16th Wolf Guards (Clan Wolf-in-Exile)

16th Wolf Guards (Clan Wolf-in-Exile).jpg
Sixteenth Wolf Guards Battle Cluster
Previous Designation(s) Sixteenth Wolf Battle Cluster
Nickname The Golden Marauders (from 3058);
The Golden Hags (until 3057)
Affiliation Clan Wolf-in-Exile (from 3058);
Clan Wolf (until 3057)
Parent Command Beta Galaxy (from 3058);
Gamma Galaxy (until 3057)


Unit Description[edit]

The Sixteenth Wolf Guards Battle Cluster was a Clan Wolf in Exile Combined Arms military formation. It was originally the Sixteenth Wolf Battle Cluster that split from Clan Wolf during the Refusal War.[1]

The unit was easily recognized for their distinctive uniforms featuring red and gold piping and a wolfskin shako. The Sixteenth's flamboyance is also present on the battlefield, usually leading to successful or disastrous effects in equal measure. Their unorthodox tactics impressed Ulric Kerensky so much that he incorporated some of the unit's methods as standard throughout the Clan Wolf touman. This resulted in an increase in the Clan's overall tactical flexibility.[2]

Much of the unit's independent spirit, including ordering their Trinaries to "do their own thing" against the enemy as well as adopting unit paint schemes, can be traced back to the unit's first commander. Their first commander was an abtakha warrior from Clan Blood Spirit whose influence has led many in the Sixteenth to adopt habits and traditions from the Blood Spirits well into the thirty-first century.[2]

History[edit]

Early Thirty-first Century[edit]

Prior to the Clans returning to the Inner Sphere, the Sixteenth Battle Cluster was deployed to the Clan Jade Falcon world of Glory. Led by Star Colonel Mikel Furey, they conducted a Trial of Possession for the genetic legacy of the garrison's commander, Star Colonel Kael Pershaw. Star Captain Dwillt Radick outbid his fellow Star Captains and won the right to fight the Trial. Among his opening moves, he had his aerospace fighters attack an inbound Clan Jade Falcon DropShip, which was included in Pershaw's forces. Dwillt's fighters managed to knock the Falcon DropShip down into a dangerous region of Glory known as the Blood Swamp. During the course of this Trial, the Cluster was defeated in major part by efforts of Aidan Pryde in his freebirth guise of Star Commander Jorge. Aidan's plan allowed for his force come behind the Clan Wolf's assault and destroy the Clan's Command & Communication Dome, successfully defeating Sixteenth Cluster's forces. At end of the Battle, Dwillt Radick offered himself as bondsman to Pershaw, but was scornfully released immediately.[3]

Operation Revival[edit]

The Sixteenth Battle Cluster fought on the following worlds during the invasion of the Inner Sphere during Operation: Revival:

Wave One[edit]

On The Edge in March 3050 the Sixteenth Battle Cluster faced the Outlaws mercenary unit. The Outlaws tried to fight a set-piece battle on the Plains of Torneträsk, but were forced to retreat; two companies of Outlaw forces managed to escape, headed for Rodigo.[4]

Wave Two[edit]

The Sixteenth Battle Cluster faced the Outlaws again on Rodigo in May 3050, just weeks after the battle on The Edge, with much the same outcome; a battered remnant of the Outlaws managed to escape from Rodigo, leaving the world in the hands of Clan Wolf.[4]

Wave Three[edit]

Wave Four[edit]

Wave Five[edit]

Tukayyid[edit]

The Sixteenth Battle Cluster's combat record, with its nearly even ratio of spectacular victories and spectacular failures, prompted the Wolf Khans to keep them out of the fighting.[5]

Refusal War[edit]

During the Refusal War the Sixteenth fought under Phelan Kell on Sudeten before accompanying him to Morges.[6][7] There they engaged Clusters from the Jade Falcon's Vau Galaxy at Carson Rift, slowly giving ground while exacting a high toll in Falcon ammunition and supplies.[8]

Clan Wolf-in-Exile[edit]

After the Exiled Wolves reorganized their forces[9] the Cluster was stationed on Arc-Royal in 3061.[10] It appears to have maintained this posting throughout the Jade Falcon Incursion of 3064, but by 3067 had been moved to garrison Morges.[11]

Jihad[edit]

During the Jihad the Sixteenth landed on Chara in the Free Worlds League as part of Operation SCOUR. There they faced off against the Fourth Free Worlds Legionnaires, a unit that had defected from the Free Worlds League to join the Word of Blake. The attackers, including the Sixteenth, suffered at the hands of Chara's SDS system. These early losses reduced the Sixteenth's strength, and the entire Chara assault was a failure.[12] The survivors of the assault withdrew to Talitha, the Sixteenth was effectively destroyed.[13]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Sixteenth Wolf Battle Cluster (Clan Wolf)
Star Colonel Mikel Furey 305?[14]
Star Colonel Dwillt Radick 3052[5]
Star Colonel Craig Ward 3057[15]
Commanding Officers of the Sixteenth Wolf Guards Cluster (Clan Wolf-in-Exile)
Star Colonel Craig Fetladral 3067

Tactics[edit]

The Sixteenth Battle Cluster has a history of unorthodox and small-unit tactics. The Cluster's Trinaries each have their own combat style, and this leads to some factionalism in the Cluster.[5] The Cluster often divides into component Stars and fights in different pairing to avoid its warriors becoming dependent on current Trinary organization.[1]

Composition History[edit]

3049–3052[edit]

Sixteenth Battle Cluster

3057[edit]

Sixteenth Wolf Battle Cluster.[16]

3058[edit]

Sixteenth Wolf Battle Cluster.[15]

  • Command Trinary (15 BattleMechs, 25 Elementals) - Star Colonel Craig Ward
  • Trinary Alpha (5 BattleMechs, 75 Elementals) - Star Captain Makai Vickers
  • Trinary Bravo (5 BattleMechs, 75 Elementals) - Star Captain Reshondra Fetladral
  • Trinary Charlie (30 aerospace fighters) - Star Captain Donic Kerensky

The Cluster's aerospace support vessels include a single Clan Star Lord and 3 Clan Invader-class JumpShips, with 5 Union-C DropShips.

3062[edit]

Sixteenth Wolf Guards Battle Cluster (5 Trinaries) - CO: Star Colonel Craig Fetladral[1]

  • Supernova Command
  • Supernova Battle
  • Aerospace Trinary
  • Mixed Trinary ('Mechs and Elementals)
  • Mixed Trinary ('Mechs and Elementals)

Note: Unit name changed to include "Guards" in its name. As of 3067, the Cluster was at 93% percent strength.

Gallery[edit]

Notes[edit]

When originally listed in the Falcon and the Wolf sourcebook, the unit was original named the Sixteenth Wolf Battle Cluster; in later publications the unit's name changed slightly to include Sixteenth Wolf Guards Battle Cluster.

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 159
  2. 2.0 2.1 Wolf Clan Sourcebook, pp. 94–95: "Notes"
  3. Bloodname, chs. 2–20: 16th Battle Cluster's battle with Glory Station Garrison Cluster
  4. 4.0 4.1 Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised, p. 44: "The Black Outlaws: Dark Phoenix"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Era Report: 3052, p. 45
  6. Bred for War, ch. 27
  7. Bred for War, ch. 37
  8. Bred for War, ch. 47
  9. Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 155
  10. Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 166
  11. Field Manual: Updates, p. 80
  12. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 48
  13. Field Report: Clans, p. 22
  14. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 91: "Galaxy Commander Mikel Furey"
  15. 15.0 15.1 The Falcon and the Wolf, pp. 54–55
  16. The Falcon and the Wolf, p. 20

Bibliography[edit]