Editing BattleTechWiki:Manual of Style/BattleTech Style Guide

{{MoS guideline|MOS:BSG}}

As ''BattleTech'' has its own specific format and style for many words found within its universe, our wiki attempts to uses this specific format style for many of the words found within its articles, as well as an overall aesthetic that attempts to match that of [[Catalyst Game Labs]]' ''[[BattleTech]]''. This style guide details stylistic elements that all editors should incorporate to help present a uniform style for articles.

This is separate from the [[Policy:Manual_of_Style|policy of style for the entire wiki]]. 
{{Style}}


==Guidelines==
BattleTech writer style guides have repeatedly changed in the past. The general guideline is to follow the most recent example.

==BattleTech-specific names==
These words retain their capitalization wherever within a sentence they are used. 
The following words always appear in the form shown below:
<div style="-moz-column-count:3; column-count:3;">
* BattleMech
* BattleTech
* DropPort
* DropShip
* IndustrialMech
* JumpShip
* 'Mech 
* MechWarrior
* OmniMech
* OmniFighter
* ProtoMech
* WarShip
</div>

== House vs State ==
In writing about the fates and fortunes of the characters from the various Great Houses, it is to be understood (by the reader) the state and ruling family are separate entities. When referring to a House,  the characters that belong to that specific family will be the focus of the statement; the state's name will specifically reference the nation, its government, and its collective people.
: ''Ex: House Davion refers to Lucien Davion and his progeny; the Federated Suns refers to the Successor State founded by him.''

==Military Commands==
* When military command '''article titles''' involve numbers, the text should always be represented as a number. 
: ''Ex: [[1st Davion Guards]], [[304th Assault (Clan Ghost Bear)]]''

* When writing about military commands ''in the body of an article'', the numerical portion of the command's title should be spelled out, unless it is higher than one hundred.
: ''Ex: First Davion Guards, 304th Assault (Clan Ghost Bear)''

* The full name of a command should be used rather than an abbreviation, however common. 
: ''Ex: [[Valexa Capellan March Militia]] instead of Valexa CMM.

* All Clan commands should have the Clan name after the title in parenthesis.
: ''Ex: [[Golden Keshik (Clan Wolf-in-Exile)]]''

==Numbers==
* Write out any number under 11. 
: ''Ex: Three, Seven, Nine, 13, 15, 23''
* Use commas to aid in understanding every three spaces.
: ''Ex: 2,983,802,928''
* Use decimal points to indicate numbers smaller than one, not commas. 
: ''Ex: 394.09''

''For the use of numbers in military commands, see the [[Policy:BattleTech_Style_Guide#Military_Commands|Military Commands]] section.''

==Tables==
Tables are perfect for organizing any information that is best presented in a row-and-column format. 

Often a list is best left ''as'' a list. Before you format a list in table form, consider whether the information will be more clearly conveyed by virtue of having rows and columns. If so, then a table is probably a good choice. If there is no obvious benefit to having rows and columns, then a table is probably not the best choice.

Tables should not be used simply for layout, either. If the information you are editing is not tabular in nature, it probably does not belong in a table: try not to use tables for putting a caption under a photograph, arranging a group of links, or other strictly visual features. It makes the article harder to edit. Also, when compared with tables, wikimarkup is more flexible, easier to use, and less esoteric when used for desktop publishing, page elements, and page orientation and positioning.

==Titles==
* '''In generic use''', apply lower case to words such as ''president'', ''professor'', and ''emperor''. Exceptions are made for non-English words and specific titles that incorporate a number into the title, such as "First Prince".
: ''Ex:
: - ''Edmund Davion served in the role of president for just over thirteen years. He, however, was never a First Prince.''
: - ''Stefan Amaris envisioned himself a galactic emperor.''

* '''Directly juxtaposed with the person's name''', such words begin with a capital letter.
: ''Ex:
: - ''Coordinator Yama Von Rohrs served in that role from 2470 to 2508.''
: - ''Professor Emeritus Dietrich Mathers was a professor from the Lyran Alliance.''

* '''Standard or commonly used names of an office''' are treated as proper names. Royal styles are capitalized; exceptions may apply for particular offices.
: ''Ex:
: - ''Daniel Calderon was Protector of the Realm.''
: - ''"His Majesty, the first of his name, Lord of..."''

== Italics ==
Italics apply throughout an article, to include the opening, main body, infoboxes and references.

The following should generally appear italicized:
* Model names for BattleMechs, ProtoMechs, DropShips, JumpShips, WarShips, Space Stations, and aerospace fighters (e.g. ''Atlas'', ''Minotaur'', ''Union'', ''Scout'', ''Carrack'', ''Olympus'', and ''Stuka'', respectively);
** Note that ’Mech and aerospace fighter variant/configuration designations, such as AS7-K and numerals following Clan BattleMech variants, are not italicized.
** IIC and LAM are part of a design's name rather than variants and should be in italics (e.g. ''Highlander IIC'', ''Stinger LAM'').
* Not italicized are model names of combat vehicles, support vehicles, conventional aircraft, naval vessels, and battle armor (e.g. Manticore, Bailey, Angel, Sovereign, and Void, respectively);
* Specific vehicle & vessel names (eg. ''Oceans of the Stars'', ''Liberator'', ''Yen Lo Wang'');
** Note that a [[Naval Prefixes|prefix]] such as SLS is not part of the name proper, and thus is not italicized (eg. "SLS ''Prinz Eugen''", not "''SLS Prinz Eugen''").
* All foreign language and ranks (with the exception of the Federated Suns or Lyran ranks) (ex: ''ja'', ''Kommandant'', ''Tai-sho'', Sergeant Major);<ref>[[:File:Italicized ranks.png| Per Line Developer Ray Arrastia, 02Aug2022]] (screencap)</ref>
* Traditional Clan words that differ from common English (ex: ''surat'', ''chalcas'', rede).

===Words that should appear non-italicized===
The following words should generally appear non-italicized:
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* BattleMech
* OmniMech
* 'Mech
* MechWarrior
* BattleTech
* DropShip
* JumpShip
* WarShip
* Aerospace/Conventional fighter
* OmniFighter
* ProtoMech
* Variant/Configuration designations (ex: AS7-K, STU-K15)
* Vehicles (ex: Indra, Swift Wind)
* Infantry (ex: Jump, Rifle)
* Battle armor (neither the word nor classes; ex: Elemental, Nighthawk)
{{div col end}}

===Epigraphs===
Epigraphs (the location and date stamp seen in chapter headers) are italicized as well, as are quotations taken out of the body text and placed as a header. Names of publications (such as for books, stories, magazines, films, box sets, etc.) should also be italicized, though sections from within a publication should not be; instead, they are highlighted by quotations (ex: "Advanced Rules", "Active Probes"). The exception is a work of fiction, or short story, within a publication, which would be italicized.

==Notes==
* This policy is based on [[BattleCorps]]' Classic BattleTech Style Guide.
* Contents were borrowed from a similar guide being built by Admin [[User:Mbear|Mbear]], among others.
* All sections of this guide are adaptable, as new terms are introduced—in a stylistic way—with new products.

==References==
<references/>