PzKpfw, AUSF, Sd. Kfz., JAGD, STURM, jager, etc. I have no idea what any of this means. Some how the very contagious WWII German bug has not found me. Even so I would like to know what it all means. There are probably a few things I left off, but basically what does all this mean. Maybe if I knew what the name meant I would want to build it. Am I taking a dangerous first step here ? Thanks for the information.

Hi

Here at the magazine PanzerGruppe - April 1994 from Washington Armor Club you can find the translation of a lot of german terms.

HTH

It all depends on if you are going to keep yourself penned in to the armor community. If you decide to venture into the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine, then you're looking at a whole new bowl of alphabet soup!
The terms you listed all refer to various sorts of German AFV's. Once you have some exposure to the German language, the mud will become clearer. A brief translation:

Pz Kw Panzerkampfwagen Armored Fighting Vehicle
(Tank)
Ausf Version

Sd Kfz Sonderkraftfahrzug Special purpose vehicle

Jagd Hunting---prefix for TD's
(JagdPanther)
Sturm storm or assault ---prefix
(SturmTiger)
Jager Hunter---suffix
(PanzerJager)
StuG Sturmgeschutz Assault Gun

StuH Sturmhaubitz Assault Howitzer

That's a few of the basics

Ok Andrew, help is at hand:

Pz.Kpfw = Panzerkampfwagen-----literaly - armoured fighting vehicle
Ausf = Ausfuhrung ------ mark or model
Sd.Kfz = Sonderkraftfahrzug----- Special motor vehicle (tanks had both Sd.Kfz and Pz.Kpfw numbers).
jager = hunter, as in panzerjager (tank hunter), could also be a light infantryman, as in Fallschirmjager (paratrooper) or Gebirsjagers (mountain troops).
Sturm = Assault, as in Sturmgeschutze (assault gun), Sturmboot (assult boat).
PAK = Panzerabwehrkanone ------ anti-tank gun.

and this list could go on and on.

Remember that Germany was prohibited from having some weapons of war like tanks. They used this term to disguise the purpose the vehicles. "We have no tanks, just special motor vehicles."