Unit Spelling/Identification

[LostAgain]

OK, I can't stand it any longer...There is a unit titled Fla Bataillon 606. Shouldn't it be FlaK Bataillon 606? I know Fla (Fliegerabwehr) literally means air defense. In practice I believe it's used to mean a single light anti-aircraft unit or weapon, but I concede I may be wrong. I just wanted to throw it out there.

Something else that has piqued my curiosity as well is the spelling of some units. In the base game and all of the eastern campaigns Panzerjager is spelled with the German spelling:"Panzerjäger" but in AK it isn't. The unit name is spelled without the dots but under it the unit type IS spelled correctly. Why is that? So much effort has gone into identifying specific units that were present to let this slip by.

Edit: I just noticed Aufklärung is also spelled without the umlaut, double dots, or whatever they're called as well.

Also, and I freely admit that I'm not German, nor do I speak the language, so I may be wrong in this as well, but the recon unit identified as Pz.Aufklarungs Abt.3 shouldn't have a pluralizing "S" after Aufklärung either, should it?

[Carius]

Its the scenario designer preference on how he wants to identify the units that participated in a battle. I think everyone know what unit he is trying to identify with or with our the dots for the names.

Also you cant really give units long names since space in limited with the space that is provided in the user interface.

In general I go with a more abbreviated approach to unit names.

Though I do find using words like Bataillon and abt. for different units can get confusing for players who do know both English and Germans translations.

[LostAgain]

Its the scenario designer preference on how he wants to identify the units that participated in a battle. I think everyone know what unit he is trying to identify with or with our the dots for the names.

Also you cant really give units long names since space in limited with the space that is provided in the user interface.

In general I go with a more abbreviated approach to unit names.

Though I do find using words like Bataillon and abt. for different units can get confusing for players who do know both English and Germans translations.

You're missing the point though, the length of the name is not an issue at all, as both spellings are the same length, the only difference being the dots over the vowels. Of course everyone knows the units in question, but I can't understand why so much time and effort was expended researching specific units present, and then not spelling them correctly. Especially in the case of Panzerjäger, which is spelled correctly all through the eastern campaign.

[Carius]

The person who created the unit equipment file is probably different person from the person who created the Scenario. Panzerjäger I is the name of the unit type in the equipment file. Where as Panzerjager and Aufklarung is the name given to different units to represent historical formations in that scenario that was created the scenario designer.

[Ballacraine]

If I were doing it, I can't enter an umlaut with my keyboard, so if it was someone using a UK or US keyboard, I doubt they could either.

Balla.

[zappel]

German vocals can be enterted while <ALT> is pressed and a number code is typed:
Ä = Alt + 0196
Ö = Alt + 0214
Ü = Alt + 0220

ä = Alt + 0228
ö = Alt + 0246
ü = Alt + 0252

If you want it easier, just add an 'e' to the normal litteral:
Ä = Ae
Ö = Oe
Ü = Ue

ä = ae
ö = oe
ü = ue

OK, I can't stand it any longer...There is a unit titled Fla Bataillon 606. Shouldn't it be FlaK Bataillon 606? I know Fla (Fliegerabwehr) literally means air defense. In practice I believe it's used to mean a single light anti-aircraft unit or weapon, but I concede I may be wrong. I just wanted to throw it out there.

If Lexikon der Wehrmacht (look at 6. Februar 1942) is right, the unit was really named "Fla-Bataillon 606" (while another unit was named "I./Flak-Regiment 18"). Maybe autonomous batalions are named "Fla" and those of a regiment are named "FlaK"?

Something else that has piqued my curiosity as well is the spelling of some units. In the base game and all of the eastern campaigns Panzerjager is spelled with the German spelling:"Panzerjäger" but in AK it isn't. The unit name is spelled without the dots but under it the unit type IS spelled correctly. Why is that? So much effort has gone into identifying specific units that were present to let this slip by.

Edit: I just noticed Aufklärung is also spelled without the umlaut, double dots, or whatever they're called as well.

Yes they are called "Umlaut" or "Deutscher Umlaut": 'ÄÖÜ' and 'äöü' (not mentioned 'ß' as a combination of 's' and 'z'). In the german version of the PzC those units have been labelled with german vocals.

Also, and I freely admit that I'm not German, nor do I speak the language, so I may be wrong in this as well, but the recon unit identified as Pz.Aufklarungs Abt.3 shouldn't have a pluralizing "S" after Aufklärung either, should it?

The 's' is not for pluralization. When two different words are combined to a one new word mostly a 's' is attached to the first word, in this case "Aufklärung" (Recon) and "Abteilung" (Batalion) are combined to "Aufklärungsabteilung" (by the way: recon cannot be pluralized in german and I belief in english, too). Also this unit seems to be part of the german africa corps: Lexikon der Wehrmacht.

[Rudankort]

The person who created the unit equipment file is probably different person from the person who created the Scenario. Panzerjäger I is the name of the unit type in the equipment file. Where as Panzerjager and Aufklarung is the name given to different units to represent historical formations in that scenario that was created the scenario designer.

This is the right direction of thought. Equipment file and the scenarios are created by the same person, but he is not a native german speaker, and can easily miss an umlaut in the name. In eqp file most of such mistakes were corrected in the course of PzC beta, and also during the year since the release of the base game. But AK scens are all new, and so not many corrections were done yet.

The bottom line is, please post all the spelling errors you find in this topic, and we'll try to correct as many of them as possible.

[LostAgain]

German vocals can be enterted while <ALT> is pressed and a number code is typed:
Ä = Alt + 0196
Ö = Alt + 0214
Ü = Alt + 0220

ä = Alt + 0228
ö = Alt + 0246
ü = Alt + 0252

If you want it easier, just add an 'e' to the normal litteral:
Ä = Ae
Ö = Oe
Ü = Ue

ä = ae
ö = oe
ü = ue

OK, I can't stand it any longer...There is a unit titled Fla Bataillon 606. Shouldn't it be FlaK Bataillon 606? I know Fla (Fliegerabwehr) literally means air defense. In practice I believe it's used to mean a single light anti-aircraft unit or weapon, but I concede I may be wrong. I just wanted to throw it out there.

If Lexikon der Wehrmacht (look at 6. Februar 1942) is right, the unit was really named "Fla-Bataillon 606" (while another unit was named "I./Flak-Regiment 18"). Maybe autonomous batalions are named "Fla" and those of a regiment are named "FlaK"?

Something else that has piqued my curiosity as well is the spelling of some units. In the base game and all of the eastern campaigns Panzerjager is spelled with the German spelling:"Panzerjäger" but in AK it isn't. The unit name is spelled without the dots but under it the unit type IS spelled correctly. Why is that? So much effort has gone into identifying specific units that were present to let this slip by.

Edit: I just noticed Aufklärung is also spelled without the umlaut, double dots, or whatever they're called as well.

Yes they are called "Umlaut" or "Deutscher Umlaut": 'ÄÖÜ' and 'äöü' (not mentioned 'ß' as a combination of 's' and 'z'). In the german version of the PzC those units have been labelled with german vocals.

Also, and I freely admit that I'm not German, nor do I speak the language, so I may be wrong in this as well, but the recon unit identified as Pz.Aufklarungs Abt.3 shouldn't have a pluralizing "S" after Aufklärung either, should it?

The 's' is not for pluralization. When two different words are combined to a one new word mostly a 's' is attached to the first word, in this case "Aufklärung" (Recon) and "Abteilung" (Batalion) are combined to "Aufklärungsabteilung" (by the way: recon cannot be pluralized in german and I belief in english, too). Also this unit seems to be part of the german africa corps: Lexikon der Wehrmacht.

Thanks for clarifying the Fla Bataillon 606 and as Pz.Aufklarungs Abt.3 confusion for me Zappel. That site is also a goldmine of information. I'm not sure I understand your instructions regarding adding e to a letter to get the umlaut? How do I "add" a letter to the vowel I'm trying to change? If I press both keys simultaneously I get the same result as if I typed them in one after the other; namely I end up with ae instead of ä?

[zappel]

I'm not sure I understand your instructions regarding adding e to a letter to get the umlaut? How do I "add" a letter to the vowel I'm trying to change? If I press both keys simultaneously I get the same result as if I typed them in one after the other; namely I end up with ae instead of ä?

OK, I was able to confuse you.
Instead of a 'Ä' you can also write 'Ae', but it is not the normal diction: 'Aufklärung' kann also be written as 'Aufklaerung'. To add a 'e' is only for written text, it shouldn't explain how to type 'Ä' by using 'Ae' as keyboard input.

[Chris10]

That site is also a goldmine of information. I'm not sure I understand your instructions regarding adding e to a letter to get the umlaut? How do I "add" a letter to the vowel I'm trying to change? If I press both keys simultaneously I get the same result as if I typed them in one after the other; namely I end up with ae instead of ä?

as a general rule people should always try to refer to german sources first as english (UK/US) sources are often partial, inaccurate and sometimes even plain wrong

as for making umlaute

you press ALT...holding ALT > type number 225 (for example) > then release ALT...now you get the letter you were looking for
in the case of ALT+225 = ß
press/hold ALT > type number > 0196 > release ALT = Ä
a no brainer once you have done it yourself

Instead of a 'Ä' you can also write 'Ae',

hell no...only the Zappelphillipp would do that
this is violating our wonderful language
everytime I see an AE..UE or whatever I go ballistic

[zappel]

Instead of a 'Ä' you can also write 'Ae',

hell no...only the Zappelphillipp would do that
this is violating our wonderful language
everytime I see an AE..UE or whatever I go ballistic

I agree, not my favorite style to write umlauts (is this really usable in english?) but it is possible: Darstellung von Umlauten. Just think about crossword puzzle.
However let us use the german vowel.