Rank Insignia and Uniforms Thread
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Since people have posted insignia from fictional settings here in the past (in fact, the 4th post in the thread is star fleet uniforms) I see no issue with there being Pony insignia here either.
If people dislike the ponies so much, isn't it much easier to just ignore them than waste time and effort with temper tantrums.
If people dislike the ponies so much, isn't it much easier to just ignore them than waste time and effort with temper tantrums.
I assure you that my temper tantrum only took mere seconds to spill out onto the digital stage.
Well since all post here are from fictional settings, that's not the point. It's that there is a pony thread. Just for that sort of thing. It exists so bronies can have their fun without spreading and overwhelming other discussions. I can be reasonably certain, since Color Copycat likes to repost the same things 3 or 4 times across multiple threads that said pictures are already in the pony thread. So rather than violate board rules to relish in his on equestrian glory he can go, "Oh, hey bronies. Go check out the thread that you've already checked out." Or send a direct link to the requestors to check it out, but I feel that would be redundant since I'm sure they're all congregating in there already.
Well since all post here are from fictional settings, that's not the point. It's that there is a pony thread. Just for that sort of thing. It exists so bronies can have their fun without spreading and overwhelming other discussions. I can be reasonably certain, since Color Copycat likes to repost the same things 3 or 4 times across multiple threads that said pictures are already in the pony thread. So rather than violate board rules to relish in his on equestrian glory he can go, "Oh, hey bronies. Go check out the thread that you've already checked out." Or send a direct link to the requestors to check it out, but I feel that would be redundant since I'm sure they're all congregating in there already.
We might make a pony-enthusiast of you yet, my friend
I wouldn't go that far.
Requesting some help
A somewhat weird request, but I'd like to ask if anyone could draw me a uniform template or several templates in Paint or GIMP.
It is a unusual uniform template though : A military pilot outfit (fighter pilots, bomber pilots, etc.). The template should contain trousers, coats/jackets, aviator hats with goggles, the usual suspects. I'll add the boots myself, I don't need those.
Most of these should look a lot like OTL continental European pilot clothing from the 30s and 40s. The templates are for my Sparrow Avengers universe. I'm currently working on designing some uniforms for it and given how pilots are highly important soldiers and characters there, I need to do some unique clothing designs for them, each design a bit different than the one in the other countries.
A somewhat weird request, but I'd like to ask if anyone could draw me a uniform template or several templates in Paint or GIMP.
It is a unusual uniform template though : A military pilot outfit (fighter pilots, bomber pilots, etc.). The template should contain trousers, coats/jackets, aviator hats with goggles, the usual suspects. I'll add the boots myself, I don't need those.
Most of these should look a lot like OTL continental European pilot clothing from the 30s and 40s. The templates are for my Sparrow Avengers universe. I'm currently working on designing some uniforms for it and given how pilots are highly important soldiers and characters there, I need to do some unique clothing designs for them, each design a bit different than the one in the other countries.
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Like actual flight gear (not dress uniforms)? You want parachute harnesses and flotation vests and all that?
Yes, flight gear, including the assorted worn equipment.
Fancy dress uniforms aren't that important right now, nor do they play a major role in my 'verse, so they're not really needed.
To be fair, I drew that on Friday and only thought to post it today. But in less than 24 hours, my most difficult exams will hit me like a ton of bricks one after another.
Dress uniform for the Manannan Guard of the Kingdom of Mann and Isles circa 1870.
The Manannan Guard are the senior Regiment in the armed forces of the Kingdom of Mann and Isles. The unit is well known for standing guard at Castle Rushen, the official residence of the King of Mann but they are also known as hardy fighters.
The Tartan is the Manx National Tartan. The rest of the uniform is made up from the colours of Manx Hunting Tartan (Blue Grey, White, Grey, Grey Green, Gold and Blue) and Manx Flag (Yellow and Red).
The Manannan Guard are the senior Regiment in the armed forces of the Kingdom of Mann and Isles. The unit is well known for standing guard at Castle Rushen, the official residence of the King of Mann but they are also known as hardy fighters.
The Tartan is the Manx National Tartan. The rest of the uniform is made up from the colours of Manx Hunting Tartan (Blue Grey, White, Grey, Grey Green, Gold and Blue) and Manx Flag (Yellow and Red).
Looks cool. One question, I'm not that well verse in manxian history but do they consider themselves related to scots and/or had a similar clan system or is their adoption of tartan just a modern "celtic revival" thing ?
Manx consider themselves to be Manx, one of the many Gaelic nations. The National Tartan was officially adopted in 1901. Tartan on the Island, as well as Kilts goes back a long way. However like most Gaelic nations, the kilt died with only Scotland really retaining them, thanks to Jacobite rising.
I have the original Manx Tartan (now called hunting tartan), I got married in it. The revival of Manx Kilts really took off in 1940.
Sparrow Avengers universe - Soldiers, ranks and rank insignia of the Zemplín Federation (1918 - mid-to-late 1940s)
OK, here's my concepts and artworks for soldiers of the Zemplín Federation, one of the ATL post-WWI, interwar era central European nations from my Sparrow Avengers Universe (a.k.a. TL-37, a.k.a. my very European take on a Crimson Skies style allohistorical setting). A preliminary look into the history and terminology of the Zemplín Federation's military, into the rank insignia of its soldiers and the equipment of its soldiers.
A look at some interwar era soldiers of the Zemplín Federation's armed forces
Pechota Zemplínskej federácie (medzivojnové obdobie) = "Infantry of the Zemplín Federation (interwar period)"
fľintar - equivalent of "rifleman". Fľintar is an ATL word derived from the Zemplín dialect's generic word for a rifle or long gun - fľinta. The closest direct translation of fľintar into English would be akin to "fusilier". The Zemplín riflemen are equipped with green or brown standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets on their heads (these are being slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models), webbing, a backpack and often also a bandolier, and last but not least, a bayoneted Steyr-Männlicher M1895 or Mosin-Nagant 1891 bolt-action rifle (once again, captured leftovers or surplus from the times of the Great War). In more recent years, the riflemen have started to also use some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal.
oficir - an "officer" in Zemplín Slovak (predictable, ey ?). This one's wearing much of the same outfit as the average rifleman, but with a durable Austro-Hungarian-style kepi (also worn by riflemen and other footsoldiers, but less often than officers). He's holding a decorated officer's sword and, in his sidearm holster, carries a Rast & Gasser M1898 or a Nagant 1895 revolver, or one of the many WWI surplus Austro-Hungarian pistols. (These are not directly visible in the picture, but are yet another example of repurposed older equipment left over in the region after the end of WWI.) In more recent years, they had also started to carry Czech-designed pistols or Belgian-designed Browning pistols.
horský strelec - mountain marksman (horski štriľec in Zemplín Slovak), mountain infantryman, a mountain warfare subset of the Zemplín jaegers (jager in Zemplín Slovak), the irregular infantry skirmishers. The Zemplín Federation's homebrewn, somewhat DIY answer to the likes of Austro-Hungarian mountain troopers or Italian Bersaglieri of WWI. They're part of the irregular skirmisher infantry, a fairly elite part at that, akin to nearly special forces or commandos. As you can see in the picture, they have both summer (leto) and winter (zima) versions of their kit and uniform and carry combat knives instead of bayonets. Unlike regular riflemen, they wear hats or hoods on their head and always wear puttees, simple kneeguards and combat boots on their legs. Though they mostly travel on foot, after their initial establishment, the Zemplín Federation eventually started experimenting with gradually adding snowshoes and skis to their wintertime equipment, and the relevant showshoe travel and skiing to their wintertime mobility training. Often performs border guard operations in the mountainous area of the federation's borders.
(The ATL terms present in the image are noted in parentheses.)
Jednotky na koni Zemplínskej federácie (medzivojnové obdobie) = "Mounted units of the Zemplín Federation (interwar period)" (encompasses the cavalry consisting of lancers and hussars, as well as the horseman mounted infantry consisting of dragoons)
ulan - equivalent of "uhlan" and "lancer". Ulan is an OTL as well as ATL Zemplín dialect term for such a cavalry soldier. Zemplín was one of the few Slovak-speaking regions of former Austria-Hungary whose successor statelet kept a lancer tradition in their military, carrying it over from the Austro-Hungarian days. This was because the central and southern parts of the new country represented a rare area with predominantly lowland or low-hill terrain, a type of terrain better-suited to lancers than others. The Zemplín Federation's uhlans/lancers are equipped with green standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets on their heads (slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models), webbing, a bandolier (not finished yet and therefore not visible in this version), a cavalry lance (their primary melee weapon), a hanger or trench knife (melee sidearm), pistol or revolver (ranged, handgun sidearm), and the carbine version of a Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle (their primary ranged weapon, though carried mainly as a backup to the lance). In more recent years, the uhlans/lancers have also started to use the carbine versions of some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal. By the latter half of the 1930s, uhlan units also started including at least one uhlan carrying an anti-tank rifle, an element inspired by Polish and CMSR mounted units of the era.
husar - equivalent of a "hussar", specifically one in the vein of a traditional 19th century hussar or WWI hussar of Austria-Hungary, but with the distinction that the Zemplín Federation's hussars eschew all ceremonial clothing elements and wear only an ordinary WWI style uniform, much like the Zemplín Federation's uhlans and dragoons (see below). Husar is, of course, an OTL as well as ATL Zemplín dialect term for such a cavalry soldier. The Zemplín Federation's hussars are equipped with green standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets (slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models) or modified kepis on their heads, webbing, a bandolier (not finished yet and therefore not visible in this version), a sabre (their primary melee weapon), a hanger or trench knife (melee sidearm), pistol or revolver (ranged, handgun sidearm), and the carbine version of a Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle (their primary ranged weapon). In more recent years, the hussars have also started to use the carbine versions of some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal.
draguň - equivalent of "dragoon" or "lighthorseman". Draguň is an OTL as well as ATL Zemplín dialect term for such a mounted infantry soldier soldier. The Zemplín Federation's dragoons / light horse are equipped with green standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets (slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models) or skirmisher style hats on their heads, webbing, a bandolier (not finished yet and therefore not visible in this version) and a bayoneted Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle, or Mosin-Nagant 1891 bolt-action rifle, or the Steyr-Männlicher M1895 short rifle. Though the dragoons originally only carried hangers, trench knives and bayonets as their melee sidearms, a decision was made in the early days of the Zemplín military to equip them with sabres as well, just in case. (Making them the only non-cavalry soldiers to carry sabres.) They are also the only mounted troops to occassionally carry and use the sniper variant of the Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle, which brings them closer than any other mounted unit to the jaeger and mountain marskman soldiers of the ZF's infantry. In more recent years, the dragoons have also started to use some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles and carbines, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal. By the latter half of the 1930s, dragoon units also started including at least one dragoon carrying a light machine gun, which distinguished them even more greatly from the largelly similar armaments used by the hussar units.
Male and female pilot of the Zemplín Federation's air force in standard issue flight gear (male master sergeat and female lieutenant)
"In day as well as the black night
at the border I stand guard."
Yes, siree. Keepin' Zemplín's borders safe and secure from that silly Horthy junta and any of those damned, no-good, crazy-ass falangists, fascists and other shady authoritarian bastards !
(1920s and 1930s Zemplín Federation border guard soldier propaganda poster. It's good-natured, almost peppy, I'll grant you, but still propaganda, ho-hum. Hope you're diggin' the French-by-way-of-Austria-Hungary look and feel to the kit. )
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Ranks in the Zemplín Federation's armed forces (in multiple languages)
An overview of ranks and how they sound in the individual main languages of the Zemplín Federation, including Zemplín dialects.
Unlike standard Slovak, the Zemplín dialect of the Slovak language does not use long vowels, only short vowels.
The Rusyn variations of the rank names are written in the Русиньскый алфавіт (Rusyn alphabet), followed by an English transliteration.
The Yiddish variations of the rank names are written in the Hebrew script used for Yiddish, followed by an English transliteration.
(Rank insignia images TBA.)
Soldier - No rank insignia
Soldier First Class - 1 stylized grain
Corporal - 2 stylized grains
Sergeant - 3 stylized grains
Master sergeant - A full ear of grain
Staff sergeant - A stylized stalk with three ears of grain
Cadet - A fish
Ensign - 1 stylized acorn
Sub-lieutenant - 2 stylized acorns
Lieutenant - 3 stylized acorns
Captain - 1 stylized grape
Major - 2 stylized grapes
Lieutenant Colonel - 3 stylized grapes
Colonel - A full bunch of grapes
Brigadier General - 1 stylized river wave
Major General - 2 stylized river waves
Lieutenant General - 3 stylized river waves
Colonel General - A stylized tri-mount with a sharper central peak and two rounded summits to the side
General - A knightly helmet above or in front of the stylized tri-mount with a sharper central peak and two rounded summits to the side
Colour codes:
Dark green - Infantry (riflemen, supplemented by light machine gunners and anti-tank riflemen in each rifleman unit)
Spruce green - Jaegers / Skirmishers
Spruce green, crossed telekia (yellow oxeye) and Carpathian soldanelle (snowbell) flowers and white trim - Mountain marksmen
Dark green and white square with red blood drop - Medical corps of the army (no religious symbolism, avoiding Christian or Jewish favouritism)
Dark green with horseshoe (or wheel) - Mounted infantry / Light horse / Dragoons (or Bicycle infantry)
Light green with horseshoe - Cavalry (Hussars and Uhlans, the latter with added thin light-grey-ish trim)
Grey with light green trim - Tank, tankette, armoured car and other armoured ground vehicle crews and mechanics
Light red with dark green trim - Heavy machine gunners and mortar crews
Dark red with dark green trim - Artillery and artillerymen
Light brown with dark green trim - Logistics and supply
Dark brown with dark green trim - Engineers and sappers
Black - Railway military personnel
Dark green with dark blue trim - River patrol
Light blue - Aircraft and military aviators, air force pilots
Light blue with added airship shape - Airships and airshipmen
Dark green with light blue trim - Paratroopers
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Non-rank terms for soldiers in the Zemplín dialect of Slovak
Pešak - Infatryman, Footman
Fľintar - Rifleman (1)
Jager - Skirmisher / Jäger / Chasseur
Horski štriľec - Mountaineer soldier / Mountain skirmisher / Mountain marksman (2)
Mašinkvernik - Machine gunner (3)
Jager motorov, Pancerfľintar - Anti-tank rifleman (4)
Jezdzec - Cavalryman, Horseman
Draguň - Dragoon
Ulan - Uhlan
Husar - Hussar
Aďuš, Tuzejr, Kanoňar - Artilleryman (5)
Aďušmešter, Tuzejrmešter, Kanonmešter - Artillery sergeant (6)
Motorar, Šofer - Motor vehicle driver
Panceršofer - Armoured vehicle driver
Ľecec / Fľiger - Airman / Aviator (7)
Fľigmešter - Chief Airman, Chief Aviator
Ľuftšifar, Ľufšifar- Airshipman (8)
Paragan - Paratrooper (9)
Stražnik, Merker - Guard, Watchman (including border guards, with Merker derived from the verb merkovac, "to watch", "to watch over")
Bachter - Night watchman, Night time guard
Kasareň - Barracks (not a soldier term per se, but soldiers have to be accomodated somewhere)
(1) - the term can be loosely translated as both "fusilier" and "rifleman", since the Zemplín dialect uses flinta or fľinta interchangeably for any long firearms, be they muskets, fusils or rifles, including modern 19th-20th century cartridge rifles and bolt-action rifles.
(2) - these "mountain marksmen" are members of a special unit of two of the conventional jagers, i.e. "skirmishers", but with additional training and equipment for operating in mountainous areas, including in winter (when some of them even use skis or certain types of snowshoes). The standard Slovak term for these would be the similar-sounding horský strelec ("mountain marksman"). Along with the paragan paratroopers, they're the closest thing the Zemplín Federation has to commando units.
(3) - originally derived from the German term Maschinengewehr, "machine gun", close to various similar Slovak and Czech colloquial and dialect terms, e.g. mašinkver, mašinkvér, etc. The Zemplín Rusyn variation is машінквірнік ("mashinkvirnik"). The suggested Zemplín neologism strojfľintar ("machine-rifleman"), coined in the 1920s, had not caught on. The low-in-numbers submachine guns used by the ZF in the 1930s and 1940s were dubbed simply mašinpištoľe ("machine-pistols").
(4) - literally meaning "motorcar hunter", this is a Zemplín interwar neologism for a soldier equipped with an anti-tank rifle (or similar early anti-tank weaponry), used to take out enemy motor-s, i.e. "cars", "motorcars" (the term motor a general term for both a vehicle engine and a motor vehicle in the Zemplín dialect). Some of the armoured cars in the Zemplín Federation's armed forces are equipped with repurposed and modified anti-tank rifles instead of full-blown tank barrels. The Zemplín Slovak and Zemplín Rusyn term for an anti-tank rifle itself, invented concurrently in the late 1910s and 1920s, was pancerfľinta ("armour-rifle", панцерфльінта in Rusyn), hence also the alternate soldier term pancerfľintar ("armour-rifleman", панцерфльінтар in Rusyn). A related term added to the Zemplín Slovak and Zemplín Rusyn vocabulary during the later WWII years was pancermolotok, "armour-hammer", referring to handheld anti-armour rocket or missile launchers.
(5) - originally derived from Hungarian ágyu, "cannon" and ágyus, "artilleryman"/"cannoneer" in the Zemplín Hungarian dialect, and the German Kanonier ("cannoneer", "bombardier", "artilleryman").
(6) - analogous to the Austro-Hungarian Feuerwerker, an "artillery sergeant" or "sergeant-bombardier". The new Zemplín-coined term originally derived from Hungarian őrmester, "sergeant", "watchmaster", and secondarily from the newly-established Zemplín rank term stražmešter ("watchmaster", "sergeant") or German Kanonier ("cannoneer", "bombardier", "artilleryman"), thus meaning "cannon-master", "artillery-sergeant".
(7) - the first term is based on the Zemplín verb for "to fly", ľecec, and the homonymous noun for a "flyer", a flying person, ľecec, (also analogous to standard Slovak letec), with the second term originally derived from German Flieger, "flyer", "aviator".
(8) - derived from the equally newly-established Zemplín term ľuftšif (or ľuftšifa), borrowed from German Luftschiff and the already long-existing Zemplín terms ľuft ("air" and "aerial space") and šif or šifa ("ship").
(9) - the paratroopers of the Zemplín Federation, trained for parachuting behind enemy lines and so on, from transport aircraft or even military airships. Along with the "mountain marksmen", they're the closest thing the Zemplín Federation has to commando units.
The military doctrine for the quarter century long existence of the Zemplín Federation during the interwar years and WWII was to "always try to do more with less, with the most effective and careful use of what we have", and in terms of infantry, "the well-trained rifleman is the backbone of the ground forces, with the machine gunners, AT riflemen, mounted troops, vehicles, sappers and all other ground forces personnel to be combined with the use of the common rifleman soldier as best as possible, depending on the context". Partly based on this doctrine, the ZF military rejected the introduction of semi-automatic rifles throughout its history, considering them more of a novelty usable for paratroopers, but not for typical soldiers (despite the fact that early semi-auto rifle designs had been gaining traction since WWI - example 1, 2, 3). Given the humble origins of the Zemplín Federation's military and frequent improvising in its earliest years, the ZF prided itself in a pro-active, disciplined and flexible NCO and lower officer leadership, rather than relying on blind and rigid obedience to orders of higher-up officers. This approach, also used by many other Austro-Hungarian statelets, and initially often ridiculed by more old-fashioned post-war European powers, proved its worth in the occassional military clashes prior to WWII, and particularly during the harsh wartime years of WWII.
Besides various local dialect nicknames for soldiers, Zemplín Federation soldiers as a whole became commonly nicknamed the "Grains-Acorns-and-Grapes" or the "Fishes-and-Grains". This is because of some of the prominent heraldic charges (ears of grain, sprigs with acorns, bunches of grapes and fishes, among others) on the great coat of arms of the Zemplín Federation, adopted from the coats of arms of the Zemplín and Ung counties, heraldic charges that even found their way on some of the military's more general emblems and roundels. See also the rank insignia displayed above.
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Non-rank terms for soldiers in the other languages of the Zemplín Federation
Hungarian - Gyalogos ("Infantryman", "Footman"), Puskás ("Rifleman"), Vadász ("Skirmisher", "Jaeger"), Hegylövész ("Mountain marksman"), Lovas ("Cavalryman", "Horseman"), Dragonyos ("Dragoon"), Ulán ("Uhlan", "Lancer"), Huszár ("Hussar"), Géplövész ("Machine gunner"), Páncéltörő puskás, Kocsi-vadász ("Anti-armour rifleman", "Vehicle-hunter"), Tüzér, Ágyus, Kanonir ("Artilleryman", "Cannoneer"), Tüzérmester ("Artillery sergeant", "Artillery-master"), Kocsisofőr, Sofőr ("Driver"), Páncélsofőr ("Armoured vehicle driver"), Repülős ("Airman", "Aviator"), Főrepülős ("Chief Airman", "Chief Aviator"), Légihajós ("Airshipman"), Ejtőernyős ("Paratrooper"), Laktanya ("Barracks" - not a soldier term per se, but soldiers have to be accomodated somewhere)
Rusyn - Піхотинець, Пішотинець ("Infantryman", "Footman"), Стрілець, Фльінтар ("Rifleman"), Йаґер ("Skirmisher", "Jaeger"), гірський стрілець ("Mountain marksman"), Віршнік, Йіздец, Кіньнік ("Cavalryman", "Horseman"), драгун ("Dragoon"), Улан ("Uhlan"), гусар ("Hussar"), Машінквірнік ("Machine gunner"), Панцерфльінтар, Йаґер машін ("Anti-tank rifleman", "Motorcar hunter"), Aртилерист ("Artilleryman", "Cannoneer"), Шофер ("Driver"), Панцершофер ("Armoured vehicle driver"), Льітчик ("Airman", "Aviator"), Старшій льітчик ("Chief Airman", "Chief Aviator"), Льуфшіфнік ("Airshipman"), парашутист ("Paratrooper"), Меркер ("Guard", "Watchman", "Border guard", from merkovaty, the Rusyn form of the merkovac verb), Бахтер ("Night watchman"), Казарньа ("Barracks" - not a soldier term per se, but soldiers have to be accomodated somewhere)
Yiddish - פוסיליער ("Rifleman", "Fusilier"), יעגער ("Skirmisher", "Jaeger"), באַרג טרופּער ("Mountain trooper"), דראַגאָן ("Dragoon"), לאַנסער ("Uhlan", "Lancer"), הוסר ("Hussar"), מאשין ביקסער ("Machine gunner"), אַנטי-טאַנק ביקסער ("Anti-tank rifleman"), קאַנאָניר ("Artilleryman", "Cannoneer"), שאָפער ("Driver"), פליער ("Airman", "Aviator"), הויפּטפליער ("Chief Airman", "Chief Aviator"), לופטשיףפליער ("Airshipman"), פּאַראַטראָאָפּער ("Paratrooper"), באַראַקס ("Barracks" - not a soldier term per se, but soldiers have to be accomodated somewhere)
Polish 1930s era uhlan, very similar to its Zemplín Federation counterparts (note the Polish-made anti-tank rifle carried by this mounted soldier)
In the latter half of the 1930s and especially just before WWII, some Zemplín Federation uhlans also started carrying an anti-tank rifle in addition to or instead of a lance, with at least one such "anti-tank ulan" (pancerfľintovi ulan) in every cavalry squad. Similarly, in that same timespan, the Zemplín dragoon units would do the same, including in terms of numerical ratio per squad, but with light machine guns instead of anti-tank rifles. This was a precaution, inspired by similar measures done by the Polish, Galizian and Czech-Moravian mounted units of the time, that was adopted due the increasing importance of armoured vehicles throughout the interwar era and the years before WWII. During WWII, the uhlans would gradually stop using their lances altogether, with only occassional auxilliary usage seen during the latter half of the war (marking the last recorded cases in central European history of spears and lances still used in war), and with the anti-tank rifle now the primary weapon of the uhlans. Also, the interwar era distinctions between Zemplín dragoons and Zemplín hussars would start to diminish due to the tactical and logistical demands of the war, with both types now largelly mounted infantry in a battlefield context, and frequently armed with submachine guns and light machine guns in addition to rifles.
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One of the inherited-from-Austria-Hungary WWI era military trucks, still in use by the Zemplín Federation during the early 1920s
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Linguistic notes on the military terminology of the Zemplín Federation (with a spotlight on the country's linguistic situation)
In a fitting irony for a post-war successor state to Austria-Hungary, the multicultural Zemplín Federation uses multiple languages as its official languages, namely the Zemplín dialect variety of Slovak (zempľinčina, or in standard Slovak, zemplínčina), the Zemplín dialect variety of Hungarian (zempléni tájszólás, zempléni nyelvjárás), the Zemplín varieties of the Rusyn language (Lemko and Boyko dialects and their own sub-dialects, e.g. the Lemko "Labiric Rusyn", the Boiko "Cirochan Rusyn") and Yiddish, the lingua franca mother tongue of the Jewish communities in the Zemplín Federation.
The Zemplín varieties of Slovak consist of the Slovak Zemplín sub-dialects of the southern, central and northern member regions of the Zemplín Federation. These sub-dialects include the Soták sub-dialect of Zemplín from the Cirocha river valley, as well as more conventional sub-dialects of the Zemplín dialect, with smaller and more subtle variations. Over the many centuries, Hungarian-inspired and German-inspired terms and words have found their way into the Zemplín dialect, in several waves of loanwords and derived words, and the more recent creation of a more codified, standardised version of the Zemplín dialect has kept these loanwords and even invented new terms from them.
The Zemplín varieties of Hungarian consist of a smaller range of the Hungarian Zemplín sub-dialects, from the southern and parts of the central member regions of the Zemplín Federation. These sub-dialects have a certain degree of variety, but most of the variations are relatively subtle and down to local nuances and traditions, than vastly different. The Zemplín Hungarian dialect is itself a branch of the northeastern dialects of Hungary. Just as a fair few expressions and terms from the vocabulary of the Zemplín Slovak dialect don't exist in other Slovak dialects or in standard Slovak, so too do a fair few expressions and terms from the vocabulary of the Zemplín Hungarian dialect don't exist in other Hungarian dialects or in standard Hungarian.
The Zemplín varieties of the Rusyn language consist of the two main dialects, Lemko Rusyn (most apparently in northernmost Zemplín, e.g. the Laborec river valley) and Boyko Rusyn (the more southern parts of northern Zemplín, e.g. the Cirocha river valley), which also occur in Transcarpathian Ukraine. Lemko Rusyn is also present in the western neighbour, the Šariš Free State. The more unique Zemplín sub-dialects of Lemko Rusyn and Boyko Rusyn include Labiric Rusyn (Lemko sub-dialect, in the Laborec river valley) and Cirochan Rusyn (Boyko sub-dialect spoken by the Puydyaks, local Boyko Rusyns, in the Cirocha river valley).
The official language of the Transcarpathian Republic, the Zemplín Federation's eastern neighbour, is a form of modern standardised Ukrainian. However, the vernacular/colloquial version of Ukrainian commonly heard and used in the Transcarpathian Republic, for everyday purposes and conversations among locals, is Lemko variety Ukrainian and more rarely Boiko variety Ukrainian, collectivelly also called Carpathian Ukrainian. This colloquial form stems from and, on an especially rural and traditional level, is divided into Lemko-Ukrainian and Boiko-Ukrainian dialects and the closely related nearly identical Lemko-Rusyn and Boiko-Rusyn dialects. These all have continuity with the Lemko variety Rusyn and Boiko variety Rusyn (and its sub-dialects) used in the Zemplín Federation and parts of the Šariš Free State.
Jewish communities of the Zemplín Federation are essentially invariably Ashkenazim in cultural and linguistic terms, speaking Yiddish (including local varieties), as well as local Slovak and local Hungarian, and are most commonly Orthodox Jewish or Hasidic in terms of their religious affiliation. Besides field chaplains of the various Christian churches of the region (Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Reformed, Lutheran, Orthodox), the Zemplín Federation also has field rabbis in their armed forces, to tend to the religious needs of Jewish soldiers and personnel, in addition to Christian soldiers and personnel.
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Zemplín Federation law enforcement (police and gendarmerie) ranks
The policemen (policajci, rendőrök, поліція - politsiya, פאליציי - falitsey) represent the town and city police of the Zemplín Federation. Zemplín has only four cities as such, Michalovce/Nagymihály and Humenné/Homonna as the big cities, and Trebišov/Terebes and Vranov/Varanó classed as "smaller cities". All other settlements with an urban charter, e.g. Medzilaborce/Mezőlaborc/Міджілaбірцї, Snina/Szinna/Снина, Sečovce/Gálszécs/Сечівці, Veľké Kapušany/Nagykapos, Kráľovský Chlmec/Királyhelmec, are classified as towns. The city/town policemen consist of regular police officers, police detectives and the other administrative and specialist staff.
The gendarmes (žandare, csendőrök, жандаре, жандармерія - zhandare, zhandarmeriya, זשאנדארמעריע - zhandarmerye), comparable to the OTL Czechoslovak and ATL CMSR četnictví or (a nicer version of) the Hungarian gendarmes, or to any number of western European gendarme forces, are the rural police force of the Zemplín Federation. Interestingly, though the gendarmes are primarily police officers, their part of the police force also includes proper police detectives, much like the city/town police. Most serious cases necessitating deeper investigation make use of the specialist staff available in the towns and cities.
The rank insignia codes for the police are blue with a white trim, and for the gendarmes, blue with a white-and-green trim (white on the outer side of the trim, green on the inner side). The only rank insignia differences with the military versions is that the lowest ranks have 1, 2 and 3 stylized grains, and an ear of grain, but no stalk with three ears of grain, and that the knightly helmet of the highest rank is replaced with a stylized policeman hat.
In a bit of a historical irony, the police officers are the only ones to still wear surplus Austro-Hungarian kepis similar to those from WWI, albeit re-dyed to a darker blue colour and with a small police identifier badge. (All of the kepis used by the military have been dyed green or newly made in green colour.) The gendarmes wear a practical broad-brimmed hat with a gendarmerie identifier badge and a small decorative plume made of pheasant tail feathers. Depending on the seriousness of the situation, the gendarmes can sometimes be seen wearing modified Adrian helmets of a dark blue colour with a gendarmerie identifier badge.
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OK, here's my concepts and artworks for soldiers of the Zemplín Federation, one of the ATL post-WWI, interwar era central European nations from my Sparrow Avengers Universe (a.k.a. TL-37, a.k.a. my very European take on a Crimson Skies style allohistorical setting). A preliminary look into the history and terminology of the Zemplín Federation's military, into the rank insignia of its soldiers and the equipment of its soldiers.
A look at some interwar era soldiers of the Zemplín Federation's armed forces
Pechota Zemplínskej federácie (medzivojnové obdobie) = "Infantry of the Zemplín Federation (interwar period)"
fľintar - equivalent of "rifleman". Fľintar is an ATL word derived from the Zemplín dialect's generic word for a rifle or long gun - fľinta. The closest direct translation of fľintar into English would be akin to "fusilier". The Zemplín riflemen are equipped with green or brown standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets on their heads (these are being slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models), webbing, a backpack and often also a bandolier, and last but not least, a bayoneted Steyr-Männlicher M1895 or Mosin-Nagant 1891 bolt-action rifle (once again, captured leftovers or surplus from the times of the Great War). In more recent years, the riflemen have started to also use some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal.
oficir - an "officer" in Zemplín Slovak (predictable, ey ?). This one's wearing much of the same outfit as the average rifleman, but with a durable Austro-Hungarian-style kepi (also worn by riflemen and other footsoldiers, but less often than officers). He's holding a decorated officer's sword and, in his sidearm holster, carries a Rast & Gasser M1898 or a Nagant 1895 revolver, or one of the many WWI surplus Austro-Hungarian pistols. (These are not directly visible in the picture, but are yet another example of repurposed older equipment left over in the region after the end of WWI.) In more recent years, they had also started to carry Czech-designed pistols or Belgian-designed Browning pistols.
horský strelec - mountain marksman (horski štriľec in Zemplín Slovak), mountain infantryman, a mountain warfare subset of the Zemplín jaegers (jager in Zemplín Slovak), the irregular infantry skirmishers. The Zemplín Federation's homebrewn, somewhat DIY answer to the likes of Austro-Hungarian mountain troopers or Italian Bersaglieri of WWI. They're part of the irregular skirmisher infantry, a fairly elite part at that, akin to nearly special forces or commandos. As you can see in the picture, they have both summer (leto) and winter (zima) versions of their kit and uniform and carry combat knives instead of bayonets. Unlike regular riflemen, they wear hats or hoods on their head and always wear puttees, simple kneeguards and combat boots on their legs. Though they mostly travel on foot, after their initial establishment, the Zemplín Federation eventually started experimenting with gradually adding snowshoes and skis to their wintertime equipment, and the relevant showshoe travel and skiing to their wintertime mobility training. Often performs border guard operations in the mountainous area of the federation's borders.
(The ATL terms present in the image are noted in parentheses.)
Jednotky na koni Zemplínskej federácie (medzivojnové obdobie) = "Mounted units of the Zemplín Federation (interwar period)" (encompasses the cavalry consisting of lancers and hussars, as well as the horseman mounted infantry consisting of dragoons)
ulan - equivalent of "uhlan" and "lancer". Ulan is an OTL as well as ATL Zemplín dialect term for such a cavalry soldier. Zemplín was one of the few Slovak-speaking regions of former Austria-Hungary whose successor statelet kept a lancer tradition in their military, carrying it over from the Austro-Hungarian days. This was because the central and southern parts of the new country represented a rare area with predominantly lowland or low-hill terrain, a type of terrain better-suited to lancers than others. The Zemplín Federation's uhlans/lancers are equipped with green standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets on their heads (slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models), webbing, a bandolier (not finished yet and therefore not visible in this version), a cavalry lance (their primary melee weapon), a hanger or trench knife (melee sidearm), pistol or revolver (ranged, handgun sidearm), and the carbine version of a Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle (their primary ranged weapon, though carried mainly as a backup to the lance). In more recent years, the uhlans/lancers have also started to use the carbine versions of some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal. By the latter half of the 1930s, uhlan units also started including at least one uhlan carrying an anti-tank rifle, an element inspired by Polish and CMSR mounted units of the era.
husar - equivalent of a "hussar", specifically one in the vein of a traditional 19th century hussar or WWI hussar of Austria-Hungary, but with the distinction that the Zemplín Federation's hussars eschew all ceremonial clothing elements and wear only an ordinary WWI style uniform, much like the Zemplín Federation's uhlans and dragoons (see below). Husar is, of course, an OTL as well as ATL Zemplín dialect term for such a cavalry soldier. The Zemplín Federation's hussars are equipped with green standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets (slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models) or modified kepis on their heads, webbing, a bandolier (not finished yet and therefore not visible in this version), a sabre (their primary melee weapon), a hanger or trench knife (melee sidearm), pistol or revolver (ranged, handgun sidearm), and the carbine version of a Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle (their primary ranged weapon). In more recent years, the hussars have also started to use the carbine versions of some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal.
draguň - equivalent of "dragoon" or "lighthorseman". Draguň is an OTL as well as ATL Zemplín dialect term for such a mounted infantry soldier soldier. The Zemplín Federation's dragoons / light horse are equipped with green standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets (slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models) or skirmisher style hats on their heads, webbing, a bandolier (not finished yet and therefore not visible in this version) and a bayoneted Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle, or Mosin-Nagant 1891 bolt-action rifle, or the Steyr-Männlicher M1895 short rifle. Though the dragoons originally only carried hangers, trench knives and bayonets as their melee sidearms, a decision was made in the early days of the Zemplín military to equip them with sabres as well, just in case. (Making them the only non-cavalry soldiers to carry sabres.) They are also the only mounted troops to occassionally carry and use the sniper variant of the Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle, which brings them closer than any other mounted unit to the jaeger and mountain marskman soldiers of the ZF's infantry. In more recent years, the dragoons have also started to use some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles and carbines, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal. By the latter half of the 1930s, dragoon units also started including at least one dragoon carrying a light machine gun, which distinguished them even more greatly from the largelly similar armaments used by the hussar units.
Male and female pilot of the Zemplín Federation's air force in standard issue flight gear (male master sergeat and female lieutenant)
"In day as well as the black night
at the border I stand guard."
Yes, siree. Keepin' Zemplín's borders safe and secure from that silly Horthy junta and any of those damned, no-good, crazy-ass falangists, fascists and other shady authoritarian bastards !
(1920s and 1930s Zemplín Federation border guard soldier propaganda poster. It's good-natured, almost peppy, I'll grant you, but still propaganda, ho-hum.
Hope you're diggin' the French-by-way-of-Austria-Hungary look and feel to the kit. )----
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Ranks in the Zemplín Federation's armed forces (in multiple languages)
An overview of ranks and how they sound in the individual main languages of the Zemplín Federation, including Zemplín dialects.
Unlike standard Slovak, the Zemplín dialect of the Slovak language does not use long vowels, only short vowels.
The Rusyn variations of the rank names are written in the Русиньскый алфавіт (Rusyn alphabet), followed by an English transliteration.
The Yiddish variations of the rank names are written in the Hebrew script used for Yiddish, followed by an English transliteration.
| English term | Zemplín Slovak term | Zemplín Hungarian term | Zemplín Rusyn term | Yiddish term | Austro-Hungarian term | Standard Slovak term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soldier | Vojak | Katona | солдат (Soldat) | זעלנער (Zelner) | Soldat / Katona | Vojak prvého stupňa |
| Soldier First Class | Slobodnik | Őrvezető | Старший солдат (Starshyy soldat) | פּריוואַט (Privat) | Gefreiter / Őrvezető | Vojak druhého stupňa |
| Non-commissioned officer (NCO) | Podoficir | Altiszt | Підофіцір (Pidoficir) | נידעריקאָפיציר (Niderikofitsir) / יינגעראָפיציר (Eyngerofitsir) | Unteroffizier / Altiszt | Poddôstojník |
| Corporal | Kapraľ | Tizedes | Десятник (Desyatnyk) | קאָרפּאָראַל (Korporal) | Korporal / Tizedes | Desiatnik, Kaprál |
| Sergeant | Stražmešter | Őrmester | Чотовий (Chotovyi) Сержант (Serzhant) | סערזשאַנט (Serzhant) | Zugsführer / Őrmester | Čatár, Seržant |
| Master sergeant | Štabnik | Törzsőrmester | Старший Чотовий (Starshyy chotovyi) Старший сержант (Starshyy serzhant) | סערזשאַנט-הויפּט (Serzhant-hoypt) | Feldwebel / Törzsőrmester | Rotmajster / Nadrotmajster |
| Staff sergeant | Štabmešter | Főtörzsőrmester | Старшіна (Starshyna) | שטעקן סערזשאַנט (Shtekn serzhant) | Stabsfeldwebel / Főtörzsőrmester | Štábny nadrotmajster |
| Cadet | Učeň | Hadapród | Підхорунжий (Pidkhorunzhyi) | קאַדעט (Kadet) | Kadett / Kadet | Kadet |
| Officer | Oficir | Tiszt | офіцір (Oficir) | אָפיציר (Ofitsir) | Offizier | Dôstojník |
| Ensign | Fenrich | Zászlós | Хорунжий (Khorunzhyi) | ענסיגן (Ensin) | Fähnrich / Zászlós | Práporčík |
| Sub-lieutenant | Podporučik | Hadnagy | Підпоручпик (Pidporuchnyk) | סובליעוטענאַנט (Sublyeutenant) | Leutnant / Hadnagy | Podporučík |
| Lieutenant | Poručik | Főhadnagy | Поручпик (Poruchnyk) | לוטענאַנט (Lutenant) | Oberleutnant / Főhadnagy | Poručík |
| Captain | Kapitaň | Százados | Сотпик (Sotnyk) | קאַפּיטאַן (Kapitan) | Hauptmann / Rittmeister (cavalry) / Százados | Kapitán (archaically Stotník) |
| Major | Major | Őrnagy | Майор (Maior) | הויפּט (Hoypt) | Major / Őrnagy | Major |
| Lieutenant Colonel | Podplukovnik | Alezredes | Підполковпик (Pidpolkovnyk) | לוטענאַנט-פּאָלקאָווניק (Lutenant-polkovnik) | Oberstleutnant / Alezredes | Podplukovník |
| Colonel | Plukovnik | Ezredes | Полковпик (Polkownyk) | פּאָלקאָווניק (Polkovnik) | Oberst / Ezredes | Plukovník |
| Generals | Generaľe | Tábornagyok | генералі (Henerali) | גענעראלן (Generaln) | Generalen | Generáli |
| Brigadier general | Brigadni generaľ | Dandártábornok | Бригадний генерал (Brihadnyi heneral) | בריגאדיר גענעראל (Brigadir general) | Brigadengeneral / Dandártábornok | Brigádny generál |
| Major general | Generaľmajor | Vezérőrnagy | Генерал-майор (Heneral-maior) | הויפּט גענעראַל (Hoypt General) | Generalmajor / Vezérőrnagy | Generálmajor |
| Lieutenant General | Generaľporučik | Altábornagy | Генерал-лейтенант (Heneral-leitenant) Генерал-поручник (Heneral-poruchnyk) | גענעראל לוטענאַנט (General lutenant) | Generalleutnant / Altábornagy | Generálporučík |
| Colonel General | Generaľplukovnik | Vezérezredes | Генерал-полковник (Heneral-polkovnyk) | גענעראל-פּאָלקאָווניק (General-polkovnik) | Generaloberst / Vezérezredes | Generálplukovník |
| General | Generaľ | Tábornagy | Генерал (Heneral) | גענעראל (General) | General / Tábornagy | Generál |
(Rank insignia images TBA.)
Soldier - No rank insignia
Soldier First Class - 1 stylized grain
Corporal - 2 stylized grains
Sergeant - 3 stylized grains
Master sergeant - A full ear of grain
Staff sergeant - A stylized stalk with three ears of grain
Cadet - A fish
Ensign - 1 stylized acorn
Sub-lieutenant - 2 stylized acorns
Lieutenant - 3 stylized acorns
Captain - 1 stylized grape
Major - 2 stylized grapes
Lieutenant Colonel - 3 stylized grapes
Colonel - A full bunch of grapes
Brigadier General - 1 stylized river wave
Major General - 2 stylized river waves
Lieutenant General - 3 stylized river waves
Colonel General - A stylized tri-mount with a sharper central peak and two rounded summits to the side
General - A knightly helmet above or in front of the stylized tri-mount with a sharper central peak and two rounded summits to the side
Colour codes:
Dark green - Infantry (riflemen, supplemented by light machine gunners and anti-tank riflemen in each rifleman unit)
Spruce green - Jaegers / Skirmishers
Spruce green, crossed telekia (yellow oxeye) and Carpathian soldanelle (snowbell) flowers and white trim - Mountain marksmen
Dark green and white square with red blood drop - Medical corps of the army (no religious symbolism, avoiding Christian or Jewish favouritism)
Dark green with horseshoe (or wheel) - Mounted infantry / Light horse / Dragoons (or Bicycle infantry)
Light green with horseshoe - Cavalry (Hussars and Uhlans, the latter with added thin light-grey-ish trim)
Grey with light green trim - Tank, tankette, armoured car and other armoured ground vehicle crews and mechanics
Light red with dark green trim - Heavy machine gunners and mortar crews
Dark red with dark green trim - Artillery and artillerymen
Light brown with dark green trim - Logistics and supply
Dark brown with dark green trim - Engineers and sappers
Black - Railway military personnel
Dark green with dark blue trim - River patrol
Light blue - Aircraft and military aviators, air force pilots
Light blue with added airship shape - Airships and airshipmen
Dark green with light blue trim - Paratroopers
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Non-rank terms for soldiers in the Zemplín dialect of Slovak
Pešak - Infatryman, Footman
Fľintar - Rifleman (1)
Jager - Skirmisher / Jäger / Chasseur
Horski štriľec - Mountaineer soldier / Mountain skirmisher / Mountain marksman (2)
Mašinkvernik - Machine gunner (3)
Jager motorov, Pancerfľintar - Anti-tank rifleman (4)
Jezdzec - Cavalryman, Horseman
Draguň - Dragoon
Ulan - Uhlan
Husar - Hussar
Aďuš, Tuzejr, Kanoňar - Artilleryman (5)
Aďušmešter, Tuzejrmešter, Kanonmešter - Artillery sergeant (6)
Motorar, Šofer - Motor vehicle driver
Panceršofer - Armoured vehicle driver
Ľecec / Fľiger - Airman / Aviator (7)
Fľigmešter - Chief Airman, Chief Aviator
Ľuftšifar, Ľufšifar- Airshipman (8)
Paragan - Paratrooper (9)
Stražnik, Merker - Guard, Watchman (including border guards, with Merker derived from the verb merkovac, "to watch", "to watch over")
Bachter - Night watchman, Night time guard
Kasareň - Barracks (not a soldier term per se, but soldiers have to be accomodated somewhere)
(1) - the term can be loosely translated as both "fusilier" and "rifleman", since the Zemplín dialect uses flinta or fľinta interchangeably for any long firearms, be they muskets, fusils or rifles, including modern 19th-20th century cartridge rifles and bolt-action rifles.
(2) - these "mountain marksmen" are members of a special unit of two of the conventional jagers, i.e. "skirmishers", but with additional training and equipment for operating in mountainous areas, including in winter (when some of them even use skis or certain types of snowshoes). The standard Slovak term for these would be the similar-sounding horský strelec ("mountain marksman"). Along with the paragan paratroopers, they're the closest thing the Zemplín Federation has to commando units.
(3) - originally derived from the German term Maschinengewehr, "machine gun", close to various similar Slovak and Czech colloquial and dialect terms, e.g. mašinkver, mašinkvér, etc. The Zemplín Rusyn variation is машінквірнік ("mashinkvirnik"). The suggested Zemplín neologism strojfľintar ("machine-rifleman"), coined in the 1920s, had not caught on. The low-in-numbers submachine guns used by the ZF in the 1930s and 1940s were dubbed simply mašinpištoľe ("machine-pistols").
(4) - literally meaning "motorcar hunter", this is a Zemplín interwar neologism for a soldier equipped with an anti-tank rifle (or similar early anti-tank weaponry), used to take out enemy motor-s, i.e. "cars", "motorcars" (the term motor a general term for both a vehicle engine and a motor vehicle in the Zemplín dialect). Some of the armoured cars in the Zemplín Federation's armed forces are equipped with repurposed and modified anti-tank rifles instead of full-blown tank barrels. The Zemplín Slovak and Zemplín Rusyn term for an anti-tank rifle itself, invented concurrently in the late 1910s and 1920s, was pancerfľinta ("armour-rifle", панцерфльінта in Rusyn), hence also the alternate soldier term pancerfľintar ("armour-rifleman", панцерфльінтар in Rusyn). A related term added to the Zemplín Slovak and Zemplín Rusyn vocabulary during the later WWII years was pancermolotok, "armour-hammer", referring to handheld anti-armour rocket or missile launchers.
(5) - originally derived from Hungarian ágyu, "cannon" and ágyus, "artilleryman"/"cannoneer" in the Zemplín Hungarian dialect, and the German Kanonier ("cannoneer", "bombardier", "artilleryman").
(6) - analogous to the Austro-Hungarian Feuerwerker, an "artillery sergeant" or "sergeant-bombardier". The new Zemplín-coined term originally derived from Hungarian őrmester, "sergeant", "watchmaster", and secondarily from the newly-established Zemplín rank term stražmešter ("watchmaster", "sergeant") or German Kanonier ("cannoneer", "bombardier", "artilleryman"), thus meaning "cannon-master", "artillery-sergeant".
(7) - the first term is based on the Zemplín verb for "to fly", ľecec, and the homonymous noun for a "flyer", a flying person, ľecec, (also analogous to standard Slovak letec), with the second term originally derived from German Flieger, "flyer", "aviator".
(8) - derived from the equally newly-established Zemplín term ľuftšif (or ľuftšifa), borrowed from German Luftschiff and the already long-existing Zemplín terms ľuft ("air" and "aerial space") and šif or šifa ("ship").
(9) - the paratroopers of the Zemplín Federation, trained for parachuting behind enemy lines and so on, from transport aircraft or even military airships. Along with the "mountain marksmen", they're the closest thing the Zemplín Federation has to commando units.
The military doctrine for the quarter century long existence of the Zemplín Federation during the interwar years and WWII was to "always try to do more with less, with the most effective and careful use of what we have", and in terms of infantry, "the well-trained rifleman is the backbone of the ground forces, with the machine gunners, AT riflemen, mounted troops, vehicles, sappers and all other ground forces personnel to be combined with the use of the common rifleman soldier as best as possible, depending on the context". Partly based on this doctrine, the ZF military rejected the introduction of semi-automatic rifles throughout its history, considering them more of a novelty usable for paratroopers, but not for typical soldiers (despite the fact that early semi-auto rifle designs had been gaining traction since WWI - example 1, 2, 3). Given the humble origins of the Zemplín Federation's military and frequent improvising in its earliest years, the ZF prided itself in a pro-active, disciplined and flexible NCO and lower officer leadership, rather than relying on blind and rigid obedience to orders of higher-up officers. This approach, also used by many other Austro-Hungarian statelets, and initially often ridiculed by more old-fashioned post-war European powers, proved its worth in the occassional military clashes prior to WWII, and particularly during the harsh wartime years of WWII.
Besides various local dialect nicknames for soldiers, Zemplín Federation soldiers as a whole became commonly nicknamed the "Grains-Acorns-and-Grapes" or the "Fishes-and-Grains". This is because of some of the prominent heraldic charges (ears of grain, sprigs with acorns, bunches of grapes and fishes, among others) on the great coat of arms of the Zemplín Federation, adopted from the coats of arms of the Zemplín and Ung counties, heraldic charges that even found their way on some of the military's more general emblems and roundels. See also the rank insignia displayed above.
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Non-rank terms for soldiers in the other languages of the Zemplín Federation
Hungarian - Gyalogos ("Infantryman", "Footman"), Puskás ("Rifleman"), Vadász ("Skirmisher", "Jaeger"), Hegylövész ("Mountain marksman"), Lovas ("Cavalryman", "Horseman"), Dragonyos ("Dragoon"), Ulán ("Uhlan", "Lancer"), Huszár ("Hussar"), Géplövész ("Machine gunner"), Páncéltörő puskás, Kocsi-vadász ("Anti-armour rifleman", "Vehicle-hunter"), Tüzér, Ágyus, Kanonir ("Artilleryman", "Cannoneer"), Tüzérmester ("Artillery sergeant", "Artillery-master"), Kocsisofőr, Sofőr ("Driver"), Páncélsofőr ("Armoured vehicle driver"), Repülős ("Airman", "Aviator"), Főrepülős ("Chief Airman", "Chief Aviator"), Légihajós ("Airshipman"), Ejtőernyős ("Paratrooper"), Laktanya ("Barracks" - not a soldier term per se, but soldiers have to be accomodated somewhere)
Rusyn - Піхотинець, Пішотинець ("Infantryman", "Footman"), Стрілець, Фльінтар ("Rifleman"), Йаґер ("Skirmisher", "Jaeger"), гірський стрілець ("Mountain marksman"), Віршнік, Йіздец, Кіньнік ("Cavalryman", "Horseman"), драгун ("Dragoon"), Улан ("Uhlan"), гусар ("Hussar"), Машінквірнік ("Machine gunner"), Панцерфльінтар, Йаґер машін ("Anti-tank rifleman", "Motorcar hunter"), Aртилерист ("Artilleryman", "Cannoneer"), Шофер ("Driver"), Панцершофер ("Armoured vehicle driver"), Льітчик ("Airman", "Aviator"), Старшій льітчик ("Chief Airman", "Chief Aviator"), Льуфшіфнік ("Airshipman"), парашутист ("Paratrooper"), Меркер ("Guard", "Watchman", "Border guard", from merkovaty, the Rusyn form of the merkovac verb), Бахтер ("Night watchman"), Казарньа ("Barracks" - not a soldier term per se, but soldiers have to be accomodated somewhere)
Yiddish - פוסיליער ("Rifleman", "Fusilier"), יעגער ("Skirmisher", "Jaeger"), באַרג טרופּער ("Mountain trooper"), דראַגאָן ("Dragoon"), לאַנסער ("Uhlan", "Lancer"), הוסר ("Hussar"), מאשין ביקסער ("Machine gunner"), אַנטי-טאַנק ביקסער ("Anti-tank rifleman"), קאַנאָניר ("Artilleryman", "Cannoneer"), שאָפער ("Driver"), פליער ("Airman", "Aviator"), הויפּטפליער ("Chief Airman", "Chief Aviator"), לופטשיףפליער ("Airshipman"), פּאַראַטראָאָפּער ("Paratrooper"), באַראַקס ("Barracks" - not a soldier term per se, but soldiers have to be accomodated somewhere)
Polish 1930s era uhlan, very similar to its Zemplín Federation counterparts (note the Polish-made anti-tank rifle carried by this mounted soldier)
In the latter half of the 1930s and especially just before WWII, some Zemplín Federation uhlans also started carrying an anti-tank rifle in addition to or instead of a lance, with at least one such "anti-tank ulan" (pancerfľintovi ulan) in every cavalry squad. Similarly, in that same timespan, the Zemplín dragoon units would do the same, including in terms of numerical ratio per squad, but with light machine guns instead of anti-tank rifles. This was a precaution, inspired by similar measures done by the Polish, Galizian and Czech-Moravian mounted units of the time, that was adopted due the increasing importance of armoured vehicles throughout the interwar era and the years before WWII. During WWII, the uhlans would gradually stop using their lances altogether, with only occassional auxilliary usage seen during the latter half of the war (marking the last recorded cases in central European history of spears and lances still used in war), and with the anti-tank rifle now the primary weapon of the uhlans. Also, the interwar era distinctions between Zemplín dragoons and Zemplín hussars would start to diminish due to the tactical and logistical demands of the war, with both types now largelly mounted infantry in a battlefield context, and frequently armed with submachine guns and light machine guns in addition to rifles.
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One of the inherited-from-Austria-Hungary WWI era military trucks, still in use by the Zemplín Federation during the early 1920s
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Linguistic notes on the military terminology of the Zemplín Federation (with a spotlight on the country's linguistic situation)
In a fitting irony for a post-war successor state to Austria-Hungary, the multicultural Zemplín Federation uses multiple languages as its official languages, namely the Zemplín dialect variety of Slovak (zempľinčina, or in standard Slovak, zemplínčina), the Zemplín dialect variety of Hungarian (zempléni tájszólás, zempléni nyelvjárás), the Zemplín varieties of the Rusyn language (Lemko and Boyko dialects and their own sub-dialects, e.g. the Lemko "Labiric Rusyn", the Boiko "Cirochan Rusyn") and Yiddish, the lingua franca mother tongue of the Jewish communities in the Zemplín Federation.
The Zemplín varieties of Slovak consist of the Slovak Zemplín sub-dialects of the southern, central and northern member regions of the Zemplín Federation. These sub-dialects include the Soták sub-dialect of Zemplín from the Cirocha river valley, as well as more conventional sub-dialects of the Zemplín dialect, with smaller and more subtle variations. Over the many centuries, Hungarian-inspired and German-inspired terms and words have found their way into the Zemplín dialect, in several waves of loanwords and derived words, and the more recent creation of a more codified, standardised version of the Zemplín dialect has kept these loanwords and even invented new terms from them.
The Zemplín varieties of Hungarian consist of a smaller range of the Hungarian Zemplín sub-dialects, from the southern and parts of the central member regions of the Zemplín Federation. These sub-dialects have a certain degree of variety, but most of the variations are relatively subtle and down to local nuances and traditions, than vastly different. The Zemplín Hungarian dialect is itself a branch of the northeastern dialects of Hungary. Just as a fair few expressions and terms from the vocabulary of the Zemplín Slovak dialect don't exist in other Slovak dialects or in standard Slovak, so too do a fair few expressions and terms from the vocabulary of the Zemplín Hungarian dialect don't exist in other Hungarian dialects or in standard Hungarian.
The Zemplín varieties of the Rusyn language consist of the two main dialects, Lemko Rusyn (most apparently in northernmost Zemplín, e.g. the Laborec river valley) and Boyko Rusyn (the more southern parts of northern Zemplín, e.g. the Cirocha river valley), which also occur in Transcarpathian Ukraine. Lemko Rusyn is also present in the western neighbour, the Šariš Free State. The more unique Zemplín sub-dialects of Lemko Rusyn and Boyko Rusyn include Labiric Rusyn (Lemko sub-dialect, in the Laborec river valley) and Cirochan Rusyn (Boyko sub-dialect spoken by the Puydyaks, local Boyko Rusyns, in the Cirocha river valley).
The official language of the Transcarpathian Republic, the Zemplín Federation's eastern neighbour, is a form of modern standardised Ukrainian. However, the vernacular/colloquial version of Ukrainian commonly heard and used in the Transcarpathian Republic, for everyday purposes and conversations among locals, is Lemko variety Ukrainian and more rarely Boiko variety Ukrainian, collectivelly also called Carpathian Ukrainian. This colloquial form stems from and, on an especially rural and traditional level, is divided into Lemko-Ukrainian and Boiko-Ukrainian dialects and the closely related nearly identical Lemko-Rusyn and Boiko-Rusyn dialects. These all have continuity with the Lemko variety Rusyn and Boiko variety Rusyn (and its sub-dialects) used in the Zemplín Federation and parts of the Šariš Free State.
Jewish communities of the Zemplín Federation are essentially invariably Ashkenazim in cultural and linguistic terms, speaking Yiddish (including local varieties), as well as local Slovak and local Hungarian, and are most commonly Orthodox Jewish or Hasidic in terms of their religious affiliation. Besides field chaplains of the various Christian churches of the region (Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Reformed, Lutheran, Orthodox), the Zemplín Federation also has field rabbis in their armed forces, to tend to the religious needs of Jewish soldiers and personnel, in addition to Christian soldiers and personnel.
- Semjanová M., An Attempt at Internal Differentiation of the Zemplín dialects, 1976
- The Rusyn language Cyrillic alphabet overview (very similar to Ukrainian Cyrillic) at Rusyn.sk
- Zemplín-dialect-to-Slovak dictionary of Zemplín Slovak vocabulary (various sub-dialects, including the Soták variety) at Narecie.sk
- Rusyn-to-Slovak dictionary of Zemplín Rusyn vocabulary (from the Lemko and Boyko dialects in Slovakia) at Narecie.sk
- Pujďaci (Puydyaks), the Boyko Rusyns of Zemplín and east Slovakia from the vicinity of Snina and the Cirocha river valley
- The complex history of language use and its issues in the Austro-Hungarian military, detailed research paper by Mag. Dr. Tamara Scheer (services.phaidra.univie.ac.at)
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Zemplín Federation law enforcement (police and gendarmerie) ranks
| English term | Zemplín Slovak term | Zemplín Hungarian term | Zemplín Rusyn term | Yiddish term | Austro-Hungarian term | Standard Slovak term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-commissioned officer (NCO) | Podoficir | Altiszt | Підофіцір (Pidoficir) | נידעריקאָפיציר (Niderikofitsir) / יינגעראָפיציר (Eyngerofitsir) | Unteroffizier / Altiszt | Poddôstojník |
| Corporal | Kapraľ | Tizedes | Десятник (Desyatnyk) | קאָרפּאָראַל (Korporal) | Korporal / Tizedes | Desiatnik, Kaprál |
| Sergeant | Stražmešter | Őrmester | Чотовий (Chotovyi) Сержант (Serzhant) | סערזשאַנט (Serzhant) | Őrmester | Čatár, Seržant |
| Master sergeant | Štabnik | Törzsőrmester | Старший Чотовий (Starshyy chotovyi) Старший сержант (Starshyy serzhant) | סערזשאַנט-הויפּט (Serzhant-hoypt) | Feldwebel / Törzsőrmester | Rotmajster / Nadrotmajster |
| Staff sergeant | Štabmešter | Főtörzsőrmester | Старшіна (Starshyna) | שטעקן סערזשאַנט (Shtekn serzhant) | Stabsfeldwebel / Főtörzsőrmester | Štábny nadrotmajster |
| Cadet | Učeň | Kadet | Підхорунжий (Pidkhorunzhyi) | קאַדעט (Kadet) | Kadett / Kadet | Kadet |
| Officer | Oficir | Tiszt | офіцір (Oficir) | אָפיציר (Ofitsir) | Offizier | Dôstojník |
| Ensign | Fenrich | Zászlós | Хорунжий (Khorunzhyi) | ענסיגן (Ensin) | Fähnrich / Zászlós | Práporčík |
| Sub-lieutenant | Podporučik | Hadnagy | Підпоручпик (Pidporuchnyk) | סובליעוטענאַנט (Sublyeutenant) | Leutnant / Hadnagy | Podporučík |
| Lieutenant | Poručik | Főhadnagy | Поручпик (Poruchnyk) | לוטענאַנט (Lutenant) | Oberleutnant / Főhadnagy | Poručík |
| Captain | Kapitaň | Százados | Сотпик (Sotnyk) | קאַפּיטאַן (Kapitan) | Hauptmann / Rittmeister (cavalry) / Százados | Kapitán (archaically Stotník) |
| Major | Major | Őrnagy | Майор (Maior) | הויפּט (Hoypt) | Major / Őrnagy | Major |
| Lieutenant Colonel | Podplukovnik | Alezredes | Підполковпик (Pidpolkovnyk) | לוטענאַנט-פּאָלקאָווניק (Lutenant-polkovnik) | Oberstleutnant / Alezredes | Podplukovník |
| Colonel | Plukovnik | Ezredes | Полковпик (Polkownyk) | פּאָלקאָווניק (Polkovnik) | Oberst / Ezredes | Plukovník |
| Commanders | Veľiceľe | Parancsnokok | Командири (Komandyry) | קאַמאַנדערן (Kamandern) | N/A | Velitelia |
| Chieftain | Načeľnik | Főnök | Начальник | העטמאַן (Hetman) | ??? | Náčelník |
| Police Commander | Veľiceľ | Parancsnok | Командир | קאַמאַנדער (Kamander) | ??? | Veliteľ |
The policemen (policajci, rendőrök, поліція - politsiya, פאליציי - falitsey) represent the town and city police of the Zemplín Federation. Zemplín has only four cities as such, Michalovce/Nagymihály and Humenné/Homonna as the big cities, and Trebišov/Terebes and Vranov/Varanó classed as "smaller cities". All other settlements with an urban charter, e.g. Medzilaborce/Mezőlaborc/Міджілaбірцї, Snina/Szinna/Снина, Sečovce/Gálszécs/Сечівці, Veľké Kapušany/Nagykapos, Kráľovský Chlmec/Királyhelmec, are classified as towns. The city/town policemen consist of regular police officers, police detectives and the other administrative and specialist staff.
The gendarmes (žandare, csendőrök, жандаре, жандармерія - zhandare, zhandarmeriya, זשאנדארמעריע - zhandarmerye), comparable to the OTL Czechoslovak and ATL CMSR četnictví or (a nicer version of) the Hungarian gendarmes, or to any number of western European gendarme forces, are the rural police force of the Zemplín Federation. Interestingly, though the gendarmes are primarily police officers, their part of the police force also includes proper police detectives, much like the city/town police. Most serious cases necessitating deeper investigation make use of the specialist staff available in the towns and cities.
The rank insignia codes for the police are blue with a white trim, and for the gendarmes, blue with a white-and-green trim (white on the outer side of the trim, green on the inner side). The only rank insignia differences with the military versions is that the lowest ranks have 1, 2 and 3 stylized grains, and an ear of grain, but no stalk with three ears of grain, and that the knightly helmet of the highest rank is replaced with a stylized policeman hat.
In a bit of a historical irony, the police officers are the only ones to still wear surplus Austro-Hungarian kepis similar to those from WWI, albeit re-dyed to a darker blue colour and with a small police identifier badge. (All of the kepis used by the military have been dyed green or newly made in green colour.) The gendarmes wear a practical broad-brimmed hat with a gendarmerie identifier badge and a small decorative plume made of pheasant tail feathers. Depending on the seriousness of the situation, the gendarmes can sometimes be seen wearing modified Adrian helmets of a dark blue colour with a gendarmerie identifier badge.
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Sparrow Avengers universe - Zemplín federation officers
Here are some mildly 'shopped versions of uniform illustrations that are visually close to the ATL uniforms I'm trying to create for the ZF. Both of these guys are officers. The one on the left (based on an WWI/interwar OTL Greek army officer) is a lower-ranking one, working right at the frontline. The one on the right (based off a montage of OTL WWI Serbian, Austro-Hungarian and Greek officer getup) is a major... or something like that...
Here are some mildly 'shopped versions of uniform illustrations that are visually close to the ATL uniforms I'm trying to create for the ZF. Both of these guys are officers. The one on the left (based on an WWI/interwar OTL Greek army officer) is a lower-ranking one, working right at the frontline. The one on the right (based off a montage of OTL WWI Serbian, Austro-Hungarian and Greek officer getup) is a major... or something like that...
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