Policy:Article Naming

BattleTechWiki has several categories of articles on the mainspace, with BattleMechs, Characters and Products being just a few of the numerous representatives. In order to establish consistency between like-minded pages, a naming convention has been established to guide the naming of future pages.

BattleMechs

The naming of articles featuring BattleMechs is rather well-established by the time of this policy's unveiling. 'Mechs are known primarily by their proper name (ex: Hunchback), and not with their model nomenclature (ex: HBK-4G). While discussed in more detail at the Project: BattleMechs page, variants of that 'Mech are listed on the same page, with the initial (chronologically in Real World dating) model as the primary.

Non-variant 'Mechs that share a name (ex: Phoenix Hawk IIC, Pack Hunter II) with a similar 'Mech but are considered to be different models (and not variants) will have separate articles, with ordinals (II, III, etc.) as part of the article name. Canon names take precedence over this policy (ex: Mad Cat Mk II, Phoenix Hawk LAM).

With the introduction of the Clan Invasion, many new Clan BattleMech models were introduced with two proper names, one Clan, one Inner Sphere. These articles are named first with the Clan name, followed by the Inner Sphere name in parenthesis (ex: Mist Lynx (Koshi)).

In cases where a 'Mech shares a name with another article's subject (ex: Atlas the 'Mech and Atlas the planet), the 'Mech article's title should have the term (BattleMech) included after the proper name. An exception would be where the primary 'Mech is an OmniMech, wherein the term (OmniMech) is to included after the proper name. A disambiguation page should also be established.

Battles

Articles about battles, including campaigns, should match the canon name for the battle, whenever possible. In the case of a battle that is described but not formally provided a canon name, the phrase "Battle of [place]" should be applied as the article's name, with [place] providing as specific a location as possible.

Examples:

• Battle of Epsilon Indi
• Battle of the Kyoto Zen Arcology Project
• Battle of Skytower City

Where multiple battles have occurred at the same location but in different campaigns/wars, the date should follow the name, in parenthesis.

Examples:

• Battle of Hesperus II (2787)
• Battle of Hesperus II (2837)
• Battle of Hesperus II (3019)

When multiple battles occur in the same location and the same campaign/war, then it is proper to label them sequentially.

Examples:

• First Battle of the Takashi Memorial Spaceport
• Second Battle of the Takashi Memorial Spaceport

If two battles share the same name but different planets, the planet name should follow the name, also in parenthesis.

Examples:

• Battle of Dead Water Gulch (Anywhere)
• Battle of Dead Water Gulch (Blackjack)

Characters

Middle and abbreviated names

Generally, use the most common format of a name used in reliable sources: if that is with a middle name or an abbreviation, make the article title conform to that format. Examples: Kester Hsiun Chi, Elizabeth Jordan Liao, Lester J. Otto.

For abbreviations:

• If the version of an article name with the first and middle names written in full is used nearly as often as the version with abbreviated names followed by a period, prefer the version with these names written in full.
• Where the subject uses two consecutive initials, the space between initials is used. Example: T. S. Elliot.

Important: provide redirects wherever possible (or appropriate disambiguation where redirects are not possible) for all other formats of a name that are also in use, or could reasonably be typed in BTW's "Search" box by someone looking for information about that person.

Adding middle names, or their abbreviations, merely for disambiguation purposes (if that format of the name is not commonly used to refer to the person) is not advised.

Multiple and changed surnames

Some Western cultures use a "double last name" format. Also, people sometimes change their surnames, particularly on marriage.

The general rule in such cases is to title the article with the name by which the person is best known. Some examples are listed below.

• Danai Liao-Centrella – Liao is the last name of her father, Centrella of her mother.
• Raymond-Roger Marsin – Born and known fully as Raymond-Roger, his article would not be shortened to Raymond Marsin.
• Jessica Sandoval-Groell – Her maiden name is combined with her married name, for which she was most well known.
• Kym Sorenson – On marriage she became Kym Hasek-Davion, but she is still best known by the surname Sorenson, so the article title reflects that.

If a name is the evident choice of the article subject, it is likely to be common; but evidence of actual usage is to be preferred if available.

Adding or subtracting a second last name artificially, as a disambiguation aid, is rarely advised. The most usual form of the name is the one that should be used.

Multiple Characters, Same Name

The BattleTech universe, utilizing a feudal aristocracy based on familial lines, has multiple characters that share the same name. For example, Ian Davion was a regent of the Federated Suns, and while the first (currently known) to bear that name, is not the one most readers expect to read about, as he lived in the late 2500s (26th c.). Instead, the primary article bearing the name Ian Davion describes the better known and older brother of Hanse Davion, who lived in the late 2900s (30th c.) and early 3000s (31st c.).

In the instances where multiple characters share the same name, the character that is best known should receive the primary article title, while all others should be titled with that same name, with the century of most notable activity indicated as well. For example, the latter Ian Davion gets the expected title (ex: Ian Davion), while the former would be titled with the century for which he served as regent (ex: Ian Davion (26th c.). Creating a re-direct from a similarly titled page for the primary character to the main article would also help this character be quickly identified in searches. The {{Otheruses}} tag should also be employed on each article to lead users to the other characters.

In the rare case that two characters inhabit the same centuries and cannot be distinguished as above, the relationship might be the best way to further break them out. For example:

• Sami Taisto (father), Sami Taisto (son)
• Irvine Muir (27th c., grandfather), Irvine Muir (27th c., father), Irvine Muir (28th c.).

Ordinals (I, II, III, etc.) should only be used when the character is best known by that convention. Otherwise, the above guidance is more appropriate to resolving character identification issues quickly.

Military Commands

Per Project Military Commands, the guidelines for naming military command articles are as follows:

• When article titles involve numbers, the text should always be represented as a number (mind that this only applies to article names and is a deliberate deviation from the BattleCorps style guide which says numbers below 100 should be spelled out and which should be adhered to otherwise; redirects from spellings with spelled-out numbers may be called for):
  • 1st Davion Guards
  • 666th Mechanized Cluster
• The full name of a command should be used rather than an abbreviation, however common (again, consider creating redirects from common abbreviations):
  • Valexa Capellan March Militia, instead of Valexa CMM
• All Clan commands should have the Clan name after the title in parenthesis:
  • Golden Keshik (Clan Wolf-in-Exile)
• If (and only if) it is necessary to disambiguate between titles for other factions (or other article subjects), use the same format as for the Clans, i.e. put the faction behind the formation name in paranthesis.

Products

Articles about BattleTech-related products, be they boxed sets, books, computer games or other paraphernalia, should always have the same name as the product in question - even if the name or spelling is arbitrary.
Example: The Crescent Hawk's Inception (which is arguably misspelled, as the unit in question is called the Crescent Hawks, not the Crescent Hawk)

BattleTech-themed prefixes such as "BattleTech", "Classic BattleTech" or "MechWarrior" should be omitted in the article name except for special cases where it is deemed relevant (to differentiate the product from others of the same name, for example).

Where no proper product name can be determined, use a neutral, descriptive and informative title.
Example: Peter La Casse faction list

Ships

Individual ships

Where an individual ship is known by multiple names, use the latest name of the ship. Previous names can be listed in the article's InfoBoxIndividualSpacecraft. Omit naval prefixes from article names.

Articles about individual ships should use only the name of the ship, if possible. Otherwise (i.e. if the name has multiple uses), use a parenthetical to indicate the article is about an individual ship, identifying the class if possible. If the class is unknown, identify the type, and if neither class nor type are known, identify it as an individual spacecraft. In the rare case that two ships of the same name cannot be distinguished using the above methods, use the name of the owner or another reasonable method to distinguish the two.

Examples:

• No naming conflict:
  • De Ruyter
  • Flight of Icarus
  • Prosperity
• Class known:
  • Ripper (Individual Vincent-class WarShip)
  • Caliban (Individual Merchant-class JumpShip)
  • Stiletto (Individual Broadsword-class DropShip)
• Type known, class unknown:
  • Achilles (Individual WarShip)
  • Alacrity (Individual JumpShip)
  • Alpha (Individual DropShip)
• Type and class unknown or indeterminable:
  • Avalon (Individual spacecraft)
• Same name, can't be distinguished by class alone:
  • Ranger (Individual Lola III-class WarShip, ComStar)
  • Ranger (Individual Lola III-class WarShip, Clan Nova Cat)

Ship classes

Ship class articles should use only the name of the class, if possible.

Examples:

• Sovetskii Soyuz
• Monolith
• Union

When the name of the class has other meanings, use a parenthetical to indicate the article is about a ship class, identifying the general type of ship.

Examples:

• New Syrtis (WarShip class)
• Star Lord (JumpShip class)
• Achilles (DropShip class)

Image files

Images should have relevant and descriptive names, applied prior to or during the upload process. Image names like CloudCobra-StarCommanderInsignia.png, TRO3075-Cover.jpg, 1stSwordOfLightInsignia-3025.jpg are useful to editors, while names like mech.jpg, bookcover.jpg, or 1stsol.jpg are not.

Redirects

If an article could conceivably have several names (especially commonly used abbreviations), then redirect pages should be put in place for other possible names or spellings.
Example: Science Fiction Combat Book Game = Nova Game Books = Combat books

Disambiguation pages

Disambiguation pages are named after the ambiguous term itself, unless that term has a primary name that is much more notable than all others. For example, the term "Defiance" could be considered equally notable for the BattleMech, the aerospace fighter, the planet or the two companies. In that case, a disambiguation page has been established, with the term as the primary page.

In examples where one use of the term (ex: Inner Sphere) overrides all others, the far-more notable article may retain that proper name, with others having the subject follwing the term in parenthesis (ex: Inner Sphere (sourcebook), Inner Sphere (history)). A disambiguation page, named for the term followed by (disambiguation) should also be established, to link to all similarly named articles, with a link on the primary article to the disambiguation page.