Map icons

ZK uses a unique icon system, assigning each unit class and chassis a specific map icon. You can see these icons when you zoom out enough, or when you hit tab.

Needless to say, these icons can be rather confusing, even intimidating, to the new user. Fortunately, they're actually very simple, and this guide will explain them to you.

General

The icon system is mostly modular; an icon indicating a unit role is superimposed on an icon representing a chassis type (bot, vehicle, etc.)

Thus a raider vehicle is and an artillery tank is

Chassis icon	Type	Chassis icon	Type
	Cloakbot		Vehicle
	Shieldbot		Tank
	Jumpjet		Spider
	Ship		Hover
	Amph		Aircraft
	Strider		Gunship
	Defense		Static

Role icon	Type	Role icon	Type
	Raider		Assault
	Skirmisher		Riot
	Artillery		Anti-air
	Scout		Long range arty
	Radar		Bomb/special
	Jammer		Shield
	Ranged Support		Anti-Nuke

Static Defense

Static defenses use the normal icon system, though the roles don't correspond exactly. The exception is the Heavy SAM icon used by the long-ranged missile tower, the Screamer.

Icon	Unit	Icon	Unit
	LLT		HLT
	Missile Tower		Antiswarm
	Faraday/Newton		Razor
	Cobra (flak)		Screamer (LRMT)
	Annihalator		Doomsday Machine

Factories

Factories use the chassis icon of the units they build superimposed on the static building icon.

Icon	Class	Icon	Class
	Cloakbot		Vehicle
	Shieldbot		Tank
	Jumper		Spider
	Airplane		Gunship
	Hover		Ship
	Amph

Usually, however, the factory's icon will be obscured by the icon of whatever it's building.

Econ Buildings

Icon	Unit
	Metal Extractor
	Wind/Tidal Generator
	Solar Collector
	Geothermal Generator
	Fusion Reactor
	Advanced Geothermal
	Singularity Reactor
	Energy Pylon

Aircraft

Although aircraft do have a chassis icon, they generally use pictographic icons, as below:

Icon	Unit	Icon	Unit
	Multirole fighter		Dedicated fighter
	Precision bomber		Napalm bomber
	EMP bomber		Implosion bomber
	Radar plane
	Light gunship		Heavy gunship
	Transport		Blastwing

Ships

Like aircraft, ships use pictographic icons.

Icon	Unit	Icon	Unit	Icon	Unit
	Cutter		Hunter		Corsair
	Mistral		Zephyr		Siren
	Envoy		Reef		Shogun
	Seawolf		Scylla

Misc. Units

Many units have specific icons that reflect their unique roles, particularly superweapons such as LRPCs and nuclear silos.

Superweapons

Icon	Unit	Icon	Unit
	Cruise missile		LRPC
	Nuclear silo		Starlight
	Detriment

Other units

Icon	Unit	Icon	Unit
	Constructor		Aircon
	Dirt Bag		Mine
	Penetrator		Sniper
	Commander		Chicken Queen