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Weird Unit Names

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 11:20 pm
by DorianGray
Just purchased and installed WiTE2. Quickly started 1941 scenario and immediately noticed the weird and inconsistently abbreviated German unit names.

Coming from a military background, it is bizarre to see this.

For example, click a typical German Infantry Division (lets say, 44th) and the detail panel describe it as "44th ID". ID? seriously? Someone could not take the time to actually spell out the proper name?

16th Motorized Division described as "16th MD". WTH? MD? Military District?

Oh come on guys, these abbreviations don't even make sense.

However, click on a German Panzer Division, like the 11th, and I expected the name to be truncated as well, but it was fully and correctly named "11th Panzer Division".

You guys created incorrect abbreviated names for most of the German units, which just reeks of laziness because somebody did not want to spell out full names (or even an abbreviation that was more historically accurate).

Not a good 1st impression.

RE: Weird Unit Names

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 11:40 pm
by Wild
There is obviously a limit to how many characters can appear on the counter.

RE: Weird Unit Names

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 3:41 am
by 56ajax
@DG

Yes there is a limit in the number of characters that will fit. But to complain that the abbreviations don't make sense is hard to believe considering that in another post Nigel Askey is quoted; he uses the same abbreviations. And further it doesn't reek of laziness but perhaps shows a very long design cycle with the involvement of many people.

But IMO 44th ID, 16th MD, 11th PD or on the Soviet side 215th Mech Div look decidedly UGLY. As we know by the counter whether it is a division or a brigade I would prefer 44th Infantry, 16th Motorised, 11th Panzer and 215th Mechanised.

RE: Weird Unit Names

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 5:57 am
by geforth
On the german side, the abbreviations are correct
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heer_(Weh ... Wehrkreise

RE: Weird Unit Names

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:13 am
by Steelers708
ORIGINAL: geforth

On the german side, the abbreviations are correct
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heer_(Weh ... Wehrkreise

Wikipedia is never a good source for factual information.

If you look at German primary documents their are several variations in naming convention for divisions, in terms of Infantry divisions these are eg:

1.Infanterie Division
1.Inf. Division
1.Inf. Div.
1 I.D.
1.
1

The last two are used as all the other non infantry division types use the relevant designation e.g. Pz, Mot., Geb. etc therefore infantry divisions are designated just by the number.


Image

RE: Weird Unit Names

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:19 am
by Searry
Another troll thread. This forum is infested!

RE: Weird Unit Names

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:49 am
by geforth
ORIGINAL: Steelers708

ORIGINAL: geforth

On the german side, the abbreviations are correct
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heer_(Weh ... Wehrkreise

Wikipedia is never a good source for factual information.

If you look at German primary documents their are several variations in naming convention for divisions, in terms of Infantry divisions these are eg:

1.Infanterie Division
1.Inf. Division
1.Inf. Div.
1 I.D.
1.
1

The last two are used as all the other non infantry division types use the relevant designation e.g. Pz, Mot., Geb. etc therefore infantry divisions are designated just by the number.


https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/upfi ... D67C6B.jpg
first thing: it is Infanteriedivision or Infanterie-Division not Infanterie Division. That is important for the abbrevation, because Infanteriedivison is a compound and the abbrevation for compounds in german are the first and the last noun in upper-case letters (ID). both are okay. you can write it ID (Infanteriedivison) or I.D. (Infanterie-Division). that is a (german) grammar thing, not a historical. :)
The Panzergruppe abbrevation with Pz.Gr. has another grammar reason.

RE: Weird Unit Names

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 9:08 am
by Steelers708
[/quote]
first thing: it is Infanteriedivision or Infanterie-Division not Infanterie Division. That is important for the abbrevation, because Infanteriedivison is a compound and the abbrevation for compounds in german are the first and the last noun in upper-case letters (ID). both are okay. you can write it ID (Infanteriedivison) or I.D. (Infanterie-Division). that is a (german) grammar thing, not a historical. :)
The Panzergruppe abbrevation with Pz.Gr. has another grammar reason.
[/quote]

Then the Germans in WWII were obviously not into "that is a (german) grammar thing, not a historical. :)" as shown by this Meldung from the 715. Infanterie Division.


Image

RE: Weird Unit Names

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 9:14 am
by geforth
ORIGINAL: Steelers708
first thing: it is Infanteriedivision or Infanterie-Division not Infanterie Division. That is important for the abbrevation, because Infanteriedivison is a compound and the abbrevation for compounds in german are the first and the last noun in upper-case letters (ID). both are okay. you can write it ID (Infanteriedivison) or I.D. (Infanterie-Division). that is a (german) grammar thing, not a historical. :)
The Panzergruppe abbrevation with Pz.Gr. has another grammar reason.
[/quote]

Then the Germans in WWII were obviously not into "that is a (german) grammar thing, not a historical. :)" as shown by this Meldung from the 715. Infanterie Division.

RE: Weird Unit Names

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 10:26 am
by Slush
Well, it's probably fair to say that peoples spelling and abbreviations were as varied in WW2 as they are now. So it should come as no surprise that someone in the 715. ID wasn't the sharpest pen around because, having been brought up in Germany, I can testify that geforth is absolutely right.

Heck, even Von Manstein wasn't consistent in "Verlorene Siege" where you'll find both Infanteriekorps and Infanterie-Korps. Both of which are correct but shouldn't be intermingled.