diff --git a/Mammoth/Include/TSETypes.h b/Mammoth/Include/TSETypes.h
index fb39171e9..cb70428b0 100644
--- a/Mammoth/Include/TSETypes.h
+++ b/Mammoth/Include/TSETypes.h
@@ -226,9 +226,26 @@ extern Metric g_TimeScale;
 extern Metric g_SecondsPerUpdate;
 
 //	Damage Types ---------------------------------------------------------------
-
+// 
+//	There are several classes of damage types:
+// 
+//		Listed damage: the standard damage types in the game
+//			These are subjected to ingame resistances and bonuses like
+//			damageAdj
+// 
+//		Unlisted damage: special purpose damage types
+//			Generic: deals true damage that ignores normal damageAdj
+//			Null: does not deal damage and is not treated as hostile, but
+//				activates on hit events and applies status effects
+// 
+//		Invalid damage:	these are not real damage types
+//			Error: this is applied when an invalid damage type is selected, or
+//				a parsing error was encountered
+//			Unknown: this is applied to unknown virtual items for UI purposes
+//
 enum DamageTypes
 	{
+	damageUnknown		= -101,					//	unknown damage
 	damageError			= -100,					//	invalid damage
 	damageNull			= -2,					//	null damage
 	damageGeneric		= -1,					//	generic damage
@@ -238,7 +255,7 @@ enum DamageTypes
 	damageParticle		= 2,					//	charged particle beam
 	damageBlast			= 3,					//	chemical explosives
 	damageIonRadiation	= 4,					//	ionizing radiation
-	damageThermonuclear	= 5,					//	hydrogen bomb
+	damageThermonuclear	= 5,					//	fission bomb
 	damagePositron		= 6,					//	anti-matter charged particles
 	damagePlasma		= 7,					//	fusion weapons
 	damageAntiMatter	= 8,					//	anti-matter torpedo
diff --git a/Mammoth/TSE/CDamageAdjDesc.cpp b/Mammoth/TSE/CDamageAdjDesc.cpp
index e546d1324..96fffc055 100644
--- a/Mammoth/TSE/CDamageAdjDesc.cpp
+++ b/Mammoth/TSE/CDamageAdjDesc.cpp
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ int CDamageAdjDesc::GetAdj (DamageTypes iDamageType) const
 		case damageGeneric:
 			return 100;
 		case damageNull:
+		case damageUnknown:
 		case damageError:
 			return 0;
 		default:
diff --git a/Mammoth/TSE/CWeaponClass.cpp b/Mammoth/TSE/CWeaponClass.cpp
index d3d015743..80eeb464e 100644
--- a/Mammoth/TSE/CWeaponClass.cpp
+++ b/Mammoth/TSE/CWeaponClass.cpp
@@ -3735,8 +3735,13 @@ bool CWeaponClass::GetReferenceDamageType (CItemCtx &Ctx, const CItem &Ammo, Dam
 	CString sFireRate = GetReferenceFireRate(mathRound(rShotDelay));
 
 	//	Compute the damage string and special string
-
-	if (IsLauncherWithAmmo() && Ammo.IsEmpty())
+	
+	if (!Item.IsKnown())
+		{
+		sReference = CONSTLIT("Unknown ? hp/sec (? hp/shot) • ? ls range • ? shots/sec");
+		iDamageType = damageUnknown;
+		}
+	else if (IsLauncherWithAmmo() && Ammo.IsEmpty())
 		{
 		sReference = CONSTLIT("missile launcher");
 
diff --git a/Mammoth/TSE/Damage.cpp b/Mammoth/TSE/Damage.cpp
index c71141ed0..8d6c505f9 100644
--- a/Mammoth/TSE/Damage.cpp
+++ b/Mammoth/TSE/Damage.cpp
@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@ CString GetDamageName (DamageTypes iType)
 		return CONSTLIT("generic");
 	else if (iType == damageNull)
 		return CONSTLIT("null");
+	else if (iType == damageUnknown)
+		return CONSTLIT("unknown");
 	else
 		return CString(DAMAGE_TYPE_DATA[iType].pszName);
 	}
@@ -136,6 +138,8 @@ CString GetDamageShortName (DamageTypes iType)
 		return CONSTLIT("generic");
 	else if (iType == damageNull)
 		return CONSTLIT("null");
+	else if (iType == damageUnknown)
+		return CONSTLIT("unknown");
 	else
 		return CString(DAMAGE_TYPE_DATA[iType].pszShortName);
 	}
@@ -151,6 +155,11 @@ CString GetDamageType (DamageTypes iType)
 		return CONSTLIT("generic");
 	else if (iType == damageNull)
 		return CONSTLIT("null");
+	//	unknownDamage is a special case:
+	//		It cant normally be set, but exists on unknown virtual items for UI
+	//		If you try to query it, you get generic damage back as a placeholder
+	else if (iType == damageUnknown)
+		return CONSTLIT("generic");
 	else
 		return CString(DAMAGE_TYPE_DATA[iType].pszID);
 	}
@@ -187,6 +196,8 @@ DamageTypes LoadDamageTypeFromXML (const CString &sAttrib)
 	else if (strEquals(sAttrib, CONSTLIT("dark fire")))
 		return damageDarkFire;
 
+	//	Invalid damage types
+
 	return damageError;
 	}
 
@@ -397,27 +408,29 @@ bool DamageDesc::IsHostile () const
 			);
 	}
 
-int DamageDesc::GetDamageLevel (DamageTypes iType)
-
 //  GetDamageTier
 //
 //  Returns the damage tier based on damage type.
+//	Intended to be used for default balance stats
+//
+int DamageDesc::GetDamageLevel (DamageTypes iType)
 
 	{
-	if (iType == damageGeneric || iType == damageNull)
+	if (iType < damageMinListed || iType > damageMaxListed)
 		return 1;
 	else
 		return DAMAGE_TYPE_DATA[iType].iLevel;
 	}
 
-int DamageDesc::GetDamageTier (DamageTypes iType)
-
 //  GetDamageTier
 //
 //  Returns the damage tier based on damage type.
+//	Intended to be used for default balance stats
+//
+int DamageDesc::GetDamageTier (DamageTypes iType)
 
 	{
-	if (iType == damageGeneric || iType == damageNull)
+	if (iType < damageMinListed || iType > damageMaxListed)
 		return 1;
 	else
 		return DAMAGE_TYPE_DATA[iType].iTier;