. Lets not make this more complicated than it needs to be to get the desired function.

Perhaps it is time people start chiming in and saying which of the designations already suggested should be used for each ship. Then I can edit the initial post to reflect those decisions and perhaps this thread can get stickied for reference.

[Vampyre]

Bomber for fusion/plasma bomber, int for interceptor/assaultcraft, lsc for laser strike craft

GC for Guncorvette, MC for Missile Corvette, Miner for Minelaying Corvette, PC for pulsar or laser corvette, CC for Command Corvette

FF for Flak/Assault Frigate, TF for Torpedo/Missile Frigate, IF for Ion Frigate, MF for Marine/Infiltrator Frigate, DF for Defense Frigate

DD for Destroyer is fine

CC for Carrier, BC for Battle Cruiser, MS for Mothership, SY for Shipyard

Probe for Probe, PP for Proximity, SP for Sensor Jammer

MR for Mobile Refinery, Peon for Resourcer

RM for Research Module, AM for Advanced Research, HM for Hyperspace module, GM for Hyperspace Inhibitor, FM for Firecontrol Tower, CM for Cloak Module

CS for Fighter Construction, CV for Corvette Construction, CF for Frigate Construction, CP for Capital Construction

AS for Advanced Sensors, HS for Hyperspace Sensors, and PS for Proximity Sensors arrays.

Did I miss anything?

Again, I still like the race modifier. In the cases where the name is similar or the function is similar, it lets you indicate which ship without having to read its context to understand which ship is being refered to. For example, if I just say DD, does that mean a Hiigaran or Vagyr destroyer? If I say VDD, you know what I mean without me having to say it.

I structured my earlier method based on the way it is in the build system. StrikeCraft, Corvettes, Frigates, Capital Ships, Utilities, Modules, and Sensors. That provides and easy 2nd level that has an in-game meaning; where do you go in the build system to build that unit. Then, specify the exact unit based on its function.

I'm not sure if a VTF is the equivolent of a HIF or HTF, though I suspect the former. After all, wouldn't a VFF be a better corvette killer?

[Panzer Ace]

Originally posted by Alpha_1
Well actually I think the DD was decided on because real world destroyers are refered to as DD in the navy. This is from memory so considering my age it could be a delusion of an alternate reality, or just old age, if that wasn't really the case, it has been almost 5 years after all


hate to correct you, but i belive that destroyers are DDG, not DD, but i dont know what DDG means :(

[Alpha_1]

Well since we had a tendency to shorten map names in HW and HW:C I thought I'd add the new ones to the mix. These are suggestions and not the 'official' designations (unless the community decides to adopt them). So here we go.


CB Crimson Bond
DR Dante's Requiem
HE Hostilities End
IC Imposing cosmos
KW2 Kharam Wreck 2 player
KW4 Kharam Wreck 4 player
RoH Rings of Hraal
SDC Sarum Dust Clouds
STG Silumin Trainig Ground

These three really don't lend themselves well to shortening of the names.
Jadeth
Shields
Terah

If you have any better suggestions feel free to post them.

Panzer Ace,

Not a problem, I did say memory doesn't always serve me well, hehehe.

[Moe]

DDGs are actually guided missile destroyers, so the G probably stands for guided. FYI: Carriers are CV, battleships BB, Cruisers CG, and Frigates FFG and subs are referred to as SSN or SSK depending on their type of power source. An "N" is added at the end if they are nuclear-powered. The number behind the letters is the unique number of that particular ship, e.g. the USS Nimitz is designated CVN-68.

[Alpha_1]

So moe does that mean a destroyer without guided missiles is a DD?

[Moe]

I gotta admit, i don't know. Battleships are still referred to as BBs, even though the few that are still operational have long since been upgraded to carry Harpoon or Tomahawk missiles, not to mention Standard-SAMs. So my guess was that the destroyers you see nowadays were specifically designed to carry and employ those missiles and support them with their Radar systems, and therefore have the "G" in their designation. Same goes for Frigates and Cruisers.
But this is just a guess on my part, maybe someone else knows for sure?

[Vectorian]

Guys,

I'm sure if you post constantly it gets annoying spelling repetitive things out, but if I may offer the "newbie" point of view....

I'm new to the Homeworld community, and for me the game already had a pretty steep learning curve. Lots of different ship types, the research trees, etc. are all fairly confusing to start off. The transition from single player to multiplayer is also a little daunting. This is about the only place to go to look for pointers.

As someone that was pretty active in the Mechwarrior4 community I think one important aim most of you have is growing the number of active/involved players. (and I realize there are striking differences in the game types)

It seems to me that if I'm going to bother posting something, then I must think it is worth others reading. (and understanding) The extra bit of effort put into either typing out the complete name or maybe a really obvious abbreviation of it might pay off as dividends in keeping some new people from being overwhelmed and moving on to some other game next week.

Otherwise you could also just revel in the thought of having some dimwit like myself scratching his head for five minutes wondering what an AC is...

Anyway, just an alternative point of view.

[CECIL]

You raise a good point Vectorian. Personally I don't find it too much trouble to type Destroyer rather than DD, but then I can type fairly fast and, *gulp*, actually spell reasonably well (Not to blow my own horn or anything, hehe).

I guess if a thread like this is stickied at the top or easily accessible, it's not too much trouble to find and educate the newbies.

Welcome aboard.

P.S. Is there really THAT much difference between wasting someone with an Ion Cannon and wasting someone with a PPC :P

[Sephlock]

Why is the destroyer DD? I see only one D in the word destroyer
-_-.

[ÜberJumper]

Did you even read this thread Sephlock?

[daishiw]

You missed HC = Heavy Cruiser although I hate that one and there's no need for it since you should be just calling them BC's.

[The Collector]

I've seen...

FF=Frigate
DD=Destroyer
DDG=Destroyer, Guided (missiles)
CL=Cruiser, Light
CG=Cruiser, Guided (missiles)
CA=Cruiser, Armored (the "Heavy Cruisers" of the day, early 1900s)
BC=BattleCruiser
BB=Battleship
DN=Dreadnought
CV=Carrier Vessel
CVN=Carrier Vessel, Nuclear (i guess we won't use this one..)


I have seen Dreadnought and Battleship interchanged or one omitted for the other, but most navies do not recognize the dreadnought as a class and end with the BB (if they can). Dreadnoughts are used mostly within sci-fi or something.

[Nodashi]

Dreadnought is a class of heavy cruisers used by the UK marine forces during the late period of WW1, Collector... but I may be wrong, i can't remember where did I read this...

Anyway, I'm starting to recognize ships per abreviations, finally!

[Dasvidoniya]

instead of "moth," "mom" seems easier... (Vmom, Hmom)

[Bronzite]

For those who are curious, the total listing of Ship Hull Classifications (according to the US Navy) is located here (http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/S_TYPE.HTM). Of course, many ships in Homeworld 2 have a role other than their name would imply (the Vaygr BC is actually a CG, and the Hiigaran BC is closer to a BB). The DN designation is, so far as I know, never used by any navy. The classification "dreadnought" is used to indicate battleships built on the model of the HMS Dreadnought, using only a large number of big guns to carry out its primary mission profile (i.e., killing enemy capital warships), as opposed to the larger range of weapons on pre-Dreadnought battleships. By 1920, every battleship in the world was being built on this concept.

Also, although the ranges are a bit absurd, it should be noted that the Vaygr DD's are actually DDG's, as are their Heavy Missile Frigates FFG's.

Interestingly, if we look at the roles of various ships, and think of the Cloaking device as filling the roles of obscuring the vessel that it is equipped with from conventional sensors, we discover we can convert our BC's (or CG's and BB's, if you accept my earlier comments) to SSN's, being very powerful but stealthy attackers. It even opens the possibility of a CVNS, or a stealth-driven fleet carrier. Of course, do to the lack of fuel simulation in Homeworld 2, carriers serve only as production and repair facilties, so perhaps they should be stripped of their CV designation all together. YR would probably be the closest designation we could find, that of a Floating Drydock, but since such a designation would imply a repair as opposed to a production role, the Carrier will have to remain in a class by itself (and possibly the Shipyard).

Another place the analogy breaks down is in the case of the Corvettes. The USN has never employed a vessel classified as a Corvette, so we have to turn to the British Navy to learn about these tiny vessels. The British pennant numbers for Corvettes started with K, followed by the serial number of the vessels (i.e., HMS Flower, K49). The minelayer corvette would fall into the MMD classification.

Anyways, I don't mean to go on a rant about hull classifications, but I thought I'd let you know.