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ACG’s Basic Guide to Military Unit Symbols

By Brian King Armchair Reading |  Published: November 01, 2004 at 5:07 pm

We often get asked questions about what the symbols you see on military maps and in wargames actually represent.  This is a small sampling of some general unit symbols, which should cover most modern time periods.  Also included is a unit size chart, so you know the difference between x and xxxx.  It is not meant to be an exhaustive study, but rather a primer to get you up to speed with the basics.  Most symbols are derivatives of these foundational icons, although a few specialized icons are included here as samples of the larger palette.

Also keep in mind these symbols are intended to cover a broad period of time, and thus some below might be outdated or no longer used on a modern battlefield.  Most will be recognizable to any student of World War II.

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One Response to “ACG’s Basic Guide to Military Unit Symbols”


  1. 1
    brian says:

    i’ve gotten hold of a us army signal corps transmitter tuning unit
    TU -5-B next to it is an square with 4 dots and a triangle inside, i was wondering what the symbol ment? the circles and the A are solid color.

    ——–
    l O O l
    l O O l
    l A l
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