Weapon Category Codes

Weapon category codes are catalogue labels that describe a weapon through a sequence of abbreviations. A label can specify its range, caliber or scale, operating mode, weapon type, guidance, and special function. Only the applicable parts are included.

Read the parts in this order:

• Ballistic and energy weapons: range → caliber → operating mode → weapon type → functionality suffix.
• Launchers: range → guidance → missile type → functionality suffix.

A letter’s meaning depends on its position and the weapon family. For example, S means small caliber before a ballistic or energy weapon type, but seeking guidance before a missile type.

Range Prefixes

Range comes first when specified.

Code	Meaning
XR	Melee range
SR	Short range
MR	Medium range
LR	Long range

Ballistic and Energy Weapons

When the catalogue specifies caliber, its code goes before the weapon type.

Code	Caliber
S	Small
M	Medium
L	Large
XL	Extra large

An operating-mode marker, if applicable, follows the caliber and precedes the weapon type.

Code	Operating mode
Co	Continuous energy weapon
Ch	Charged weapon

The weapon-type code identifies what the weapon fires or projects.

Code	Weapon type
EMPS	Electromagnetically propelled slug
XPS	Explosively propelled slug
L	Laser
PL	Pulse laser
ESD	Electrostatic discharge weapon, commonly called a lightning gun
PPC	Particle projection cannon, commonly called an ion cannon

Launchers

For launchers, a guidance code goes immediately before the missile type when applicable.

Code	Guidance
D	Dumbfire
G	Guided
S	Seeking

Code	Missile type
M	Self-propelled missile
MM	Self-propelled micromissile
MIRV	Multiple independent reentry vehicle

MIRV takes no guidance prefix in this scheme.

Functionality Suffixes

These codes go at the end of the label, with a hyphen, to identify special functions.

Code	Meaning
-AB	Airburst
-I	Incendiary
-AP	Armor penetrating
-NE	Negative entropy
-RF	Rapid fire
-B	Burst
-C	Cluster

DME Examples

The Death Monkey Explosives catalogue shows how the parts fit together:

• SRDMM-I describes an incendiary self-propelled micromissile: SR specifies short range, D specifies dumbfire, MM identifies the micromissile, and -I adds the incendiary function.
• MIRV-I combines a multiple independent reentry vehicle (MIRV) with the incendiary suffix (-I). It has no guidance prefix.
• XPS-I identifies an explosively propelled slug (XPS) with an incendiary function (-I).
• LEMPS identifies a large-caliber (L), electromagnetically propelled slug (EMPS).

Two DME prototype labels were changed to fit the shared scheme: XPC-I became XPS-I, and EMPKP became LEMPS. The old labels are retained to trace the source material; they do not designate separate, current weapon classes.