Help:Italics

Revision as of 20:48, 9 July 2009 by Revanche (talk | contribs) (Classic BattleTech Style Guide)


BattleTechWiki has a 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' Classic BattleTech.


The following should generally appear italicized:

  • Classic BattleTech
  • BattleMech, DropShips, JumpShips, WarShips and ASF model names (ex: Atlas, Stuka, Scout, Union)
  • Vessel names, such as for DropShips, JumpShips, WarShips & blue water ships (ex: Oceans of the Stars, Liberator)
  • all foreign language and ranks (with the exception of the Lyran Alliance/Commonwealth ranks) (ex: ja, Kommandant, Tai-sho, Sergeant Major)
  • traditional Clan words (ex: surat, chalcas)


The following should generally appear non-italicized:

  • BattleMech
  • OmniMech
  • ’Mech
  • MechWarrior
  • BattleTech
  • DropShip
  • JumpShip
  • WarShip
  • aerospace/conventional fighter
  • OmniFighter
  • ProtoMech
  • ’Mech and aerospace fighter variant/configuration designations (ex: AS7-K, STU-K15)
  • Vehicles and all infantry (ex: Indra, Swift Wind, Jump, Rifle)
  • Battle armor (ex: Elemental, Nighthawk)


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.

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



The text in this policy is based on BattleCorps' Classic BattleTech Style Guide.