Cut-Out-And-Keep guide. Section 1

(with free binder offer! See foot of page)

NATO Military Symbols

Some military simulations have the option of using standard NATO military map symbols for unit designation and information, rather than the sometimes poor and not too clear silhouettes. Unfortunately, sometimes the games in question don't actually supply you with a key to inform you of which symbol means what type of unit, so it can mean a lot of flicking between screens until you learn them for yourself. Well, flick no more! With this handy cut-out-and-keep guide, you can always have that quick reference you always wanted.

I'll start off with the unit types. There are quite a few different types of unit symbols, but I don't have unlimited space, so I'll stick to the mainstream units on the modern battlefield.

(If you are using a virtua-browser, just apply virtua-scissors along dotted line. If you're not that advanced yet, you'll have to do it the old way, and take a print)

A few notes about the unit icons. The armour symbol is also used in other unit symbols, as shown in the mechanized infantry and the self-propelled artillery to indicate intrinsic armoured transport. The mechanized infantry are transported in what are basically custom mini-tanks, with armour, guns and seating for the infantry. These are usually called APC's (Armoured Personnel Carriers) or IFV's (Infantry Fighting Vehicles). In the case of artillery, it can be either towed or self-propelled. (The symbol for towed artillery is just a dot without the surrounding oval). The self-propelled unit is again, basically a tank, but without a turret and with a large-bore, forward-fixed gun which can be elevated to fire indirect rounds many thousands of meters. Cavalry units can also be foot as opposed to mechanized, and are also depicted without the oval.

The airborne symbol usually denotes an army air unit, such as support or transport helicopters rather than air force aircraft. The air defence unit can be either anti-aircraft artillery (triple-A), or surface-to-air missiles (SAM's).

Finally, the last two symbols have cross-bars on them. The bars on the main stem of each symbol denote the relative strength of that unit type. The ones shown are both 'Heavy'. (Heavy mortar, etc). If shown with only one bar on none at all, that would indicate a 'Medium' or 'Light' type respectively.

Finally, the other information you need to be able to get from the symbol is the unit size. It's no good sending that tank unit to attack that mechanized infantry unit, as your tank unit could be a platoon of four tanks, whereas the infantry unit could be a mechanized battalion consisting of over eight hundred personnel. So, above the unit are three different symbol types. First of all, a single dot indicates a single unit for armour, or an infantry squad. Three dots indicate a platoon. Then a short vertical bar for a company, two bars for a battalion, and three for a regiment. Then it moves on to X's. One for a brigade, two for a division, three for a corps, and four indicate an army. If you have units bigger than that, you probably don't need symbols to denote them. Because if you were ever moving around that sort of formation, and you forgot how big it was, you obviously aren't the best person to be in charge.

With all this information presented above, you can determine the size and type of unit, and this is the first step to using them correctly. In a later War Room feature, I'll cover exactly what each unit type has to offer in the way of offensive and defensive capability.

(Free binder attached to part one. Needs virtua-binder attachment with virtua-web browser)

Tim Still (tcs@cix.compulink.co.uk)