diff --git a/src/dobjtype.cpp b/src/dobjtype.cpp
index 3f5b734c4..603cb85d7 100644
--- a/src/dobjtype.cpp
+++ b/src/dobjtype.cpp
@@ -628,6 +628,8 @@ void PType::StaticInit()
 	TypeVector3->AddField(NAME_X, TypeFloat64);
 	TypeVector3->AddField(NAME_Y, TypeFloat64);
 	TypeVector3->AddField(NAME_Z, TypeFloat64);
+	// allow accessing xy as a vector2. This is marked native because it's not supposed to be serialized.
+	TypeVector3->Symbols.AddSymbol(new PField(NAME_XY, TypeVector2, VARF_Native, 0));
 	TypeTable.AddType(TypeVector3);
 
 
diff --git a/src/namedef.h b/src/namedef.h
index 3587643e8..ea4a7b890 100644
--- a/src/namedef.h
+++ b/src/namedef.h
@@ -313,6 +313,7 @@ xx(WaterLevel)
 xx(X)
 xx(Y)
 xx(Z)
+xx(XY)
 xx(MomX)
 xx(MomY)
 xx(MomZ)
diff --git a/src/sc_man_scanner.re b/src/sc_man_scanner.re
index 8fbb28ef5..bc0a4b2e2 100644
--- a/src/sc_man_scanner.re
+++ b/src/sc_man_scanner.re
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ std2:
 		'sound'						{ RET(TK_Sound); }
 		'state'						{ RET(TK_State); }
 		'color'						{ RET(TK_Color); }
-		'vector'					{ RET(TK_Vector); }
+		'vector2'					{ RET(TK_Vector2); }
+		'vector3'					{ RET(TK_Vector3); }
 		'map'						{ RET(TK_Map); }
 		'array'						{ RET(TK_Array); }
 		'in'						{ RET(TK_In); }
diff --git a/src/sc_man_tokens.h b/src/sc_man_tokens.h
index 7d9f81e9b..2b93c9ac2 100644
--- a/src/sc_man_tokens.h
+++ b/src/sc_man_tokens.h
@@ -113,7 +113,8 @@ xx(TK_Include,				"'include'")
 
 xx(TK_Is,					"'is'")
 xx(TK_Replaces,				"'replaces'")
-xx(TK_Vector,				"'vector'")
+xx(TK_Vector2,				"'vector2'")
+xx(TK_Vector3,				"'vector3'")
 xx(TK_Map,					"'map'")
 xx(TK_Array,				"'array'")
 xx(TK_In,					"'in'")
diff --git a/src/scripting/zscript/zcc-parse.lemon b/src/scripting/zscript/zcc-parse.lemon
index 0cf061bef..3f70799ec 100644
--- a/src/scripting/zscript/zcc-parse.lemon
+++ b/src/scripting/zscript/zcc-parse.lemon
@@ -656,7 +656,8 @@ type_name1(X) ::= int_type(X).
 type_name1(X) ::= FLOAT(T).					{ X.Int = ZCC_FloatAuto; X.SourceLoc = T.SourceLoc; }
 type_name1(X) ::= DOUBLE(T).				{ X.Int = ZCC_Float64; X.SourceLoc = T.SourceLoc; }
 type_name1(X) ::= STRING(T).				{ X.Int = ZCC_String; X.SourceLoc = T.SourceLoc; }
-type_name1(X) ::= VECTOR(T) vector_size(A).	{ X.Int = A.Int; X.SourceLoc = T.SourceLoc; }
+type_name1(X) ::= VECTOR2(T).				{ X.Int = ZCC_Vector2; X.SourceLoc = T.SourceLoc; }
+type_name1(X) ::= VECTOR3(T).				{ X.Int = ZCC_Vector3; X.SourceLoc = T.SourceLoc; }
 type_name1(X) ::= NAME(T).					{ X.Int = ZCC_Name; X.SourceLoc = T.SourceLoc; }
 type_name1(X) ::= SOUND(T).					{ X.Int = ZCC_Sound; X.SourceLoc = T.SourceLoc; }
 type_name1(X) ::= STATE(T).					{ X.Int = ZCC_State; X.SourceLoc = T.SourceLoc; }
@@ -686,30 +687,10 @@ type_name(X) ::= DOT dottable_id(A).
 	X = type;
 }
 
-/* Vectors can be 2, 3, or 4 entries long. Default is a 3D vector.
- * (Well, actually, I'm not sure if 4D ones are going to happen
- * straight away.)
- */
-%token_class intconst INTCONST|UINTCONST.
-vector_size(X) ::= .						{ X.Int = ZCC_Vector3; X.SourceLoc = stat->sc->GetMessageLine(); }
-vector_size(X) ::= LT intconst(A) GT.
-{
-	if (A.Int >= 2 && A.Int <= 4)
-	{
-		X.Int = ZCC_Vector2 + A.Int - 2;
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		X.Int = ZCC_Vector3;
-		stat->sc->ScriptMessage("Invalid vector size %d\n", A.Int);
-	}
-	X.SourceLoc = A.SourceLoc;
-}
-
 /* Type names can also be used as identifiers in contexts where type names
  * are not normally allowed. */
 %fallback IDENTIFIER
-	SBYTE BYTE SHORT USHORT INT UINT BOOL FLOAT DOUBLE STRING VECTOR NAME MAP ARRAY VOID.
+	SBYTE BYTE SHORT USHORT INT UINT BOOL FLOAT DOUBLE STRING VECTOR2 VECTOR3 NAME MAP ARRAY VOID.
 
 /* Aggregate types */
 %type aggregate_type {ZCC_Type *}
@@ -986,6 +967,29 @@ primary(X) ::= SUPER(T).
 }
 primary(X) ::= constant(A).				{ X = A; /*X-overwrites-A*/ }
 
+primary(XX) ::= LPAREN expr(A) COMMA expr(B) COMMA expr(C) RPAREN.
+{
+	NEW_AST_NODE(VectorInitializer, expr, A);
+	expr->Operation = PEX_Vector;
+	expr->Type = TypeVector3;
+	expr->X = A;
+	expr->Y = B;
+	expr->Z = C;
+	XX = expr;
+}
+
+
+primary(X) ::= LPAREN expr(A) COMMA expr(B) RPAREN.
+{
+	NEW_AST_NODE(VectorInitializer, expr, A);
+	expr->Operation = PEX_Vector;
+	expr->Type = TypeVector2;
+	expr->X = A;
+	expr->Y = B;
+	expr->Z = nullptr;
+	X = expr;
+}
+
 primary(X) ::= LPAREN expr(A) RPAREN.
 {
 	X = A; /*X-overwrites-A*/
diff --git a/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_exprlist.h b/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_exprlist.h
index bbf99189c..b565c00fb 100644
--- a/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_exprlist.h
+++ b/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_exprlist.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ xx(FuncCall,		'(')
 xx(ArrayAccess,		TK_Array)
 xx(MemberAccess,	'.')
 xx(TypeRef,			TK_Class)
+xx(Vector,			TK_Vector2)
 
 xx(PostInc,			TK_Incr)
 xx(PostDec,			TK_Decr)
diff --git a/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_parser.cpp b/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_parser.cpp
index 8ebc86167..ef4a2ac41 100644
--- a/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_parser.cpp
+++ b/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_parser.cpp
@@ -141,7 +141,8 @@ static void InitTokenMap()
 	TOKENDEF2(TK_Float,			ZCC_FLOAT,		NAME_Float);
 	TOKENDEF2(TK_Double,		ZCC_DOUBLE,		NAME_Double);
 	TOKENDEF2(TK_String,		ZCC_STRING,		NAME_String);
-	TOKENDEF2(TK_Vector,		ZCC_VECTOR,		NAME_Vector);
+	TOKENDEF2(TK_Vector2,		ZCC_VECTOR2,	NAME_Vector2);
+	TOKENDEF2(TK_Vector3,		ZCC_VECTOR3,	NAME_Vector3);
 	TOKENDEF2(TK_Name,			ZCC_NAME,		NAME_Name);
 	TOKENDEF2(TK_Map,			ZCC_MAP,		NAME_Map);
 	TOKENDEF2(TK_Array,			ZCC_ARRAY,		NAME_Array);
diff --git a/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_parser.h b/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_parser.h
index 7ba48d711..dafdb93e5 100644
--- a/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_parser.h
+++ b/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_parser.h
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ enum EZCCTreeNodeType
 	AST_Default,
 	AST_FlagStmt,
 	AST_PropertyStmt,
+	AST_VectorInitializer,
 
 	NUM_AST_NODE_TYPES
 };
@@ -385,6 +386,11 @@ struct ZCC_ExprTrinary : ZCC_Expression
 	ZCC_Expression *Right;
 };
 
+struct ZCC_VectorInitializer : ZCC_Expression
+{
+	ZCC_Expression *X, *Y, *Z;
+};
+
 struct ZCC_Statement : ZCC_TreeNode
 {
 };