diff --git a/res/core/messages.xml b/res/core/messages.xml
index a500a41ac..9b06b3f48 100644
--- a/res/core/messages.xml
+++ b/res/core/messages.xml
@@ -7154,7 +7154,7 @@
     <text locale="de">"Das Wurmloch in $region($region) schließt sich."</text>
     <text locale="en">"The wormhole in $region($region) disappears."</text>
   </message>
-  <message name="battle::useflamingsword" section="battle">
+  <message name="useflamingsword" section="battle">
     <type>
       <arg name="unit" type="unit"/>
       <arg name="amount" type="int"/>
@@ -7162,7 +7162,7 @@
     <text locale="de">"$int($amount) Krieger von $unit($unit) benutzen ihre Flammenschwerter."</text>
     <text locale="en">"$int($amount) fighters of $unit($unit) are using their flaming sword."</text>
   </message>
-  <message name="battle::usecatapult" section="battle">
+  <message name="usecatapult" section="battle">
     <type>
       <arg name="unit" type="unit"/>
       <arg name="amount" type="int"/>
@@ -7170,35 +7170,35 @@
     <text locale="de">"$int($amount) Krieger von $unit($unit) feuern ihre Katapulte ab."</text>
     <text locale="en">"$int($amount) fighters of $unit($unit) launch their catapults."</text>
   </message>
-  <message name="battle::starters" section="battle">
+  <message name="start_battle" section="battle">
     <type>
       <arg name="factions" type="string"/>
     </type>
     <text locale="de">"Der Kampf wurde ausgelöst von ${factions}."</text>
     <text locale="en">"The battle was initiated by ${factions}."</text>
   </message>
-  <message name="battle::potionsave" section="battle">
+  <message name="potionsave" section="battle">
     <type>
       <arg name="unit" type="unit"/>
     </type>
     <text locale="de">"Eine Person von $unit($unit) konnte durch einen Heiltrank überleben."</text>
     <text locale="en">"A fighter of $unit($unit) was saved by a healing potion."</text>
   </message>
-  <message name="battle::tactics_lost" section="battle">
+  <message name="tactics_lost" section="battle">
     <type>
       <arg name="unit" type="unit"/>
     </type>
     <text locale="de">"$unit($unit) konnte dem Gegner eine Falle stellen."</text>
     <text locale="en">"$unit($unit) lured the enemy into an ambush."</text>
   </message>
-  <message name="battle::tactics_won" section="battle">
+  <message name="tactics_won" section="battle">
     <type>
       <arg name="unit" type="unit"/>
     </type>
     <text locale="de">"$unit($unit) überrascht den Gegner."</text>
     <text locale="en">"$unit($unit) surprises the enemies."</text>
   </message>
-  <message name="battle::spell_failed" section="battle">
+  <message name="spell_failed" section="battle">
     <type>
       <arg name="unit" type="unit"/>
       <arg name="spell" type="spell"/>
@@ -7206,20 +7206,20 @@
     <text locale="de">"$unit($unit) versucht $spell($spell) zu zaubern, doch der Zauber schlägt fehl!"</text>
     <text locale="en">"$unit($unit) tries to cast $spell($spell), but the spell fails!"</text>
   </message>
-  <message name="battle::aborted" section="battle">
+  <message name="aborted_battle" section="battle">
     <type>
     </type>
     <text locale="de">"Der Kampf wurde abgebrochen, da alle Verteidiger flohen."</text>
     <text locale="en">"The battle was aborted because all enemies escaped."</text>
   </message>
-  <message name="battle::row_header" section="battle">
+  <message name="battle_row" section="battle">
     <type>
       <arg name="row" type="int"/>
     </type>
     <text locale="de">"... in der $int($row). Kampflinie:"</text>
     <text locale="en">"... in combat rank $int($row):"</text>
   </message>
-  <message name="battle::out_of_range" section="battle">
+  <message name="spell_out_of_range" section="battle">
     <type>
       <arg name="mage" type="unit"/>
       <arg name="spell" type="spell"/>
@@ -7228,14 +7228,14 @@
     <text locale="en">"$unit($mage) casts $spell($spell), but nobody was in range."</text>
   </message>
 
-  <message name="battle::after" section="battle">
+  <message name="after_battle" section="battle">
     <type>
     </type>
     <text locale="de">"Einheiten nach dem Kampf:"</text>
     <text locale="en">"Units after the battle:"</text>
   </message>
   
-  <message name="battle::section" section="battle">
+  <message name="section_battle" section="battle">
     <type>
     </type>
     <text locale="de">""</text>
@@ -7301,21 +7301,21 @@
     <text locale="en">"$unit($mage) causes the walls of $building($building) to glow in an eerie magic light."</text>
   </message>
   
-  <message name="battle::lineup" section="battle">
+  <message name="lineup_battle" section="battle">
     <type>
       <arg name="turn" type="int"/>
     </type>
     <text locale="de">"Einheiten vor der $int($turn). Runde:"</text>
     <text locale="en">"Units before turn $int($turn):"</text>
   </message>
-  <message name="battle::header" section="battle">
+  <message name="header_battle" section="battle">
     <type>
       <arg name="region" type="region"/>
     </type>
     <text locale="de">"In $region($region) findet ein Kampf statt."</text>
     <text locale="en">"There is a battle in $region($region)."</text>
   </message>
-  <message name="battle::combatspell" section="battle">
+  <message name="cast_combatspell" section="battle">
     <type>
       <arg name="mage" type="unit"/>
       <arg name="spell" type="spell"/>
@@ -7516,7 +7516,7 @@
     <text locale="en">"$unit($mage) casts $spell($spell). $int($amount) fighters are temporarily losing some of their memories."</text>
   </message>
 
-  <message name="battle::killed" section="battle">
+  <message name="killed_battle" section="battle">
     <type>
       <arg name="unit" type="unit"/>
       <arg name="dead" type="int"/>
@@ -7524,7 +7524,7 @@
     <text locale="de">"$unit($unit) tötete $int($dead) Krieger."</text>
     <text locale="en">"$unit($unit) killed $int($dead) opponents."</text>
   </message>
-  <message name="battle::army_report" section="battle">
+  <message name="army_report" section="battle">
     <type>
       <arg name="index" type="int"/>
       <arg name="abbrev" type="string"/>
diff --git a/src/battle.c b/src/battle.c
index ad1c0f8da..a63caa291 100644
--- a/src/battle.c
+++ b/src/battle.c
@@ -1295,7 +1295,7 @@ terminate(troop dt, troop at, int type, const char *damage, bool missile)
 
     if (oldpotiontype[P_HEAL] && !fval(&df->person[dt.index], FL_HEALING_USED)) {
         if (i_get(du->items, oldpotiontype[P_HEAL]->itype) > 0) {
-            message *m = msg_message("battle::potionsave", "unit", du);
+            message *m = msg_message("potionsave", "unit", du);
             message_faction(b, du->faction, m);
             msg_release(m);
             i_change(&du->items, oldpotiontype[P_HEAL]->itype, -1);
@@ -1630,7 +1630,7 @@ selist *fighters(battle * b, const side * vs, int minrow, int maxrow, int mask)
 
 static void report_failed_spell(struct battle * b, struct unit * mage, const struct spell *sp)
 {
-    message *m = msg_message("battle::spell_failed", "unit spell", mage, sp);
+    message *m = msg_message("spell_failed", "unit spell", mage, sp);
     message_all(b, m);
     msg_release(m);
 }
@@ -2277,7 +2277,7 @@ void do_attack(fighter * af)
      * Ladezeit neu und generiert die Meldung. */
     if (af->catmsg >= 0) {
         struct message *m =
-            msg_message("battle::killed", "unit dead", au, af->catmsg);
+            msg_message("killed_battle", "unit dead", au, af->catmsg);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         af->catmsg = -1;
@@ -2752,10 +2752,10 @@ static void aftermath(battle * b)
     battle_effects(b, dead_players);
 
     for (s = b->sides; s != b->sides + b->nsides; ++s) {
-        message *seen = msg_message("battle::army_report",
+        message *seen = msg_message("army_report",
             "index abbrev dead fled survived",
             army_index(s), sideabkz(s, false), s->dead, s->flee, s->alive);
-        message *unseen = msg_message("battle::army_report",
+        message *unseen = msg_message("army_report",
             "index abbrev dead fled survived",
             army_index(s), "-?-", s->dead, s->flee, s->alive);
 
@@ -2864,7 +2864,7 @@ static void print_fighters(battle * b, const side * s)
 
             if (row == thisrow) {
                 if (m == NULL) {
-                    m = msg_message("battle::row_header", "row", row);
+                    m = msg_message("battle_row", "row", row);
                     message_all(b, m);
                 }
                 battle_punit(du, b);
@@ -2927,7 +2927,7 @@ static void print_header(battle * b)
             bufp = STRLCPY(bufp, lastf, size);
         }
 
-        m = msg_message("battle::starters", "factions", zText);
+        m = msg_message("start_battle", "factions", zText);
         message_faction(b, f, m);
         msg_release(m);
     }
@@ -3049,10 +3049,10 @@ static void print_stats(battle * b)
                     unit *u = tf->unit;
                     message *m = NULL;
                     if (!is_attacker(tf)) {
-                        m = msg_message("battle::tactics_lost", "unit", u);
+                        m = msg_message("tactics_lost", "unit", u);
                     }
                     else {
-                        m = msg_message("battle::tactics_won", "unit", u);
+                        m = msg_message("tactics_won", "unit", u);
                     }
                     message_all(b, m);
                     msg_release(m);
@@ -3579,9 +3579,9 @@ static int battle_report(battle * b)
         message_faction(b, fac, msg_separator);
 
         if (cont)
-            m = msg_message("battle::lineup", "turn", b->turn);
+            m = msg_message("lineup_battle", "turn", b->turn);
         else
-            m = msg_message("battle::after", "");
+            m = msg_message("after_battle", "");
         message_faction(b, fac, m);
         msg_release(m);
 
@@ -4073,7 +4073,7 @@ void do_battle(region * r)
     bool fighting = false;
     ship *sh;
     if (msg_separator == NULL) {
-        msg_separator = msg_message("battle::section", "");
+        msg_separator = msg_message("section_battle", "");
     }
 
     fighting = start_battle(r, &b);
@@ -4087,7 +4087,7 @@ void do_battle(region * r)
     print_header(b);
     if (!fighting) {
         /* Niemand mehr da, Kampf kann nicht stattfinden. */
-        message *m = msg_message("battle::aborted", "");
+        message *m = msg_message("aborted_battle", "");
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         free_battle(b);
diff --git a/src/items/weapons.c b/src/items/weapons.c
index a23110a81..acb47f0e0 100644
--- a/src/items/weapons.c
+++ b/src/items/weapons.c
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ int *casualties)
             if (wp != NULL && wp->type == wtype)
                 ++k;
         }
-        msg = msg_message("battle::useflamingsword", "amount unit", k, fi->unit);
+        msg = msg_message("useflamingsword", "amount unit", k, fi->unit);
         message_all(fi->side->battle, msg);
         msg_release(msg);
         fi->catmsg = 0;
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ int *casualties)
             if (af->person[i].reload == 0 && af->person[i].missile == wp)
                 ++k;
         }
-        msg = msg_message("battle::usecatapult", "amount unit", k, au);
+        msg = msg_message("usecatapult", "amount unit", k, au);
         message_all(b, msg);
         msg_release(msg);
         af->catmsg = 0;
diff --git a/src/report.c b/src/report.c
index d9cafb4c7..4e5eef98b 100644
--- a/src/report.c
+++ b/src/report.c
@@ -768,7 +768,7 @@ static void rp_battles(struct stream *out, faction * f)
 
         while (bm) {
             char buf[256];
-            RENDER(f, buf, sizeof(buf), ("battle::header", "region", bm->r));
+            RENDER(f, buf, sizeof(buf), ("header_battle", "region", bm->r));
             newline(out);
             centre(out, buf, true);
             newline(out);
diff --git a/src/spells/combatspells.c b/src/spells/combatspells.c
index da2d52182..8eb240cf7 100644
--- a/src/spells/combatspells.c
+++ b/src/spells/combatspells.c
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ int damage_spell(struct castorder * co, int dmg, int strength)
     enemies = count_enemies(b, fi, FIGHT_ROW, BEHIND_ROW - 1, SELECT_ADVANCE);
     if (enemies == 0) {
         message *m =
-            msg_message("battle::out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
+            msg_message("spell_out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         return 0;
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ int damage_spell(struct castorder * co, int dmg, int strength)
         killed += terminate(dt, at, AT_COMBATSPELL, damage, false);
     }
 
-    m = msg_message("battle::combatspell", "mage spell dead",
+    m = msg_message("cast_combatspell", "mage spell dead",
         fi->unit, sp, killed);
     message_all(b, m);
     msg_release(m);
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ int sp_petrify(struct castorder * co)
     enemies = count_enemies(b, fi, FIGHT_ROW, BEHIND_ROW, SELECT_ADVANCE);
     if (!enemies) {
         message *m =
-            msg_message("battle::out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
+            msg_message("spell_out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         return 0;
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ int sp_stun(struct castorder * co)
     enemies = count_enemies(b, fi, FIGHT_ROW, BEHIND_ROW, SELECT_ADVANCE);
     if (!enemies) {
         message *m =
-            msg_message("battle::out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
+            msg_message("spell_out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         return 0;
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ int sp_sleep(struct castorder * co)
     enemies = count_enemies(b, fi, FIGHT_ROW, BEHIND_ROW, SELECT_ADVANCE);
 
     if (!enemies) {
-        m = msg_message("battle::out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
+        m = msg_message("spell_out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         return 0;
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ int sp_mindblast_temp(struct castorder * co)
     int enemies = count_enemies(b, fi, FIGHT_ROW, BEHIND_ROW, SELECT_ADVANCE);
 
     if (!enemies) {
-        m = msg_message("battle::out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
+        m = msg_message("spell_out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         return 0;
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ int sp_mindblast(struct castorder * co)
     int enemies = count_enemies(b, fi, FIGHT_ROW, BEHIND_ROW, SELECT_ADVANCE);
 
     if (!enemies) {
-        m = msg_message("battle::out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
+        m = msg_message("spell_out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         return 0;
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ int sp_dragonodem(struct castorder * co)
 
     if (!enemies) {
         struct message *m =
-            msg_message("battle::out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
+            msg_message("spell_out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         return 0;
@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ int sp_dragonodem(struct castorder * co)
         }
 
         m =
-            msg_message("battle::combatspell", "mage spell dead", fi->unit, sp,
+            msg_message("cast_combatspell", "mage spell dead", fi->unit, sp,
             killed);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
@@ -682,7 +682,7 @@ int sp_immolation(struct castorder * co)
 
     if (!count_enemies(b, fi, FIGHT_ROW, AVOID_ROW, SELECT_ADVANCE | SELECT_FIND)) {
         message *m =
-            msg_message("battle::out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
+            msg_message("spell_out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         return 0;
@@ -710,7 +710,7 @@ int sp_immolation(struct castorder * co)
     selist_free(fgs);
 
     m =
-        msg_message("battle::combatspell", "mage spell killed", fi->unit, sp,
+        msg_message("cast_combatspell", "mage spell killed", fi->unit, sp,
         killed);
     message_all(b, m);
     msg_release(m);
@@ -736,7 +736,7 @@ int sp_drainodem(fighter * fi, int level, double power, spell * sp)
     enemies = count_enemies(b, fi, FIGHT_ROW, BEHIND_ROW - 1, SELECT_ADVANCE);
 
     if (!enemies) {
-        m = msg_message("battle::out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
+        m = msg_message("spell_out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         return 0;
@@ -917,7 +917,7 @@ int sp_chaosrow(struct castorder * co)
     bool chaosrow = strcmp(sp->sname, "chaosrow") == 0;
 
     if (!count_enemies(b, fi, FIGHT_ROW, NUMROWS, SELECT_ADVANCE | SELECT_FIND)) {
-        m = msg_message("battle::out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
+        m = msg_message("spell_out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         return 0;
@@ -1167,7 +1167,7 @@ int sp_frighten(struct castorder * co)
     enemies = count_enemies(b, fi, FIGHT_ROW, BEHIND_ROW - 1, SELECT_ADVANCE);
     if (!enemies) {
         message *m =
-            msg_message("battle::out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
+            msg_message("spell_out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         return 0;
@@ -1217,7 +1217,7 @@ int sp_tiredsoldiers(struct castorder * co)
     if (!count_enemies(b, fi, FIGHT_ROW, BEHIND_ROW,
         SELECT_ADVANCE | SELECT_FIND)) {
         message *m =
-            msg_message("battle::out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
+            msg_message("spell_out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         return 0;
@@ -1263,7 +1263,7 @@ int sp_windshield(struct castorder * co)
 
     enemies = count_enemies(b, fi, BEHIND_ROW, BEHIND_ROW, SELECT_ADVANCE);
     if (!enemies) {
-        m = msg_message("battle::out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
+        m = msg_message("spell_out_of_range", "mage spell", fi->unit, sp);
         message_all(b, m);
         msg_release(m);
         return 0;