Warfare terminology

Warfare terminology is a list of universal terms agreed on by collaborations of many empires as to prevent confusion. (Note: Some term definitions and wording taken partially from Wikipedia)

Guns
Cartridge - A cartridge, or round, is the pacakge in which the bullet, gunpowder, and primer is packed into. Cartridges are designed to fit perfectly in the barrels of firearms. Cartridges can vary widely in size, just like the bullets they house, from anti-tank shells to pistol ammunition. Cartridges are measured in several different ways. Pistol - Handheld, semi-automatic (sometimes with option of full-auto) firearm. Inaccurate when not used at close range, and used mainly as a backup weapon. Revolvers and Glocks are examples of pistols.
 * Milimetre Caliber Measurement (ex. 7.62x39mm NATO) - Bore followed by case length, both in milimetres.
 * Calibre (ex. .308 Winchester) - Bore (from which said round is fired from) diametre in inches.
 * Pound (ex. 17 Pounder) - Weight of shells, which are slightly different types of cartridges (generally larger, explode). Pound measurement is also in use mainly by Commonwealth nations.

Bore - Interior diametre of the barrel of a gun.

Bullet - Projectile launched by a gun to destroy or damage a target using the force of impact and penetration.

Primer - Material in a cartridge sensitive to pressure. Primer is detonated when a gun's hammer hits the back of the cartridge, which in turn detonates the gunpowder, which then launches the bullet out of the barrel.

SMG - Sub-machine guns are automatic infantry weapons that fire pistol ammunition. SMGs are best used at close-to-mid range, as they are not rifled weapons. MP5's and Uzi's are examples of SMGs.

Battle Rifle - Battle rifles are semi-automatic rifles that fire full power rifle cartridges. Some are purely semi-automatic, while others are variants of assault rifles. Battle rifles are regular infantry weapons, as opposed to sniper rifles, which are best used away from the front line. G3s and M14s are examples of battle rifles.

Assault Rifle - Full-automatic/semi-automatic infantry weapon easily recognizable by detachable magazine and selective fire. Assault rifles are more powerful than pistols, but generally weaker than battle rifles. Assault rifles are standard modern infantry weapons. AK-47s and Steyr AUGs are examples of assault rifles.

Machine Gun - Fully-automatic portable or mounted weapon designed to fire hundreds of rounds per minute from belts or high-capacity magazines. While lighter machine guns can be fired like rifles, they are most effective when the user is prone. Most machine guns fire high-power rifle cartridges.

Shotgun - Shotguns are close-combat infantry weapons that use the energy of a fixed shell to fire smaller pellets called shot, or a larger single projectile called slug. Shotguns utilise all manner of firearm action, including but not limited to break action, pump action, and lever action. Benelli M4s and Winchester Model 1897s are examples of shotguns.

Action - System of operation in a firearm that ejects spent cartridges, and inserts fresh rounds into the chamber.

Blowback - System in semi-auto and full-auto firearms in which the force created by combustion in the chamber forces the bolt back, allowing for the ejection of the spent cartridge, and the insertion of a fresh round.

Gas-Operation - System in semi-auto and full-auto firearms in which some of the high-pressure gas created from the firing of the round is used to eject a spent cartridge, and insert a fresh round into the chamber.

Break-Action - Firearm whose barrels are hinged, and rotate forward to expose the breech, to allow the loading of ammunition, and the unloading of spent cartridges. Many sport and home defense shotguns are break-action.

Bolt-Action - Bolt-action weapons have a manually-operated bolt. The bolt is drawn back to eject a spent cartridge and bring up a new round, and the bolt is drawn forward to insert the round into the chamber. Generally, the only safety mechanism for bolt-action weapons is the locking of the bolt handle. Bolt-action weapons include sniper rifles and many WWII infantry rifles.

Semi-Automatic - Semi-auto weapons have a mechanism for automatically ejecting spent cartridges, and inserting fresh rounds into the chamber. However, semi-auto weapons fire only one round per trigger pull. Holding down the trigger does nothing. Semi-automatic weapons include battle rifles and assault rifles.

Full-Automatic - Full-auto weapons generally have the same mechanism as semi-auto weapons, but generally eject spent cartridges and insert fresh round into the chamber much faster. Full-auto weapons include machine guns and assault rifles.

Vehicles
APC - Armoured personnel carriers are combat vehicles designed to transport and support infantry on the battlefield. While most APCs are generally armed with one or more machine guns, some carry anti-tank rifles, guided missiles, or mortars. While not intended to be used directly in combat, APCs are intended to protect soldiers from shrapnel, small-arms fire, and ambushes. The M113 and BTR are examples of APCs.

IFV - Infantry fighting vehicles are designed to carry soldiers into the fight and subsequently provide support. IFVs have, in most cases, much more armament than APCs, as well as better armoured. IFVs can carry machine guns, small tank guns, and missiles. The German Marder and American Bradley are both examples of IFVs.

Tank - Tanks are armoured vehicles designed for front-line combat. Tanks are generally quite mobile, and find significant use in offensive and defensive operations. Historically, tanks have been used as spearheads in offensives, backbones in assaults, and static defensive positions when under attack. Tanks normally have one (or more) powerful guns on a rotating turret, with supplementary machine guns on the turret and chassis. Tanks are normally heavily armoured, and difficult to destroy without proper weaponry. The American M1 Abrams and British Challenger 2 are both examples of tanks.

SPG - Self-propelled gun. Type of tank that utilizes an artillery gun as opposed to a regular tank cannon. These vehicles sometimes pack less punch than less-mobile artillery pieces or specially-designed artillery trucks, but are exponentially more mobile, and can keep up with a motorised force. Modern militaries intermingle the SPG with field artillery pieces to allow for greater combat versatility.

Amphibious Vehicle - Amphibious combat vehicle designed for use in seaborne attacks to ferry troops and equipment to shore, and effectively support forces during inland operations. AVs are similar to IFVs and APCs. The American AAV-7A1 is the best example of an amphibious vehicle.

Ammunition
FMJ - Full metal jacket bullets consist of a soft core (normally lead) encased in harder metal, like cupronickel or steel alloy. The jacket may partially or fully enclose the soft core. If the core is fully enclosed, the round is termed a total metal jacket round (TMJ).

JSP/SP Round - Soft-point bullets are partially-jacketed expanding rounds with greater penetration and less expanding capacity than regular HP rounds.

Hollow Point - Expanding bullet used against organic targets with a pit/hollowed out space in the tip intended to cause the bullet to expand once it has entered the target, thus causing greater internal damage. Jacketed hollow point rounds (JHP) are coated in harder metal to increase the strength of the round and to prevent the fouling of the barrel with lead.

Armour-Piercing - AP rounds are designed to penetrate all manner of armour, including but not limited to ballistic vests and composite tank armour. They are built to withstand the penetrating of armour plating, and generally have strengthened cases with specially shaped and hardened noses. AP rounds are generally more accurate than HEAT rounds.

HEAT - High explosive anti-tank rounds have shaped explosive charges that use the Munroe effect to punch through armour using extreme pressure.

Anti-Personnel - Not to be confused with armour piercing rounds, these AP rounds are designed to destroy organic targets. AP ammunition can range from fragmentation rounds in a tank or artillery gun, to a flechette weapon, such as the Soviet AO-27.

Explosive - Explosive ammunition covers a wide range of ammunition types designed to explode on impact or penetration. Generally, explosive ammunition does not pierce armour, and does not normally pack enough punch to directly take out tank armour. However, if the charge is powerful enough, explosive tank ammunition has the potential to destroy other tanks. Explosive ammunition can be found in all manner of weapons, from rifles to tanks, and artillery to pistols.

Starships
Corvette - Small, maneuverable combat vessel designed to provide an effective fighter screen. Corvettes generally lack the firepower to take on anything larger than a frigate. The Eteno Wisthedden-Class Corvette ENS Kaloyanchev is an example of a corvette.

Gunboat - Small, but heavily armed ship fielding all manner of weaponry. Gunboats are used in large number to take on other gunboats and larger ships. Gunboats also provide fighter screening, as well as the ability to field a small amount of strike craft of their own. The Eteno Hons-Class Gunboat ENS Ionescu is an example of a gunboat.

Frigate - Frigates are front-line ships desinged for taking on strike craft and all manner of ships. However, frigates almost always must attack with numbers on their side to be able to successfully defeat larget ships. The Eteno Jan-Class Frigate ENS Loki is an example of a frigate.

Destroyer - Smallest type of capital ship, destroyers are fast and maneuverable, but tough and powerful ships meant to escort larger ships in a fleet. Destroyers are fielded against powerful short-range attackers, as well as other destroyers and occasionally larger ships. Destroyers, along with cruisers, form the main battle line, supporting battleships and carriers. The Eteno Delci-Class Destroyer ENS Unity is an example of a destroyer.

Cruiser - Larger than destroyers and smaller than battleships, cruisers are often called 'pocket battleships' because of their great firepower compared to ships of smaller class. Cruisers are designed to take on all types of ships, including battleships. Modern cruisers fill most fleet support roles, as well as front-line combat roles. The Eteno Hostor-Class Cruiser ENS Dagfinn is an example of a cruiser.

Battleship - Large, armoured ship with devastating gun batteries capable of pounding all manner of targets into dust, or submission, whichever comes first. Supplemented by their strike craft, and smaller fleet ships, battleships command the fight and are almost always the biggest targets, and rightly so. A single battleship can take on multiple cruisers or destroyers, and scores of smaller ships such as corvettes. An empire's ability to field battleships is a reliable indicator of their cumulative power. The Eteno Teclavic-Class Battleship ENS Francis Scott Key is an example of a battleship.

Carrier - Carriers do not deal in ship-to-ship combat. They do not carry a great deal of armament, and are not armoured enough to stand toe-to-toe with cruisers or battleships. However, they are still some of the most valuable ships of the fleet. That is because carriers field scores of strike craft that are capable of swarming and obliterating ships, even battleships, in minutes (and sometimes less). In many modern navies (most notably the Eteno Imperial Navy) battleships and carriers supplement each other, with battleships providing much of the direct muscle, protecting the carriers and destroying other large ships, carriers deploy strike craft to annihilate enemy ships. Even more so than battleships, an empire's ability to field carriers is a reliable indicator of their cumulative power. Even for a prospering society, maintaining a modern carrier is a logistical challenge of its own level. The Eteno Bismarck-Class Carrier ENS Winogrodzki is an example of a carrier.

Dreadnought - Few and far between, dreadnoughts strike fear into all those they come across, friend or foe. Easily dwarfing even the largest battleships, dreadnoughts pack enough firepower to destroy large fleets all on their own. Dreadnoughts also field strike craft in quantities eqaulling and surpassing carriers. Most dreadnoughts travel with giant fleets, crushing all enemies in their path. Only the galaxy's absolute biggest and strongest powers have the resources to even construct a single dreadnought, let alone construct and maintain multiple. It is truly a technological feat to field these ships. Currently, the KMF maintains ten in active service, with hundreds stockpiled in reserve. A nation with roughly three times their population, the EIT, maintains four, with two in reserve. The Eteno Eclipse-Class Dreadnought ENS Griffin is an example of a dreadnought.

Ram - Naval rams are a rather unique type of ship, not designed to deploy strike craft or launch devastating fusillades of missiles and lasers at other ships, but to simply run into them. Naval rams have the thickest armour and strongest engines, and in battle, they bash into other ships to destroy them. Outside of combat, naval rams can be found clearing mines, and assisting with space construction. The Eteno Hepheastus-Class Naval Ram ENS Achilles is an example of a naval ram.

Seaships
Destroyer - Fast, tough ship designed to escort larger ships in a fleet. Many destroyers hold most of their power in missile launching capability, and less in the strength of their deck guns.

Cruiser - Cruisers fulfill multiple roles in naval fleets, sometimes in place of battleships. Cruisers generally have guided-missile capability, as well as powerful deck guns. Some cruisers are convoy raiders or anti-air escorts, while some are anti-ship combatants in place of battleships. Shore bombardment is also a major capability that sees frequent use with cruisers.

Battleship - While their role has diminished with the advent of the carrier, battleships still find use with modern sea navies, due to the fact that modern seaships have significantly greater anti-air coverage. Battleships have the largest guns of all the ships in the fleet, and in many cases, most of the guns. Big and slow, battleships make good targets for enterprising pilots who can evade a thick anti-fighter screen. Whether the target is a fleet or fortified beach, battleships will demolish them without hesitation or challenge.

Carrier - Lacking significant armour, or any deck guns to speak of (barring AA weaponry or missile launchers), carriers still manage to be the most valuable ship in the fleet. Carriers deploy large quantities of strike craft against all manner of targets, providing range and versatility that simply cannot be afforded by other ships. In many fleets, the carrier(s) is the centrepiece, with all other ships tasked with protecting it.

Amphibious Landing Ship - The ALS is essential to amphibious assaults. They field and deploy strike craft, smaller landing craft and amphibious vehicles for soldiers and supplies, as well as transport aircraft and helicopters. ALS' also serve as command hubs during amphibious attacks.

Patrol Boat - Tiny, quick, and weak, patrol boats are armed with small deck guns, AA defense weapons, supplementary machine guns and lasers, and possibly torpedoes and depth charges. Patrol boats tend to stay away from ship-to-ship engagements against larger ships, and stick to fighting other patrol boats, providing anti-air support, shore bombardment, waterway patrol, special forces insertion, and submarine hunting.