CDF hieroglyphics

The Community Defence Forces of Sober Thought use a system of graphical symbols to represent their troops on maps, vehicles, tables of organisation, etc.

Basic rules

If you keep a few rules in mind, and execute them in the order they appear, the meaning of the symbols becomes clear:

1. Each element of a particular symbol is cumulative. So superhuman special forces units whose members fly choppers, skydive, ride horseback and operate submarines all at the same time may use elements to form their whole symbol.
2. If the meaning of the symbol is already implied or unclear, remove as many elements as possible or necessary to make the symbol helpful and clear. While it may be accurate to list all the applicable symbols for a landing ship laden with its normal complement of seven marine platoons and four helicopter flights, why not list one marine assault group (battalion equivalent) and one composite helicopter squadron instead? Better yet, leave them out entirely if the meaning is already clear from the context.
3. Only elements which are logically compatable are permitted. An oxymoronic heavy light infantry division cannot exist because heavy infantry and light infantry divisions are mutually exclusive members of the infantry division class. However an improbable but nevertheless logically possible heavy mountain division could exist, although one hopes there is good reason and the Chief of Staff who raised such a division does not fear career changes.
4. An element must be applied if all of the subordinate groupings qualify. This states the obvious, namely that if a squadron consists entirely of fighter aircraft that that makes the unit a fighter squadron and not a generic squadron.
5. An element may be applied if at least half (and preferably at least three quarters) of the subordinate groupings qualify.Let us consider a dozen hypothetical but quite plausible engineering battalions, each with three to five field and one headquarters companies. In the Land Engineering Branch, there are three sub-branches (combat, construction and maintenance engineering) and ten types. Companies are normally independently raised from within the types (plus headquarters as the final de facto type), the lowest level of bureaucratic organisation. Regardless of the configuration, these would have the symbols indicating "battalion" and "engineering." Below is what else, if anything, they would get according to their mission and composition:

• combat support for a desert division; mine clearance, mine clearance, flamethrower, water; "combat engineering"
• rear area security for a field corps; mine, mine clearance, mine clearance; "mine"
• explosives expertise for an army; mine, mine clearance, ordnance; "ordnance"
• engineering support for a brigade group; mine clearance, NBC defence, water; none
• restoration of municipal infrastructure; bridge, construction, construction, construction, water; "civil engineering"
• rebuilding bridges and other structures; bridge, construction, construction, construction; "construction engineering"
• service support for an urban division; bridge, construction, water; "civil engineering"
• operating a railway in territory prone to guerrilla warfare; mine clearance, bridge, railway; "railway" (although only one company is nominally a railway company, another is tasked with keeping the railway tracks free of explosives and the last is tasked with keeping the railway bridges free of structural defects; an identical composed battalion with less unified goals would rate no additional symbol)
• railway, mechanical, electrical; "maintenance (engineering)"
• mechanical, electrical, ordnance; "maintenance (engineering)"
• mechanical, mechanical, electrical; "mechanical engineering"
• construction, electrical, electrical; none