Question: Are unit names copyrighted?

[Artorius Maximus]

Hello, I'm designing my own board game, which will (may?) cover the time span of Rome: Total War/Europa Barbarorum (except the starting date I design to be is 265 BC).

So that I could avoid ANY and ALL plagiarism, I wanted to run this through you all in the Europa Barbarorum Team first.

Are the unit names copyrighted? I know they are supposed to be authentic names in their native languages, but I'm a little unsure on this.

For instance, let's say I want to use these unit names for my board game:

Lugoae
Sotaroas
Gaesatae
Komatai
Drapanai
Rhomphaiaphoroi
Peltastai
Pedites Extraordinarii

etcetera. . . .

NOTE: I haven't used any of these such unit names yet, at the moment, I'm just using generic names like "Celtic Spearmen," "Scythian Lancers," "Dacian Falxmen," or "Roman Legionary Cohort."

I look forward to receiving an answer from Team members soon. :)

-Artorius Maximus

[General Appo]

Yes, EB has copyrighted the name Hastati, and is currently pressing a lawsuit against Polybius for unlawful usage of this copyrighted name.
Seriously man, these names are from history, you can´t copyright history. Or well, you shouldn´t be able to in any case.

[Foot]

Appo is right. They are just translations and reconstructions. However you might want to talk to some of our historians about certain reconstructions, particularly the proto-germanic stuff, as these a particular to EB (based on our own home-grown research).

TBH, though, I don't see how including such specific unit types fits into a boardgame. If you are using Lugoae for generic celtic spearmen then its the wrong name to use as that certainly isn't a direct translation. Doing some of your own research is certainly preferable in a case like this as there is a different translation of history to game with a boardgame compared to with a computer game of the RTS type.

But I digress. There is nothing to stop you using those names as far as I know. I may be wrong on this matter in some cases, but I'm no legal expert. However if you intend to market it this you'll have access to legal people who would know. Personally names isn't something I would worry about for the moment.

Foot

[Artorius Maximus]

Thank you for the replies. I plan on having a number of unique units for the board game. Each faction will probably have, at the least, one or two unique units, to set them apart from the rest (especially those of similar culture). I know a Roman era board game has been done before, actually, several times I believe. Britannia is an example, in that it includes the Romans as a faction.

I just wanted to add:


If you are using Lugoae for generic celtic spearmen then its the wrong name to use as that certainly isn't a direct translation.

Actually, I do realize that I made an error in assuming that it was supposed to mean spearmen. Technically, Gaeroas is the more accurate word to describe Celtic spearmen (it does mean "Spear Soldiers" which is close).

[Carthaginian General]

This is basically like asking if walking a certain way is copyrighted. There's no way you can make a mod of a game and then copyright that mod, AFAIK. And besides, only some kind of miserable sod would report you for ''copyright infringement'' anyway.

[Zradha Pahlavan]

Those damn Pathians stole the name Pahlavan from our forums. Then they fled back to Iran.

[Elmetiacos]

Actually, I do realize that I made an error in assuming that it was supposed to mean spearmen. Technically, Gaeroas is the more accurate word to describe Celtic spearmen (it does mean "Spear Soldiers" which is close). It doesn't. *roa is not a Celtic element at all.

[gamegeek2]

lol, I wanted to make EB-themed risk a while back.

I would've had separate stuff for each color, but the infantry-cavalry-cannon system would be more like unit-"better" unit-general. These are the representative factions and their representative units


Aedui - Lugoae, Neitos, Brihentin
Gray Death - Pantodapoi, Pezhetairoi, Hetairoi
KH - Hoplitai Haploi, Hoplitai, Hoplite Bodyguard
Hayasadan - Kavakaza Sparabara, Aznvakan Tiknapah, Khuveshavagane Shahvar
Pahlava - HA, Dehbeds, Pushtigbane Shahigane Pahr
Qarthadast - Hanatim Libim, Dorkim Alupim, HaParasim HaQdosim
Sauromatae - HA, Noble HA, Aeldary Ambaltae
Sweboz -Jugunthiz, Dugunthiz, Herthogomnautozez

[Thaatu]

I wouldn't make fun of copyright issues. After all, they're copyrighting DNA as we speak, and Donald Trump tried to do the same with the phrase "you're fired". In ten years, someone will eventually trademark barfs, and that will be the end to publife.