4th Wolf Guards (Clan Wolf-in-Exile)

Fourth Wolf Guards Assault Cluster
Previous Designation(s) Fourth Wolf Guards
Nickname The Cyclops Cluster (3052)
Wolf Bane (3057)
Affiliation Clan Wolf-in-Exile (after The Refusal War)
Clan Wolf
Parent Command Alpha Galaxy (after The Refusal War)

The Fourth Wolf Guards was originally a Cluster in service to Clan Wolf and later to Clan Wolf-in-Exile. By the time of the Refusal War it was known as the Fourth Wolf Guards Assault Cluster.[1]

History[edit]

Early Years[edit]

The Fourth won its designation as a Wolf Guards Cluster sometime before 2952 by winning a Trial of Refusal against three Assault Clusters despite taking heavy losses. This battle overturned the ruling of the Grand Council of the Clans that Clan Smoke Jaguar and not Clan Wolf had discovered a mineral-rich world.[2]

Operation Revival[edit]

During Operation Revival, because of the Clan practice of bidding away units, the Fourth Wolf Guards rarely fought as a complete unit during the invasion.

First Wave[edit]

The Fourth's first involvement in the Clan Invasion of the Inner Sphere took place on Icar in March 3050, where Supernovas First and Second defeated the Third Regiment of the Twelfth Star Guards and the Third Icar Armored Brigade.[3][4][5]

Third Wave[edit]

The Fourth sat out the Second Wave, and returned to action in the Third Wave. In June 3050, Trinaries Assault and Rogue attacked Kirchbach. They used the local media to wage a psychological operations campaign against the defending Third Kavalleri and First Kirchbach Armored Regiment which succeeded in causing the defenders to panic and break when the two forces finally met in battle.[6]

In July 3050, the Fourth Wolf Guards, along with the 279th Battle Cluster from Alpha Galaxy and the 352nd Assault Cluster from Beta Galaxy invaded Rasalhague. The Fourth was assigned to attack Asgard, the new capital city that was still under construction. This was part of Khan Ulric Kerensky's (ultimately successful) plan to manipulate Elected Prince Haakon Magnusson into fleeing the planet. Once the Elected Prince had escaped, and the other target cities had been taken, the 279th and the 352nd joined the Fourth in positions facing the capital of Reykjavik. After the defenders refused to surrender, the Clan Wolf forces assaulted the city on July 15th. The battle was extremely brutal and lasted two days, but Clan Wolf emerged victorious.[7][8][9]

Fourth Wave[edit]

After Rasalhague, the Fourth next entered battle in the Fourth Wave at Dell in September 3050, less Trinary Rogue, but partnered with the Golden Keshik, where they defeated the Twenty-fourth Arcturan Guards RCT in a battle notable for being one of the few instances during the invasion where the Clans used vibrabombs.[10]

Fifth Wave[edit]

When the Invasion resumed in November 3051, Alpha Galaxy and the Golden Keshik were tasked with the conquest of Tamar. The planet was well defended, with the Twenty-Sixth Lyran Guards RCT bolstered by Duke Kelswa's own Kelswa Guard and the cadets of the Tamar War College Training Battalion. In addition, Duke Kelswa had spent the year of peace buying 'Mechs and fortifying his capital, Tamar City. The Fourth, along with the other units of Alpha Galaxy, found the defenders to be skilled and tenacious, being halted or thrown back several times, but the Wolf forces prevailed in the end, despite carnage on the same level as the fights for Rasalhague and Radstadt.[11][12]

The Wolf Clan intended to accelerate the pace of its conquests during the Fifth Wave, and so the Fourth found themselves back in action shortly after Tamar, this time on the Free Rasalhague Republic world of Satalice. The battle was notable for two things; firstly, that Star Colonel Jera Carns and Khan Natasha Kerensky, who was commanding the Thirteenth Wolf Guards dispensed with Bidding in favor of a competition to see which unit could claim more trophies (insignia ripped from downed enemy 'Mechs). Secondly, it was at Satalice that Prince Ragnar Magnusson was captured while commanding a Company of the Third Drakøns.[13]

In December 3051, the Fourth landed on Bessarabia as part of Alpha Galaxy, and including the Golden Keshik, where they forced the Fifth Davion Guards RCT off-world.[14]

The Fourth's final battle in the invasion prior to Tukayyid was at Suk II in January 3052, where once again Alpha Galaxy was committed as a whole against the Thirty-Third Avalon Hussars RCT. Again, the battle was hard fought, with the Galaxy almost exhausting their ammunition stores within the first week of battle, but Alpha won after its Elementals forced a breach in the Hussars' lines.[15]

Tukayyid[edit]

The Fourth's first fight on Tukayyid came shortly after Clan Wolf's forces landed. The 10th Army hit the Wolf advance, with the Fourth being engaged by the 283rd Division. This unit, though inexperienced, fought well enough to prevent the Fourth from helping to surround and trap the Com Guard forces. After helping to finally break through two Com Guard defensive lines, the Fourth, along with the Third Battle Cluster were pulled offline until the city of Skupo fell. Then they were unleashed to spearhead the drive on Brzo, doing so much damage to the Tenth Army that the 9th Army launched a counteroffensive without waiting for orders to relieve their comrades. The Fourth and Third Battle responded by adjusting their axis of advance to split the two Com Guard forces.[16][17]

The Refusal War[edit]

Prior to the start of the Refusal War the renamed Fourth Wolf Guards Assault Cluster were stationed on Tamar in 3054.[18]

In December 3057 the Guards were on Morges facing off against the pursuing forces of Clan Jade Falcon. They had been newly christened the Ghost Wolves in honor of their white camouflage. For the coming battle they had reconfigured or traded their OmniMechs for other machines within the Wolf force. The Guards had become a lighter unit than usual, with speed as the most important factor. The Guards moved through a blizzard in a staggered line to engage the Falcon rear supply area, easily defeating the second line warriors defending it and cutting off the Falcons' ability to resupply their assaulting clusters.[19]

Operation Bulldog[edit]

As part of Operation Bulldog, the Fourth faced the Sixth Jaguar Dragoons on Labrea.[20] Later they participated in the assault on Schuyler.[21]

FedCom Civil War[edit]

Jade Falcon Incursion[edit]

The Fourth landed on Dustball in July 3063 in response to the Falcons taking the planet from the weak Lyran defenders. Four days later the Fourth was reinforced by ComStar's 388th Division and after hard fighting they managed to push the Falcons off planet.[22]

Tharkad[edit]

The Fourth, along with the Golden Keshik, was Clan Wolf-in-Exile's contribution to the Allied Forces that took Tharkad at the end of the FedCom Civil War.

Jihad[edit]

In December 3073 the 4th Wolf Guards were stationed on the Lyran world of Bountiful Harvest along with the 2nd Wolf Strike Grenadiers when the Word of Blake's 50th Shadow Division raided the world. The 2nd Grenadiers and the 4th Guards put up a fierce resistance, forcing the 50th Shadow Division to retreat after taking heavy losses.[23][24]

During the Jihad the Fourth Wolf Guards, along with most of Alpha Galaxy, were assigned to the Free Worlds League front during Operation SCOUR. During their assault on Chara in 3077, they were gravely outnumbered by Word of Blake Protectorate Militia units. A freak cockpit hit killed Star Colonel Ranna Kerensky. After taking serious damage, the Fourth Guards and the other units participating in the assault withdrew from the world.[25]

Dark Age[edit]

In 3085 the Fourth Wolf Guards were stationed on Arc-Royal and were at just over half strength.[26]

In 3099 Clan Wolf recreated the Fourth Wolf Guards Cluster. The new unit was based around a Binary of troops captured from the Exiled Wolves. They were filled with new sibko graduates and posted to Quarell and Carse, two systems along the Wolves' border with Clan Ghost Bear. The unit faced twenty-seven different Trials from the Bears in their first year of existence. The surviving warriors were highly skilled, and transferred back to Weingarten to rebuild in 3100.

For the next forty-five years the new Fourth Wolf Guards became a key command of Clan Wolf. They fought on Nusakan, and during Operation HAMMERFALL they fought on Sheridan, Shasta, Sterling, and Ideyld. They fought Exiled Wolves during the formation of the Wolf Empire, and on those two occasions they soundly defeated the Exiles. In 3142 they were part of the Wolf group that attacked Tharkad, but they withdrew from the world. 3145 found them garrisoning Smolnik.[27]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 4th Wolf Guards (Clan Wolf)
Star Colonel Jera Carns 3050 - 3052[3]
Commanding Officers of the 4th Wolf Guards (Clan Wolf-in-Exile)
Star Colonel Ranna Kerensky 3067[3]
Star Colonel Asa Hazen 3085[26]
Star Colonel Emmett Fetladral 3145[27]

Other Officers[edit]

Tactics[edit]

Under Star Colonel Jera Carns, the Fourth favored direct, hard-hitting attacks.

Composition History[edit]

3052[edit]

  • Trinary Command - The Cyclops' Brain (Star Colonel Jera Carns)
    • Command Star: Gargoyle A, Gargoyle, Gargoyle, Timber Wolf, Timber Wolf
    • Alpha Artillery Star: 5 Naga
    • Bravo Artillery Star: 5 Naga
  • Supernova First - The Cyclops' Fist (Star Captain Skinner Ward)
    • Alpha First Nova: Gargoyle, Gargoyle, Timber Wolf A, Gargoyle A, Timber Wolf A, 25 Elementals
    • Bravo First Nova: Warhawk, Gargoyle, Gargoyle, Timber Wolf B, Timber Wolf B, 25 Elementals
  • Supernova Second - The Cyclops' Spear (Star Captain Juanilla Sradac)
    • Alpha Second Nova: 25 Elementals, Gargoyle C, Gargoyle C, Mad Dog, Gargoyle, Gargoyle B
    • Bravo Second Nova: Timber Wolf B, Gargoyle B, Gargoyle B, Gargoyle, Gargoyle, 25 Elementals
  • Trinary Assault - The Cyclops' Shield (Star Captain Bryston Radick)
    • Alpha Assault Star: Gargoyle D, Gargoyle D, Gargoyle C, Gargoyle C, Ice Ferret
    • Bravo Assault Star: Gargoyle A, Gargoyle A, Gargoyle C, Gargoyle C, Ice Ferret
    • Fighter Assault Star: 6 Jagatai, 2 Jengiz, 2 Visigoths
  • Trinary Rogue - The Cyclops' Club (Star Captain Forsinnic)
    • Alpha Rogue Star: Gargoyle A, Gargoyle A, Gargoyle D, Gargoyle D, Ice Ferret
    • Bravo Rogue Star: Gargoyle A, Gargoyle A, Gargoyle C, Gargoyle D, Ice Ferret
    • Fighter Rogue Star: 4 Jagatai, 2 Avars, 2 Visigoths, 2 Jengiz
  • Support Vessels

3061[edit]

  • Supernova Trinary Assault
  • Trinary Assault
  • Trinary Battle
  • Trinary Fighter Battle

Organization Structure[edit]

Notes[edit]

  • Several sourcebooks erroneously list the Fourth Wolf Guardians as the Fourth Wolf Guards; notably in Field Manual: Updates, and Field Report: Clans. This confusion the most visible when both units are noted on the same page in different Galaxies.
  • Special Rules for the 4th Wolf Guards can be found on Era Report: 3145, p. 166.

References[edit]

  1. Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 158
  2. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 80
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 31: "Wolf at the Door"
  4. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 57
  5. Era Report: 3052, p. 128
  6. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 60
  7. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, pp. 34–37
  8. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 61
  9. Era Report: 3052, pp. 132–133
  10. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 62
  11. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, pp. 43–44
  12. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 64
  13. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 65
  14. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 66
  15. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 68
  16. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, pp. 50–51
  17. Tukayyid, p. 90
  18. Objective Raids, p. 32: "Clan Wolf"
  19. Bred for War
  20. Grave Covenant, p. 266
  21. Grave Covenant, pp. 287, 296
  22. FedCom Civil War, p. 115: "Dustball"
  23. Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 38: "Timeline of the Jihad"
  24. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 52: "The Jihad In Review"
  25. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 48
  26. 26.0 26.1 Field Manual: 3085, p. 129: "Clan Wolf (in Exile)"
  27. 27.0 27.1 Era Report: 3145, p. 70
  28. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 78: "Star Colonel Athen Kederk"
  29. 29.0 29.1 Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 80: "Trinary Rogue"
  30. 30.0 30.1 Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 79: "Supernova Second"
  31. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, pp. 79–80: "328th Assault Cluster"

Bibliography[edit]