The Europa series is renowned for its highly accurate simulation of national armies. The belligerent powers are given their full range of participating units within the scope of each game. Second Front continues this tradition in exacting detail.

Inevitably, however, such a wide scope of units contains a multitude of unit identifications. Unfortunately, most of the named contingents must be abbreviated because of the small size of the actual counters.

Counter identity is compounded in Second Front, because the German armed forces were increasingly comprised of named elements during the latter stages of World War II. This trend reflected the increasing power of "elite arms", such as the Waffen-SS that favored heroic designations. The Allied advance also encountered many German Army and Navy components labeled with geographical or administrative titles. As the fortunes of the Reich declined, the High Command was forced to commit more of its own occupation and garrison forces to combat. Finally, there was a welter of emergency reaction units, and many of them were given morale-boosting appellations related to national pride, Nazi sentiments, or homeland regions.

This article attempts to make these German words more "friendly" to the user. German Army, Luftwaffe, and Navy unit titles in Fire in the East / Scorched Earth / Second Front are listed, along with their abbreviations and an explanation in English. For bilingual purposes, German terms are translated in the manner deemed most appropriate to standard World War II usage. Thus, Fliegerabwehrschule is translated into Antiaircraft School instead of the more precise but pre-war phrase, Aeroplane Defense School. The German word Jager is translated into Light Rifle instead of Hunter. Karstiager (an OKW title), for instance, becomes Rough Terrain Light Rifle, instead of a geological-military combination word rendered literally as Chalky Formation Hunter. Even more specifically, German naval terms are translated to encompass the geographical range of the word in context with wartime responsibilities.

This listing also conforms to standard Europa treatment of German terms, by dropping umlauts without substitution of the diphthong. For example, Jager is written as Jager instead of Jaeger. Finally, this list is only tentative while Second Front is still in playtest form. Upon publication of the final game, however, remaining abbreviations not treated by this article will be explained in a future column. The next issue will continue this listing by covering the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW or High Command), the SS, SS-Police, and Hitler Youth.

German named designations are foreign and often complex, but they can also be quite interesting. When understood, these individual titles add much to the enjoyment of the gaming experience. Hopefully, this article will help transform some tiny squares of cardboard into uniquely valuable playing pieces on the Europa mapboard.

ARMY

A Afrika (Africa)
Aa Aachen (German city near Belgian-Lux border)
Aalb Aalborg (Training Center in occupied Denmark)
Admont Admont (Mountain Replacement Post, Austria)
AFL Althofchen Festungs Lehr (Althofchen Fortress Instruction; from the Althofchen Fortress Engineer School near Berlin)
Afr Afrika (Africa)
Agram Agrarn (Training Center at Zagreb, Croatia, in occupied Yugoslavia)
Ak Aufklarungs (Reconnaissance)
AKL Aufklarungs- und Kavallerie-Lehr (Reconnaissance and Cavalry Instruction)
Al Almers (local defense garrison in Italy)
AOK Armee-Oberkommando (Army Command)
ANS Armee-Oberkommando Norwegen Sturm (Army Norway Assault)
Arko Artillerie-Kommandeur (Corps Artillery)
AufkI Aufklarung (Reconnaissance)

Ber Berlin (German capital)
Bergen Bergen (Norwegian coastal port)
Bhldr Baumholder (Training Center near Wiesbaden)
Bitsch Bitsch (Training Center near Saarburg)
Blockb Blockberg (Training Center outside Budapest)
Bm Bohmen (Bohemia; western Czechoslovakia)
Bres Breslau (German city in Silesia; now Wrocklaw, Poland)
BvrI Beverloo (Training Center in occupied Belgium near Antwerp)
CdR Camp du Ruchard (Training Center in occupied France near Tours)
Clsw Clausewitz (Karl von Clausewitz, 1780-1831, German national hero)

DAL Deutsch-Arabische Legion (German-Arab Legion)
Danzig Danzig (intern. City claimed by Germany as part of West Prussia; now Gdansk, Poland)
Den Dennewitz (German battle against the Napoleonic Empire, 6 Sep. 1813)
Dh Dollersheim (Training Center in Austria)
Dob Doberitz (Training Center outside Berlin, with headquarters at Olympic Stadium village)
Drmn Drammen (Norwegian port near Oslo)
Drs Dresden (German city in Saxony)

Eber Eberhardt (Magnus von Eberhardt, born 1855; German Free Corps leader in the Baltic)
EisTor Eiserne Tor (Iron Gate of Danube River, where gorge and rapids exist between Orsova and Turnu-Severin Rumania near Yugoslav border)
Elsn Elsenborn (Training Center near Malmedy)
Ersatz Ersatz (Replacement)

FAS FAS Fliegerabwehrschule (Antiaircraft School)
FB Fuhrer Begleit (Fuhrer Escort)
FG Fuhrer Grenadier (Fuhrer Grenadier)
FH Feldhermhalle (National Soldier's Memorial in Munich since 1924, originally built 1844)
FHH Feldherrnhalle (above)
FHK Fulpmes Hochgebirgs Kampfschule (High Mountain Combat School at Fulpmes, Austria)
Finn Finniand (Finland)
FLJahn Friedrich Ludwig Jahn (1778-1852, German national hero)
F/O Frankfurt/Oder (German city in Brandenburg)
Frnk Frankfurt (German city in Hesse-Nassau)
FS Feldsonder (Special Field)
Fus Fusilier (Fusilier, honorary title)
FvSchl Ferdinand von Schill (1776-1809, German national hero)

GB Gross Born (Training Center in Pomerania)
GD Grossdeutschland (Greater Germany)
GGr Gross Gorschen (German battle against the Napoleonic Empire, 2 May 1813)
GGvt Generalgouvernement (General Government; an administrative partition of Poland)
GL Grenadier Lehr (Grenadier Instruction)
GLr Grenadier Lehr (above)
GLehr Grenadier Lehr (above)
Gnesen Gnesen (town in Wartheland of occupied Poland; now Gniezno, Poland)
Grgs Garigues (Training Center in occupied France near Nimes)
Gruppe Gruppe (Training Center in West Prussia, occupied Poland; near Grudziadz, Poland)
GSM Gebirgskampfschule Mittenwald (Mittenwald Mountain Combat School in Upper Bavaria)
Gstrw Gustrow (Ducal castle of Mecklenburg)
GW Grafenwohr (Training Center near Nurnberg)

H Hannover (German city in Hannover)
Hberg Heuberg (Training Center south of Stuttgart)
Hm Hamburg (German major port city on Elbe)
Hol Holstein (German region north of Hamburg)
HTr Heerestruppe (Army Troops)
HuD Hoch- und Deutschmeister (Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, established 1198, and a title of the Austrian Archduke after 1805)
HWK Heuberg Winterkampfschule (Heuberg Winter Combat School)

Jgr Jager (Light Rifle)
Jt Jutland (Danish peninsula)

Kf Korfu (Kerkira or Corfu, Greek Ionian island)
Kirkns Kirkenes (Norwegian town in Varanger Fjord near Finland)
KKarp Kleine Karpaten (Lesser Carpathians Training Center outside Bratislava, Slovakia)
Konig Konigsberg (German city in East Prussia; now Kaliningrad, Soviet Union)
KPS Krampnitz Panzertruppenschule (Krampnitz School for Armored Troops near Potsdam)
Kr Kreta (Greek Mediterranean island of Crete)
Krakau Krakau (city in General Government, now Krakow, Poland)
Kreta Kreta (above)
Krmpn Krampnitz (Krampnitz Armored School, Potsdam)
Krnth Korinth (Greek Korinthos or Corinth, Canal)
Krstn Kristiansand (southern Norwegian port)
Ksrltn Kaiserlautern (German city in Palantinate)
Kstrn Kustrin (German fortress in Brandenburg)
Kt Katzbach (German battle against the Napoleonic Empire, 26 Aug 1813)

L Luftwaffe (Air Force, relating to origin)
LBrcn La Braconne (Training Center in occupied France near Barbezieux)
Le Leichte (Light)
Lehr Lehr (Demonstration)
LL Luftlandle (Air Landing)
Lotz Lotzen (German fortress in East Prussia; now Glizycko, Poland)
Lr Lehr (Demonstration)
LSt Luftwaffe Sturm (Air Force Assault)
Lu von Luttichau (commander)

M Munsingen (Training Center SE of Stuttgart)
Maiind Mailand (Training Center near Milan, Italy)
MAlp Meeralpen (Maritime Alps, along Franco-Italian border)
Mileau Mileau (Training Center in enlarged East Prussia of occupied Poland; now Mlawa, Poland)
Mk Mockern (German battle against the Napoleonic Empire, 5 Apr 1813)
MlC Mailly-le-Camp (Training Center in occupied France southwest of Paris)
Mnchb Muncheberg (German town east of Berlin)
Mns Munsingen (see M)
Model Model (commander)
Mr Mahren (Moravia, west-central Czechoslovakia)
Msk Musketier (Musketeer, honorary title)

Narvik Narvik (northern Norwegian port)
Ng Niedergorsdort (Commemorative Monument site of the battle of Dennewitz, 6 Sep 1813)
Nh Neuharnmer (Training Center in Silesia)
Nor Norwegen (Norway)
Normn Normandie (Normandy)
Norwgn Norwegen (Norway)

OBW Oberbefehlshaber West (Commander-in-Chief, West; theater-level command)
OFK Oberfeldkommando (High Field Command; despite the title a divisional-sized groupment)
OL Ositand (East Land, administrative partition of conquered portion of Soviet Union)
OP Ostpreussen (East Prussia)

Posen Posen (city in Wartheland of occupied Poland; formerly and now Poznan,Poland)
Ptsdrn Potsdam (German town south of Berlin)

Radom Radom (city in General Government, formerly and now Poland)
Res Reserve (Reserve)
Rs Rassler (commander)
RhdsSt Rhodos Sturm (Rhodes Assault; Greek Rhodes island off the Turkish coast)
Rmhrr Reimherr (commander)
RO Rohn (commander)

Schl Schlageter (Albert Leo Schlageter, 1894 - 1923, Nazi Party hero)
Schisn Schlesion (Silesia; now western Poland)
Schnm Schneidemuhl (German fortress in Pomerania; now Pila, Poland)
Schrn Scharnhorst (Gerhard von Scharnhorst, 1755 - 1813, German national hero)
Schrtz Schieratz (Training Center in Wartheland of occupied Poland; now Sieradz, Poland)
Sl Seeland (Netherlands Zeeland)
so Sudost (Southeast; primarily Balkans)
Sp Lgn Spanische Legion (Spanish Legion)
St Sturm (Assault)
Stavn Stavanger (southern Norwegian port)
Sttn Stettin (German city in Pomerania; now Szczecin, Poland)
SV Sonderverband (Special Unit)
SW Sudwest (Southwest; primarily Italy)
SWA Sudwest Aufklarung (Southwest Reconnaissance)

Ta Tatra (Tatra Mountains on Slovak-Galicianborder; now Czech-Polish border)
TH Tatra-Hohlenhain (Training Center in central Slovakia)
ThKor Theodor Korner (1791-1813, German national hero)
Thorn Thorn (city claimed by Germany as part of West Prussia; formerly and now Torun, Poland)
Topts Toptshider (Training Center outside Belgrade in occupied Yugoslavia)
Treeck Treeck (commander)
Tromso Tromso (northern Norwegian port)

UvHtn Ulrich von Hutton (1488-1523, German national hero)

vL von Lauchert (commander)
vRSt von Rudno Sturm (commander, Assault)
vT von Tettau (commander)

War Warschau (Warsaw)
West West (West)
WMS Wallmeisterschule Sternberg (Master Defense Works Academy at Sternberg, Brandenburg)
Wn Wahn (Training Center near Cologne)
Wrthl Warthelager (Training Center near Posen in occupied Poland)

zbV zur besonderen Verwendung (for Special Purposes)
zV zur Verfugung (Command Reserve)

LUFTWAFFE

Bar Barenthin (commander)
Erdmn Erdmann (commander)
Fs Falischirm (Parachute)
Fuhrer Fuhrer (Fuhrer)
GG General Goring (Hermann Goring, 1893-1946, Nazi Reich Marshal and Air Force commander)
HG Hermann Goring (above)
HGBgft Hermann Goring Begleft (Hermann Goring Escort)
HGWach Hermann Goring Wach (Hermann Goring Watchguard)
JG Jagdgeschwader (Fighter Wing)
KG Kampfgeschwader (Bomber Wing)
Le Leichte (Light)
Lr Lehr (Demonstration)
OR Oberrhein (Upper Rhine)
R Reserve (Reserve)
RMB Reichsmarschall Begleit (Escort to the Reich Marshal)
Sch Schutzen (Rifle)
SG Schlachtgeschwader (Attack Bomber Wing)
St Sturm (Assault)
StG Sturzkampfgeschwader (Dive Bomber Wing)
TG Transportgeschwader (Air Transport Wing)
zbV zur besonderen Verwendung (for Special Purposes)

NAVY

Agais Agais (Aegean : Aegean islands of Greece)
AK Atlantikkuste (Atlantic Coast : France)
Balt Baltische (Baltic : Baltic Islands)
Bret Bretagne (Brittany, France)
Dansch Danische (Danish : east Danish Islands)
EW Elbe-Weser (Elbe and Weser River outlets)
Gtnhfn Gotenhafen (port near Danzig; now Gydnia)
HvH Hoek van Holland (Hook of Holland)
Istrn Istrien (Istria Peninsula at Triest, Italy)
KK Kanalkuste (Channel Coast : North France)
Krim Krim (Crimea: Black Sea peninsula)
Kur Kurland (Courland : Latvia-Lithuanian coast)
KW Kanal Wach (Kaiser Wilhelm Canal Watchguard)
ND Norddalmatien (North Dalmatia : Balkan coastline along Adriatic Sea)
NF Nordfriesland (North Friesland; German-Danish western coastal region and islands)
NH Nordholland (North Holland)
NJ Nordjutland (North Jutland, in Denmark)
NK Nordkuste (North Coast: Norwegian coastline north of Bergen)
OF Ostfriesland (East Friesland : Netherlands-German coastal region and islands)
Ostsee Ostsee (Baltic Sea : coast of Prussia)
Pelop Peloponnes (Peloponnesus : lower Greece)
PK Polarkuste (Polar Coast : north Scandanavia)
PomK Pornmernkuste (Pomeranian coast of Germany)
SD Suddalmatien (South Dalmatia : Balkan coastal region along Adriatic Sea)
SH Sudholland (South Holland)
SJ Sudjutland (South Jutland, in Denmark)
SK Sudkuste (South Coast : Franco-Italian region)
WA Westadria (West Adriatic : Italian coastline)
WK Westkuste (West Coast : Norwegian coast south of Bergen to Swedish border)

Part II