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	Following the suggestion to vote for an invasion of the Inner Sphere by [[Khan of Clan Ghost Bear|Khan]] [[Nadia Winson]] of [[Clan Ghost Bear]] in the year [[3000]], Clan politicking between the [[Crusader Clans]] and the [[Warden Clans]] created a unit that was to be sent back to the [[Successor States]] on a long-term mission to reconnoiter them, all the while posing as a mercenary unit. Their work would last for well over two decades and would assist preparations for the planned conquest and reestablishment of the [[Star League]] by the Clans. Clan Wolf Khan [[Kerlin Ward]], who suggested what would come to be known as the [[Dragoon Compromise]], placed the mission under the command of the [[freeborn]] brothers [[Jaime Wolf]] and [[Joshua Wolf]], who named the unit Wolf's Dragoons.<ref name=ICp85>''Invading Clans'', p. 85: "Call to Arms"</ref><ref name=FM:CCp136>''Field Manual: Crusader Clans'', p. 136: "The Call to Invade"</ref><ref name=WCSp24,25>''Wolf Clan Sourcebook'', pp. 24–25: "Dragoon Compromise"</ref>		Following the suggestion to vote for an invasion of the Inner Sphere by [[Khan of Clan Ghost Bear|Khan]] [[Nadia Winson]] of [[Clan Ghost Bear]] in the year [[3000]], Clan politicking between the [[Crusader Clans]] and the [[Warden Clans]] created a unit that was to be sent back to the [[Successor States]] on a long-term mission to reconnoiter them, all the while posing as a mercenary unit. Their work would last for well over two decades and would assist preparations for the planned conquest and reestablishment of the [[Star League]] by the Clans. Clan Wolf Khan [[Kerlin Ward]], who suggested what would come to be known as the [[Dragoon Compromise]], placed the mission under the command of the [[freeborn]] brothers [[Jaime Wolf]] and [[Joshua Wolf]], who named the unit Wolf's Dragoons.<ref name=ICp85>''Invading Clans'', p. 85: "Call to Arms"</ref><ref name=FM:CCp136>''Field Manual: Crusader Clans'', p. 136: "The Call to Invade"</ref><ref name=WCSp24,25>''Wolf Clan Sourcebook'', pp. 24–25: "Dragoon Compromise"</ref>
−	The unit's personnel was largely recruited from freeborn volunteers, mostly from [[Clan Wolf]], and only a relatively few [[trueborn]] Clan warriors. Clan Wolf also provided special training for the fledgling unit to mask their origins. This training was backed up by Star League records and holographic video provided by advisers from [[Clan Goliath Scorpion]], who would also send their elite [[1st Cateran (Clan Goliath Scorpion)|Heartvenom Cluster]] for purposes of instructing through mock battles against the Wolf warriors.<ref name=FM:WCp106>''Field Manual: Warden Clans'', p. 106: "Seeking the Past"</ref>	+	The unit's personnel was largely recruited from freeborn volunteers, mostly from [[Clan Wolf]], and only a relatively few [[trueborn]] Clan warriors. Clan Wolf also provided special training for the fledgling unit to mask their origins. This training was backed up by Star League records and holographic video provided by advisers from [[Clan Goliath Scorpion]], who would also send their elite [[1st Cateran Cluster (Clan Goliath Scorpion)|Heartvenom Cluster]] for purposes of instructing through mock battles against the Wolf warriors.<ref name=FM:WCp106>''Field Manual: Warden Clans'', p. 106: "Seeking the Past"</ref>
	They were equipped with what the Clans erroneously believed to be an average lineup of outdated [[BattleMech]]s, supposed to make them appear wholly inconspicuous: Five regiments of 'Mechs, including designs that were either essentially extinct in the Inner Sphere (such as the ''[[Flea]]'', ''[[Falcon]]'', and ''[[Hoplite]]'') or had never before been seen there (such as the ''[[Imp]]'' and the ''[[Annihilator]]''), complemented with likewise extraordinary support units, [[DropShip]]s, and [[JumpShip]]s. The Dragoons also had ''[[Hephaestus Station]]'', a (mobile) [[Space Station|space station]] with a BattleMech assembly line for the Dragoons' exclusive ARC-2W variant of the ''[[Archer]]''.		They were equipped with what the Clans erroneously believed to be an average lineup of outdated [[BattleMech]]s, supposed to make them appear wholly inconspicuous: Five regiments of 'Mechs, including designs that were either essentially extinct in the Inner Sphere (such as the ''[[Flea]]'', ''[[Falcon]]'', and ''[[Hoplite]]'') or had never before been seen there (such as the ''[[Imp]]'' and the ''[[Annihilator]]''), complemented with likewise extraordinary support units, [[DropShip]]s, and [[JumpShip]]s. The Dragoons also had ''[[Hephaestus Station]]'', a (mobile) [[Space Station|space station]] with a BattleMech assembly line for the Dragoons' exclusive ARC-2W variant of the ''[[Archer]]''.

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{{cleanup|reason=review page}} {{otheruses|the mercenary unit|the sourcebook|Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook)}} {{Update Needed|[[Combat Manual: Mercenaries]]|[[Era Report: 3052]]|[[Field Manual: 3145]]|[[Historical Turning Points: Misery]]|[[Operational Turning Points: Death to Mercenaries]]|[[Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion]]|[[Technical Readout: 3145 Draconis Combine]]|[[Embers of War]]|[[Cranston Snord's Irregulars (scenario pack)]]|[[Empire Alone]]}} {{infoBoxMilitaryCommand | image = [[Image:Wdragoons.gif|150px|Emblem of Wolf's Dragoons]] | Designation = Wolf's Dragoons | Formed = [[3004]]<ref>''Field Manual: Warden Clans'', p. 106: "Seeking the Past"</ref> | Disbanded = | Previous Designation = | Nickname = | Affiliation = [[Mercenary]] | Parent Command = Independent | Sub-Command = [[Alpha Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Alpha Regiment]] ---- [[Beta Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Beta Regiment]] ---- [[Gamma Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Gamma Regiment]] ---- [[Delta Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Delta Regiment]] ---- [[Epsilon Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Epsilon Regiment]] ---- [[Zeta Battalion]] }} '''Wolf's Dragoons''' is a name that is synonymous with the best traditions of the [[mercenary]] profession operating within the [[Inner Sphere]]. They are arguably the most famous mercenary unit ever, considered to embody the ideals of honor, professionalism, and integrity that less scrupulous members of the mercenary trade are sometimes portrayed as lacking. They were initially of [[Clan]] origins, but have since integrated both Clan and [[Inner Sphere]] traditions and personnel and established themselves as a power in the Inner Sphere. ==History== ===Inception=== Following the suggestion to vote for an invasion of the Inner Sphere by [[Khan of Clan Ghost Bear|Khan]] [[Nadia Winson]] of [[Clan Ghost Bear]] in the year [[3000]], Clan politicking between the [[Crusader Clans]] and the [[Warden Clans]] created a unit that was to be sent back to the [[Successor States]] on a long-term mission to reconnoiter them, all the while posing as a mercenary unit. Their work would last for well over two decades and would assist preparations for the planned conquest and reestablishment of the [[Star League]] by the Clans. Clan Wolf Khan [[Kerlin Ward]], who suggested what would come to be known as the [[Dragoon Compromise]], placed the mission under the command of the [[freeborn]] brothers [[Jaime Wolf]] and [[Joshua Wolf]], who named the unit Wolf's Dragoons.<ref name=ICp85>''Invading Clans'', p. 85: "Call to Arms"</ref><ref name=FM:CCp136>''Field Manual: Crusader Clans'', p. 136: "The Call to Invade"</ref><ref name=WCSp24,25>''Wolf Clan Sourcebook'', pp. 24–25: "Dragoon Compromise"</ref> The unit's personnel was largely recruited from freeborn volunteers, mostly from [[Clan Wolf]], and only a relatively few [[trueborn]] Clan warriors. Clan Wolf also provided special training for the fledgling unit to mask their origins. This training was backed up by Star League records and holographic video provided by advisers from [[Clan Goliath Scorpion]], who would also send their elite [[1st Cateran Cluster (Clan Goliath Scorpion)|Heartvenom Cluster]] for purposes of instructing through mock battles against the Wolf warriors.<ref name=FM:WCp106>''Field Manual: Warden Clans'', p. 106: "Seeking the Past"</ref> They were equipped with what the Clans erroneously believed to be an average lineup of outdated [[BattleMech]]s, supposed to make them appear wholly inconspicuous: Five regiments of 'Mechs, including designs that were either essentially extinct in the Inner Sphere (such as the ''[[Flea]]'', ''[[Falcon]]'', and ''[[Hoplite]]'') or had never before been seen there (such as the ''[[Imp]]'' and the ''[[Annihilator]]''), complemented with likewise extraordinary support units, [[DropShip]]s, and [[JumpShip]]s. The Dragoons also had ''[[Hephaestus Station]]'', a (mobile) [[Space Station|space station]] with a BattleMech assembly line for the Dragoons' exclusive ARC-2W variant of the ''[[Archer]]''. They departed Clan space in 3004.<ref>''Invading Clans'', p. 52</ref> Before entering the Inner Sphere proper, the Dragoons created a supply cache in the [[Bristol (Periphery)|Bristol]] system in the periphery where they left behind some of their more advanced equipment, including six [[WarShip]]s. <ref name=WP14>''Wolf Pack'', ch. 14</ref> Noteworthy subunits of Wolf's Dragoons include their elite [[Black Widow Company]], their powerful [[Zeta Battalion]] of assault 'Mechs, and the special forces of the [[Seventh Kommando]]. En route to the Inner Sphere, Jaime Wolf decided to create a secondary mission of finding and examining lost Star League caches. This would eventually lead to the formation of the ostensibly independent mercenary group [[Snord's Irregulars]]. When the Dragoons first turned up in the Inner Sphere on 11 April [[3005]], with their heavily escorted convoy of spacecraft carrying no less than five regiments of pristine [[BattleMech]]s, their initial appearance caused panic for the [[Federated Suns]] planet of [[Delos IV]] with which they made first contact. Although their material wealth was generally attributed to the chance find of a lost Star League cache, this could not explain their unusually high level of professionalism and training, nor their sometimes peculiar tactics. ===Recon Mission=== For their long-term reconnaissance mission, Wolf's Dragoons chose to work for each of the five large [[Successor States]] in turn to study them. Although their equipment clearly marked them as special, it also made them a force to be reckoned with and they had little trouble in finding employers. ====First employer: House Davion/The Federated Suns (3005–3009)==== Hired by Prince [[Ian Davion]], the Dragoons worked for the [[Federated Suns]] first. For five years they were granted a base on [[New Valencia]] and attacked worlds that belonged to the [[Capellan Confederation]] until their contract expired. Their successful operations included the detection and elimination of a Liao raider base on [[Halloran V]] early on, and the capture of [[New Aragon]] in [[3008]]. During the battle for New Aragon, a Dragoon ''[[Stalker]]'' killed [[John Waco]], the son of [[Wayne Waco]], CO of the defending mercenary unit [[Waco Rangers]], by stepping on the pilot after he had ejected from his destroyed ''[[Wasp]]''. Ever since, the Waco Rangers were sworn enemies of Wolf's Dragoons, accusing them of having murdered John Waco. A [[ComStar]] inquiry found no evidence of wrongdoing and acquitted the Dragoons of all charges, however.<ref>The short story "[[Making a Name]]" gives a detailed account of the event in a way that strongly suggests John Waco's death was unintentional, but ultimately does not rule out an intentional killing either</ref> After the capture of New Aragon, Jaime Wolf recalled the Dragoons to New Valencia and intense starship activity ensued, marking the first of the Dragoons' secret resupply runs. After 10 months, the Dragoons had mysteriously replaced their losses and acquired stockpiles of equipment from an unknown source. When the [[Federated Suns]] tried to renegotiate the contract, they were politely informed that this was not an option. The Dragoons moved on and served the Capellan Confederation next. One stipulation in their contract was that the Dragoons would not be used to attack their former employer. ====Second employer: House Liao/The Capellan Confederation (3010–3014)==== During their employment with the [[Capellan Confederation]], the Dragoons initially fought with great success against [[Free Worlds League]] forces on [[Wallacia]], [[Scarborough]], and [[Shiro III]]. However, they were inexplicably assigned garrison duty on [[Carver V]] in [[3013]]; rumors indicate this may have been an attempt by the Liao state to deprive them of combat bonus payments to put financial pressure on the unit and gain control over them. This forced inactivity caused some unrest among the Dragoons and during this time they fell out with a fellow mercenary unit in [[House Liao|Liao]] employ, [[McCarron's Armored Cavalry]] on the planet [[Bithinia]]. The Cavalry held a grudge against the Dragoons from earlier clashes during the time of the Dragoons' employment with the Federated Suns. Chancellor [[Maximilian Liao]] finally used the Dragoons to destabilize the [[Free Worlds League]] in a Liao-incited civil war, by placing Wolf's Dragoons under the command of Duke [[Anton Marik]] in his attempt to overthrow the Captain-General of the Free Worlds League, his half-brother [[Janos Marik]]. ====Third employer: Duke Anton Marik/Marik Civil War (3014–3015)==== The coup started on 22 May [[3014]]. After initial successes, Anton Marik's forces suffered a series of setbacks, and eventually, he ordered the Dragoons to divide up and merge into his inept regular forces to bolster them. In light of overdue payment and viewing the orders as suicidal, the Dragoons refused and Jaime Wolf stormed out of a meeting on 28 February [[3015]]. This prompted the infuriated Anton Marik to take 28 remaining Dragoons hostage and execute them shortly afterward. Among those killed were Joshua Wolf as well as Jaime Wolf's wife and their two younger children. In retaliation, the Dragoons attacked Anton Marik's stronghold on [[New Delos]]. On 22 October, while the rest of the Dragoons were fighting Anton Marik's house guard, a furious [[Natasha Kerensky]] led her newly created [[Black Widow Company]] in a direct assault against Anton Marik's fortified manor, which he had hidden behind an infernal defense line of burning forests. Duke Anton Marik was killed in the action, ending the Marik civil war. :''A scenario from the [[CityTech]] rulebook recreates the assault of the Black Widow Company on the Edel Compound, Anton Marik's residence on New Delos, which is defended by fixed gun turrets, heavy tanks, infantry, and a handful of BattleMechs: A ''[[Stalker]]'', two ''[[Warhammer]]s'' and two ''[[Crusader]]s''. After ravaging New Delos for two days and wiping out the ducal troops almost to the last man, the Dragoons withdrew to the planet [[Second Chance]]. ====Fourth employer: House Marik/The Free Worlds League (3015–3019)==== Instead of attacking the Dragoons in their entrenched position after the abortive coup, [[Janos Marik]] offered to hire the exhausted unit and the Dragoons went to work for the [[Free Worlds League]] proper. Stationed along the League's border with the [[Lyran Commonwealth]], the Dragoons were given time to recuperate and initially mounted only small strikes. In [[3016]], [[Ripper's Reavers]] participated in a raid of [[Dixie]] along with elements of Wolf's Dragoons. When the Dragoons were threatened by the sudden appearance of an assault company of Lyrans, the Reavers moved and intercepted the assault company in a no-holds-barred battle in which the unit prevented the raiding force from failing its mission and kept the Dragoons from being flanked. The Reavers lost half their number in the course of the brutal fight with the assault company, which earned them the respect of Colonel Jaime Wolf. Colonel Wolf noted the company's approach to battle was like "Rolling Thunder". The nickname caught on quickly, and the unit was later officially named Rolling Thunder. The raid itself was deemed a success.<ref>''Rolling Thunder'', p. 9: Origin of Rolling Thunder and its name</ref> They would later refer to this time as their "cattle raiding" period. Eventually, they embarked on a remarkable deep strike mission that ultimately aimed for the heavily fortified BattleMech factories on [[Hesperus II]]. When Lyran intelligence learned of the mission objective, they rushed reinforcements to Hesperus II, including the mercenary units [[Hsien's Hotheads]] and [[Hansen's Roughriders]], who barely managed to fend off the Dragoon assault when it came. Following the costly defeat, the Dragoons regrouped their forces in [[3019]] and disappeared, only to reappear in early [[3020]] resupplied, and back to full strength. During this final supply run, Khan [[Kerlin Ward]], fearing that a Clan invasion would destroy the Inner Sphere, secretly altered the Dragoons' mission: He ordered Jaime Wolf and Natasha Kerensky to prepare the Inner Sphere for the Clan invasion. Also, the Dragoons purged all information pertaining to the Clan Homeworlds from their [[JumpShip]]s' data banks upon returning. This effectively cut off all contact with the Clans. This fact was kept secret even among the Dragoons. ====Fifth employer: House Steiner/The Lyran Commonwealth (3020–3022)==== Upon returning, the Dragoons left the employ of the Free Worlds League, signing on with the [[Lyran Commonwealth]]. [[Katrina Steiner]] used the Dragoons to launch attacks on the [[Draconis Combine]], and for the next three years they did so without hesitation. One of their first missions was a successful raid by the Black Widows against [[New Wessex]], where they narrowly evaded the wrath of the [[Waco Rangers]] who almost managed to intercept them at their drop zone. The first large Dragoon operation was against the [[Kurita]] world of [[Dromini VI]], where they encountered the elite [[Second Sword of Light]] regiment among the defenders. During the fighting, a light Kurita scout lance led by ''[[Tai-i]]'' [[Minobu Tetsuhara]] encountered Jaime Wolf himself, whose BattleMech (an ''[[Archer]]'' painted in blue and gold) was seriously damaged and overheated. Following the warrior code of ''[[bushido]]'', Tetsuhara allowed the respected enemy to withdraw instead of finishing him off in an uneven battle. In [[3021]], the Black Widows raided the Federated Suns world of [[Doneval II]]. In this somewhat famous action, the elite unit encountered stiff resistance from a group of cadets from the [[Meistmorn Academy]] under Major [[Sergej Vang]], and was impressed enough with them to leave them alive.<ref>''Technical Readout: 3025'', pp. 12, 66: ''Stinger'' battle history and ''Shadow Hawk'' notable pilot: Sergei Vang</ref><ref>''Tales of the Black Widow Company'', pp. 24–25</ref><ref>Blackthorne ''BattleTech'' comic, issue #4: "Finals"</ref> Near the end of [[3022]], the Dragoons informed the Archon that they would be leaving her service to take up work with the Draconis Combine. As always, their contract forbade the Dragoons from being used against their former employer. Although Jaime Wolf himself later noted that the Steiner contract was only a short one, the exact reason behind the unusually short time of employment is unknown. ====Sixth employer: House Kurita/The Draconis Combine (3023–3028)==== The Dragoons' employment with [[House Kurita]] was initially a cordial relationship. Minobu Tetsuhara, who had been reprimanded following the events on Dromini VI and was now [[dispossessed]], was appointed as their liaison officer and quickly forged a fast friendship with Jaime Wolf. The Dragoons were stationed on [[An Ting]], but maintained rotating garrison forces on [[Capra]], [[Misery]] and [[Thestria]]; later also on [[Delacruz]] and [[Marlowe's Rift]]. However, they were also sent to raid the Federated Suns. During a raid on the Davion world of [[Quentin]] in June 3023, Jaime Wolf was caught in a trap by enemy 'Mechs and again saved by Tetsuhara (piloting a borrowed Dragoon ''[[Vindicator]]''). Unfortunately, the Dragoons earned the enmity of Kurita warlord [[Grieg Samsonov]] when Wolf rejected Samsonov's demand to give him direct command over the Dragoon units. Subsequently, Samsonov plotted against the Dragoons. Meanwhile, the Coordinator decreed that the Dragoons should assist in the creation of the [[Ryuken]] ("Dragon's Sword"), a group of 5 regiments trained and organized in the fashion of the Dragoons instead of traditional [[DCMS]] doctrine. Tetsuhara was given command of the Ryuken which allowed Samsonov to promote [[Jerry Akuma]], incidentally an old enemy of Tetsuhara, to the position of liaison officer to the Dragoons in his stead. The good relationship between the Dragoons and their employer began to deteriorate. In September 3026 a joint Dragoon/Ryuken assault took place on [[Barlow's End]]. When Tetsuhara was critically wounded in a hovercraft "accident" presumably arranged by Akuma, both he and Akuma were evacuated and replaced by ''Tai-sa'' Elijah Satoh who took command of both the Ryuken and the Dragoons. His incompetence, combined with abusive and unfair treatment of the mercenaries, turned the campaign into a disaster and estranged the Ryuken and Wolf's Dragoons. The Kurita attackers were pushed back by the defenders, namely the [[White Witches]] and the elite [[Eridani Light Horse]]. The blame for the defeat was laid at the feet of Wolf's Dragoons and Samsonov and Akuma then worked towards either gaining control of the Dragoons or destroy them. To this end, the Dragoons were ordered to deploy in several smaller units to weaken their strength and were then harassed by oppressive bureaucracy and supply shortages. Eventually, they took to clandestine raids of Davion supply depots for supplies, without informing their employers. :''A scenario from the original [[BattleTech]] board game rulebook takes place during one such raid: During the battle for Coursadin ([[Remis III]]), elements of the Black Widow Company have withdrawn into an isolated valley to repair and regroup. Davion troops (elements of the [[3rd Davion Guards]] and from the mercenary unit [[Lindon's Company]]) attack them in an attempt to kill Natasha Kerensky herself.'' Another supply raid was executed on [[Udibi]] in mid-3027. [[Frank Woomack]]'s company retrieved a secret supply stash but ran afoul of [[McKinnon's Raiders]]. :''The Battle for Udibi is presented as a campaign, ''i.e.'' a series of scenarios, in ''[[The Fox's Teeth (scenario pack)|The Fox's Teeth]]'' where the timestamp is erroneously given as "May 3029".'' Using these raids as a pretext, the Draconis Combine accused the Dragoons of breach of contract, followed by general anti-Dragoon propaganda, sabotage, and engineered riots; the unit was also framed for alleged war crimes. To put further pressure on the Dragoons, Hephaestus, their space station orbiting their HQ world of [[An Ting]], was captured by Kurita special forces masquerading as freedom fighters. Finding themselves suddenly fighting an intense and taxing shadow war against their own employer for the second time, Jaime Wolf enacted a contingency plan that had been developed after the experience with Anton Marik. In a suicide mission, a small group of dedicated Dragoon soldiers and technicians fought their way into an [[HPG]] compound in Cerant, An Ting, on the night of January 3, 3028, and sent a coded message to the scattered Dragoon forces, ordering them to withdraw and regroup on the ice planet [[Misery]]. :''A scenario from the'' [[BattleTroops]]'' rulebook recreates the situation: The 1st and 2nd squad of the Fourth Team, Seventh Kommando, Wolf's Dragoons (7 men each, with Tech Chief Scott a member of the 1st squad) must hold the transmission facility until Scott has managed to send the message; no other trooper can operate the HPG. Four 7-man squads from the An Ting [[Civilian Guidance Corps]], and eventually an elite Kurita Civilian "Volunteer" Squad and a ''[[Vulcan (BattleMech)|Vulcan]]'' 'Mech, attempt to retake the HPG building without inflicting too much damage.'' After the attack on the HPG compound, the Dragoon orbital facility was destroyed with all hands, and Ryuken BattleMechs moved against the Dragoon positions in earnest. However, the Dragoons had entrenched themselves, inflicted heavy losses on the attackers (including killing Jerry Akuma), and managed to retreat to Misery in good order. Misery was chosen as a rallying point for the Dragoons' combat units because it was within easy reach of all their scattered units, but also because it was far off the escape route of their civilians who fled elsewhere - and last but not least because Jaime Wolf felt the name was fitting. He then issued a direct challenge to the Draconis Combine, knowing that House Kurita could not ignore it. ====The Battle of Misery==== The Draconis Combine responded in force. Warlord [[Grieg Samsonov]] (on direct, albeit unofficial orders from the Coordinator himself) cruelly sent none other than the unlucky Minobu Tetsuhara, who was promoted to General for just this purpose, to [[Misery]] with explicit orders to destroy Wolf's Dragoons. For this mission, Tetsuhara received command of the Ryuken regiments, augmented by several other line regiments. Additional regiments under Samsonov's direct orders were stationed on DropShips hidden on the far side of the moon with orders to drop behind the enemy lines if and when Tetsuhara managed to draw the entire Dragoon force into battle. Samsonov disliked Tetsuhara with a vengeance and was fully aware that he pitted friends against friends and students against their former teachers. Torn between friendship and duty, Tetsuhara did his best to carry out his orders. When he noticed that the Dragoons concentrated their BattleMechs in one location but did not deploy conventional or aerospace units, he assumed that Wolf wanted a ritual 'Mech battle and felt compelled to comply. In fact, Jaime Wolf knew how to use the ''bushido'' code of honor against him so that the Dragoons could dictate the terms of the engagement. Both armies set up camp far away from each other. However, it was not until midnight some days later (on 22 April 3028) that Wolf's Dragoons finally moved out. [[Michi Noketsuna]], Tetsuhara's aide and friend, reported this to him and observed that they were obviously moving under the cover of darkness. Tetsuhara could not help but note that there was perhaps another reason: It was just past midnight, and the formal contract between Wolf's Dragoons and the Draconis Combine had now run out. The two forces met at an ice field where, much to the surprise of the Kurita forces, the Dragoon BattleMechs began to challenge their counterparts to single combat one after another. After a while, a Kurita 'Mech that had just destroyed his Dragoon opponent was suddenly destroyed by renegade fire from the Dragoon lines. Enraged, the Kurita forces charged across the ice field while the Dragoons retreated. Tetsuhara could not stop his troops even when he realized the trap for what it was. Demolition charges broke up the ice and swallowed many Draconis Combine 'Mechs. The Dragoons then turned around to pick off their remaining pursuers who suddenly found themselves on breaking ground. Only the timely arrival of heavy reinforcements allowed the Kurita troops to withdraw. The losses from this first encounter had already reduced the Draconis Combine's numerical superiority. Worse, it quickly became apparent that Warlord Samsonov had betrayed Tetsuhara and his troops. Twice, Tetsuhara called in his reinforcements when he had the Dragoons ready to be crushed between hammer and anvil. Twice, the reinforcements failed to appear and Tetsuhara barely managed to disengage in good order. In the weeks of vicious fighting that followed, much of the best blood of both Wolf's Dragoons and House Kurita was spilled in the icy wastes of aptly named Misery. While both sides suffered from an equally high rate of attrition from the harsh climate, the Dragoons continually outmaneuvered the Kurita troops and rapidly wore them down. Tetsuhara did not know that the snowstorms only blinded his own units. The Dragoons had deployed recon satellites in orbit and by avoiding aerospace combat, had prevented Tetsuhara from noticing them. The fighting ended when both Minobu Tetsuhara and Michi Noketsuna were captured following the destruction of their 'Mechs, after an attack on the Kurita command post. Tetsuhara had been running from the damaged communication truck to his own BattleMech, a ''[[Dragon]]'', when he had suddenly found himself standing before Jaime Wolf's blue-and-gold [[Archer]]. Wolf did not kill him, and the appearance of Kurita reinforcements led by Michi Noketsuna in his red ''[[Ostroc]]'' 'Mech drove the attackers away for the moment. With his command post destroyed, Tetsuhara tried to regroup his forces, who were hopelessly scattered in the snowstorm, but his makeshift command lance was soon brought to battle and destroyed by a Dragoon lance led by [[Dechan Fraser]]. In the aftermath of the Misery debacle, Tetsuhara saw no other way than to commit ''[[seppuku]]'' for having failed to carry out his orders to destroy the Dragoons. Jaime Wolf desperately tried to dissuade his friend, explaining how he had been betrayed by his own superiors. Tetsuhara remained adamant, however. In Tetsuhara's mind, his rescue of Wolf in 3023 made him responsible for Wolf's life -- and therefore responsible for the destruction on both sides. He nevertheless asked Wolf to fulfill a certain role in the ceremony. Only after Wolf had accepted this request he learned that his role would be to kill Tetsuhara before he could show a sign of pain. Although at first shocked, Wolf did as he was asked and shot Tetsuhara with a laser pistol at the conclusion of the ceremony as a last gesture of mutual respect and friendship, in the presence of Natasha Kerensky and all Dragoon battalion commanders who had assembled to show their respect. Although many were dismayed, similar rituals were not at all alien to those among them who were original Clansmen. ===Fourth Succession War=== Following the devastating battles on Misery which cost them over half of their personnel, the remaining Dragoons made their way to the Federated Suns and entered the service of [[House Davion]] again immediately upon arriving in early June. Unlike before, Jaime Wolf explicitly requested that the Dragoons be used to garrison worlds that would come under attack by the Draconis Combine. When the leaders of the Inner Sphere met on Terra for the wedding celebration of [[Hanse Davion]] and [[Melissa Steiner]], Jaime Wolf brought the ritual swords of the late Minobu Tetsuhara and threw them at the feet of Draconis Combine Coordinator [[Takashi Kurita]]. In fluent Japanese he publicly scorned the Coordinator for betraying and ruining a worthy and loyal underling, and pushing aside Takashi Kurita's claim that it had all been a misunderstanding, declared war between Wolf's Dragoons and House Kurita. It would be upon Takashi Kurita, and not Jaime Wolf, to present the swords to the Samurai's widow and explain to her what had happened. This may have been clever speculation on behalf of Jaime Wolf or his new employer, Hanse Davion: In what could almost be regarded as a war within a war, the Draconis Combine focused their efforts on the Dragoons during the initial phases of the [[Fourth Succession War]] that Hanse Davion launched on the very same evening. The actions of the irate House Kurita were thus channeled in a predictable fashion, significantly reducing the threat it potentially posed during the war. In the opening moves, House Kurita only attacked the three planets on the Davion border that were held by Dragoon troops: [[Glenmora]], [[Harrow's Sun]], and [[Wapakoneta]]. The Dragoons managed to stay in the fight for months on all three planets against vastly superior odds. However, the Dragoons paid a high price in blood and eventually withdrew to reunite on [[Crossing]], less than a single active regiment in strength. Here, they made a last stand at Tartarus Caldera and again prevailed against four times their numbers. Losing three-quarters of their forces they fought the Kurita attackers to a standstill until the DCMS evacuated Crossing on October 28, 3028. :''A scenario from'' [[BattlePack: Fourth Succession War|BattlePack: Fourth Succession War]]'' recreates a fight on Crossing on September 28, 3028: Two of the few survivors of Delta Regiment after the battles on Misery and Wapakoneta, Capt. [[Lucas Kent]] in an ''HOP-4B [[Hoplite]]'' and [[Lauren Simmons]] in a WLF-1 ''[[Wolfhound]]'', meet a command lance of the Eighth Galedon Regulars (a ''[[Dragon]]'', a ''[[Cyclops]]'', a ''[[Catapult]]'' and a ''[[Trebuchet]]'') in the aftermath of a large battle and a fight to the death ensues.'' Many observed that the bitter losses (reducing Wolf's Dragoons from more than five regiments to a single provisional regiment of mixed troops) had broken the spine of the unit, or at least cost them their edge. ===Outreach=== In the relative peace that followed the Fourth Succession War, the Dragoons were granted the right to settle upon the world of [[Outreach]] on their request, which was ceded to them by [[Hanse Davion]] in [[3030]]. Outreach had been the site of the Star League Army Martial Olympics and was known as the "Warrior World". The Dragoons turned it into a mercenary center, opened a [[Hiring Hall]] in [[3032]] and offered repair, maintenance, and training services. Within a few years, Outreach rivaled, and eventually surpassed, legendary [[Galatea]] which had previously been known as the "Mercenary Star". Unbeknownst to all but Wolf's Dragoons, Outreach also held a forgotten Star League industrial complex. Jaime Wolf had specifically requested this world because he knew of Star League-era manufacturing facilities there. The Federated Commonwealth had suspected as much and sent another unit to Outreach to inspect the ruined factories first. Ironically, that unit had been Snord's Irregulars (whose connection with Wolf's Dragoons remained a secret). [[Cranston Snord]] provided the full planetary survey data to Jaime Wolf while giving an inconspicuous report to House Steiner; based on his report, the world was granted to the Dragoons. The Dragoons had previously invested in several firms, most notably [[Blackwell Industries]] (originally a minor supplier of spare parts), and with their help, they reactivated the Star League facilities on Outreach and before long used them to produce BattleMechs of their own. This also enabled them to provide commercial maintenance and repair services on Outreach as well as trade in spare parts. During this period, Dragoon agents were sent throughout the Inner Sphere to recover war orphans and bring them back to Outreach. Once there, the orphans were given a home, educated, and eventually in most cases, joined the Dragoons. This process allowed the mercenary force to rebuild itself without becoming dependent upon any of the Inner Sphere nations. The [[Black Widow Company]] was the first Dragoon unit available for hire again and went to action on [[Tsinghai]] following a contract signed 7 November [[3031]]. Natasha Kerensky was promoted to Colonel and restructured the [[Black Widow Company]] into a battalion strength unit. The Black Widow Battalion was recalled to Outreach in [[3035]] and served as a training cadre for the Dragoons for the next seven years. During this time they were reorganized with a unique configuration not seen before by the Inner Sphere. Each company, normally comprised of twelve 'Mechs, was now comprised of fifteen 'Mechs and termed a Trinary. What was not revealed was that this type of configuration was a common element among the Clans, something that would only make sense much later. The Dragoons [[Battle of Caph (3039)|fought]] what was essentially a Misery rematch on [[Caph]] during the [[War of 3039]]. The Widows also attacked [[Hall]], reclaiming the world from the [[18th Marik Militia]] which had sought to take advantage of the Federated Commonwealth's focus on the Combine. Over the next several years, one Dragoon unit after another returned to active duty, beginning with [[Beta Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Beta Regiment]] in [[3035]]. By the time of the [[Clan Invasion]], the Dragoons were back to full strength. ===Clan Invasion=== The whole of the Inner Sphere erupted into chaos when the [[Clan Invasion]] smashed through the [[Oberon Confederation]] and, by [[3050]], hit the worlds of the [[Free Rasalhague Republic]], [[Federated Commonwealth]], and [[Draconis Combine]]. Wolf recalled all Dragoons to Outreach. It was noted that [[Thomas Marik]] was angered by the sudden, unannounced withdrawal of the Epsilon Regiment and Zeta Battalion from [[Andurien]] at the time. In [[3051]], during a lull in the Invasion, Jaime Wolf called a conference on Outreach. All the heads of the various Inner Sphere houses and several mercenary leaders were invited. It was at the start of this conference that Jaime Wolf revealed the true origin of the Dragoons: They were originally a part of [[Clan Wolf]] and a scout force for the [[Clans]], which were, in turn, revealed to be the descendants of the [[Star League Defense Force]]. Until then, the Dragoons had not met the Clan invaders on the battlefield, having been held in reserve by their employer, [[House Davion]], who made good use of their expertise to gather intelligence on the Clans and their invasion. In late [[3051]] the Clans closed in on [[Luthien]], the capital world of the [[Draconis Combine]]. Fearing that the Combine might collapse and thus allow the Clans to concentrate their onslaught on the [[Federated Commonwealth]], [[Hanse Davion]] decided to help his archenemy. Boldly, he sent both Wolf's Dragoons and the [[Kell Hounds]], two elite mercenary units who were both sworn enemies of the Draconis Combine, to save that very realm. Although less than happy, they carried out their orders and saved Luthien from [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]] and [[Clan Nova Cat]]; [[Takashi Kurita]] subsequently owed the survival of his realm to its most hated enemies. The Dragoons paid dearly for that victory, from the five regiments they started with they were reduced to two and a half.<ref>''Blood Legacy'', ch. 47</ref> While the Dragoons were fighting on Luthien, a Capellan 'Mech force struck Outreach, expecting to kill the families of Dragoons or even retake the world. They were all destroyed by the young and old Wolf warriors left behind.<ref name=ACtA012>''Wolf Pack'', p. 22</ref> Following the [[ComStar Schism|schism]] in [[3052]] after the [[Battle of Tukayyid (3052)|Battle of Tukayyid]] and the failed [[Operation SCORPION]], ComStar lost much of the trust previously placed in the order by many, and their [[Mercenary Review Board]] was dissolved. Its successor, the [[Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission]], was established on Outreach, cementing the world's reputation as the new Mercenary Star. ===Internal strife=== After the Clan invasion, Wolf's Dragoons had a difficult time defining themselves as a unit. The Dragoons' problems stemmed from the widely disparate origins and cultures of its members. The original Clan-raised founders, Inner Sphere-raised trueborns, Clan trueborn bondsmen, and Inner Sphere freeborns all lacked a sense of unity. This led the various factions to bicker, posture, and scheme until even Jaime Wolf was unable to stifle the resentment. He was deposed by [[Elson Novacat]], a Clan freeborn elemental bondsman, and [[Alpin Wolf]], Jaime's grandson after Jaime's son [[MacKenzie Wolf]] was killed in combat under questionable circumstances.<ref>''Wolf Pack'', ch. ?{{cn}}</ref> A civil war erupted among Wolf's Dragoons on Outreach. Eventually, Alpin was killed in battle by [[Maeve Wolf]], a MechWarrior who (unknown to most, including herself and Jaime) was Jaime Wolf's clone, albeit without his Y chromosome. Elson was later defeated as well, though he survived his wounds. Jaime Wolf regained control over the Dragoons and instituted new social measures to make sure every faction of the Dragoons was well integrated. ===Jade Falcon Incursion of 3058=== : ''Main Article: [[Battle of Coventry (3058)]]'' Gamma and Delta Regiments were active following [[Elson's Rebellion]], though Gamma's Colonel [[Irwin Tyrell]] was hesitant to release his untested force on a Clan opponent. The newly re-formed unit was instead paired with Delta Regiment, who had survived the civil war relatively unscathed.<ref name=OTPFI11>''Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion'', p. 11: "Combatants: Wolf's Dragoons Delta Regiment", Gamma Regiment attached to Delta Regiment</ref> Both regiments joined other mercenaries, including the [[71st Light Horse Regiment]] of the elite [[Eridani Light Horse]], and [[Waco Rangers]], though Colonel Brubaker of Delta Regiment was [[Coventry Expeditionary Force]] commander.<ref name=OTPFI-8-TFI-CEF-1>''Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion'', p. 8: "The Falcon's Incursion", details the CEF's arrival on Coventry</ref><ref name=OTPFI-11-WDDR-N-IT-1>''Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion'', p. 11: "Wolf's Dragoons Delta Regiment", Notes - Tyrell is wary of independent operations</ref><ref name=OTPFI-11-WDDR-N-IT-2>''Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion'', p. 11: "Wolf's Dragoons Delta Regiment", Notes - Gamma Regiment is broken up into subunits to reinforce Delta Regiment</ref><ref name=TBOC-9-RAL-GR=1>''The Battle of Coventry'', p. 9: "Relief at Last", Gamma Regiment accompanies Delta Regiment to Tharkad and then to Coventry</ref> The Dragoon regiments held up well throughout the two months of fighting, with Colonel Brubaker giving the Inner Sphere forces a veteran and experienced personality.<ref name=OTPFI9>''Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion'', p. 9: "Personalities: Shelly Brubaker"</ref> ===Jihad=== The Dragoons had never trusted [[ComStar]] or the [[Word of Blake]], and this distrust escalated into open conflict in the late 3060s. One of the opening gambits of the coming conflict involved Word-supported unrest by underemployed mercenaries, culminating in an attack on the Dragoons led by [[Wayne Waco]], starting on October 15th, [[3067]].<ref name=JFS70_11-13>''Jihad Hot Spots: 3070'', pp. 11–13: "Jihad Timeline"</ref><ref name=BA_171-73>''Blake Ascending'', pp. 171–173: "Jihad Timeline"</ref> During the subsequent Word of Blake [[Jihad]], Outreach was the victim of a nuclear orbital bombardment, leaving the Dragoons without a home. The Word of Blake attacks on Outreach in 3067 and the failed [[Battle of Mars|AMC attack on Mars]] cost the Dragoons five of their six [[WarShip]]s in just three weeks, with their flagship, the ''[[Aegis]]''-class [[Aegis#Named Vessels|WDS ''Alexander'']] destroyed covering the retreat of the surviving Dragoons from Outreach on the 28th of December 3067.<ref name="J:FRp44">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 44: "The Jihad in Review"</ref> Despite the orbital and nuclear bombardment of Outreach and a Word of Blake blockade of the planet, [[Clan Wolf-in-Exile]] sent a task force to the world on the 20th of March [[3068]]; the task force broke through the fierce Blakist resistance to rescue scores of civilians and more than two dozen Dragoons from Outreach.<ref name="J:FRp45">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 45: "The Jihad in Review"</ref> In [[3072]], elements of the Dragoons accompanied [[Adam Steiner]]'s task force to liberate the Lyran capital of [[Tharkad]]. They saw no fighting and were held in reserve, reportedly due to continued morale problems.<ref>''Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad'', p. 7</ref> The Jihad reduced the Dragoons to a single regiment, as all survivors on Arc-Royal were merged into Alpha Regiment. The rest of the Jihad, the Dragoons only played a minimal part, mostly by small units like the reborn [[Black Widow Company]] and Outreach's survivors resistance actions.<ref>''The Spider and the Wolf''</ref> ===Dark Age=== The Dragoons' only survived the Jihad thanks to the help of the Kell Hounds, [[Clan Wolf (in Exile)]] and the Lyran Commonwealth. In return, they worked for the latter for decades, fighting almost exclusively the Falcons, though they also saw action at the Free worlds lyran border.<ref>''Era Report: 3145'', p. 79</ref> At some time during the Dark Age when [[Pandora]] was held by [[Clan Jade Falcon]], Wolf's Dragoons, under contract from the Lyran Commonwealth raided the planet and were able to take some 'Mech with them.<ref name="MWDADPCp12">''MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards'', p. 12, "Collin Yukinov profile"</ref> The Dragoons were able to rebuild at least another two regiments by [[3132]], leaving them with at least the Alpha, Gamma, and Wolf Spiders regiments. However, the fall of the HPG grid in 3132 left them scattered across the Inner Sphere, unable to contact each other.<ref>''MWDA Uniques'', p. 428</ref> In [[3133]], at least a portion of the Dragoons returned to Outreach, accompanied by a group of [[Spirit Cats]], though their presence there was very brief.<ref>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 239: "Mercenary Life: The Final Frontier?"</ref> By the year [[3138]], the Dragoons have fully rebuilt their forces, which included three regiments, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, and two striker battalions, including their newest- the Tarantulas. By then, they have been working with the Lyran Commonwealth for more than 50 years and almost only fought against Clan Jade Falcon. Restless, inside the unit began growing group of which, called themselves the Spurs, wanted to change of client to show than they're still the top mercenary outfit around. Sharing that opinion, when their contract expired that year, the Dragoons' leader, General [[Thomas Brubaker]] didn't renew the contract to get away from Steiner's shadow and began searching for other clients, and found one unexpected: the Draconis Combine.<ref>''Draconis Rift'', p. 8</ref><ref>''Era Report: 3145'', p. 79-80</ref> Working alongside the ''Ryuken'', the Dragoons easily conquered the [[Draconis Reach]] and even launched a daring raid into Federated Suns space, the [[Battle of Glenmora (3140)]]. Despite suffering losses, they managed to grow during that period, creating a new unit: Wolfsbane Battalion.<ref>''Draconis Rift'', p. 249</ref> During the [[Nova Cat Rebellion]] the Dragoons kept the Federated Suns' frontier safe from Suns' attacks.<ref>''Era Report: 3145'', p. 79</ref> The Dragoons were also part of the Combine invasion of the Federated Suns several years later, and their intervention was key in defeating the Federated defenders of [[New Avalon]], in the [[Battle of New Avalon (3146)]], taking the Suns capital.<ref name=SFp29>''Shattered Fortress'', p. 29</ref> But the Dragoons' work for the Combine didn't last long. After the fall of New Avalon, the Combine began putting the mercenaries to garrison duties, claiming their victories, and arresting them for any reason, trying to force concessions on them.<ref name>''Divided We Fall'', p. 29</ref> In the year [[3150]], when Clan Wolf Khan [[Alaric Ward]]'s messenger, [[Marotta Kerensky]] invited the Dragoons to join the battle of [[Terra]], against the Jade Falcons, the Dragoons split into two factions, but after a short fight, the [[Battle of Parma (3150)]], both agreed to terminate their contract with the Combine and travel to Terra, rejoining Clan Wolf.<ref>''Divided We Fall'', p. 116</ref> ===ilClan Trial and Aftermath=== The Dragoons along with the [[Clan Wolf in Exile|exiled Wolves]] would join Clan Wolf in their battle against Clan Jade Falcon for the title of [[ilClan]]. The mercenary unit, under the command of [[Thomas Brubaker]], was charged with leading the attack with a frontal assault against their foes, on the third day of the [[ilClan Trial]]. The Dragoons successfully bloodied the Falcons but took heavy losses during the Trial - Brubaker was injured when his ''[[Tundra Wolf]]'' took fire from a Jade Falcon ''[[Cygnus (BattleMech)|Cygnus]]'', and the wounded Brubaker passed command to Major Andrew Krull of [[Gamma Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Gamma Regiment]].<ref>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 322</ref> When Alaric Ward spotted his rival, [[Malvina Hazen]], he ordered Wolf's Dragoons to withdraw to their DropShip and allow [[Anastasia Kerensky]] to make the kill. Confused by the order, the remaining Dragoons complied and withdrew, taking heavy losses in the process.<ref>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 327</ref> Meanwhile, the forces of the combined Wolves pressed forward and eventually defeated the Falcons, causing Clan Wolf to become the ilClan and Ward the [[ilKhan]]. Ward would later present the survivors of the Trial with unique medals sporting colored ribbons, which Ward termed [[BloodRibbon|BloodRibbons]] - red ribbons for survivors from Clan Wolf, green for those of Clan Jade Falcon, and gray ribbons for other combatants, including Wolf's Dragoons.<ref>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 356</ref> The day after the presentation of the BloodRibbons, Brubaker angrily confronted the ilKhan, demanding to know why he had ordered the Dragoons into a costly and furthermore unnecessary retreat from the Jade Falcons. Ward claimed that the honor of striking the finishing blow against the Jade Falcons belonged to the trueborn of Clan Wolf rather than the Dragoons and that Brubaker's assumptions that the Dragoons' participation in the Trial would enable the Dragoons to return to Clan Wolf were incorrect. Ward then presented Brubaker with an "appropriate payment" in consideration of the Dragoons' support of the Successor States against the Clans during the Clan Invasion - a velvet bag containing thirty pieces of silver. Brubaker infuriated, stated that Ward had made an enemy of Wolf's Dragoons, and stormed out of the ilKhan's office after throwing his BloodRibbon on the floor.<ref name=HOTWp358>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 358</ref> Marotta Kerensky, Clan Wolf's liaison with the Dragoons, chose to follow Brubaker and abandoned the ilKhan for his apparent betrayal of the Dragoons.<ref>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 359</ref> As stated by Brubaker, and verified by Clan Wolf [[SaKhan of Clan Wolf|saKhan]] [[Chance Vickers]],<ref>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 575</ref> the Dragoons took over 80% combat loss from the fighting against Clan Jade Falcon, thus severely weakening them and tarnishing their reputation.<ref name=HOTWp358 /> ===New command and Vendetta=== Brubaker and other Dragoons survivors made sure to keep face and salvage all advanced technology they could on Terra before departing. Once gathered with the rest of Dragoons on [[Savannah]], Colonel [[Henry Kincaid]], leader of the remaining intact Wolfsbane and Tarantula battalions, ordered the arrest and trial of all surviving Dragoons officers which went to Terra, charged for treason. The Dragoons didn't waste any time before beginning their private war against the Wolves. The Tarantulas raided the Wolf planets [[New Olympia]] and [[Campbelton]] in search of recruits and supplies, with mixed results, before settling on the unpopulated planet [[Ilion]].<ref>''Redemption Rites'', p. 133</ref> After rebuilding [[Zeta Battalion]], the newly rejuvenated force was sent under contract to take three worlds from the [[Wolf Empire]] with stunning success. Later, after resurrecting [[Epsilon Regiment|Epsilon]] and [[Delta Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Delta]] Regiments, Zeta, in a private raid by the Dragoons, attacked [[Gienah]]. In the [[Battle of Gienah (3152)]], they crushed any opposition before departing. At the same time, it was expected that at least two more Dragoons battalions were en route to other contracts against the Wolves and for the Dragoons, which in a few months had already tripled their combat force, from two active battalions to six, and destroyed or captured about Five Wolf [[Cluster]]s, all that was only the beginning.<ref>''Redemption Rites'', p. 327</ref> ==Officers== {| class="wikitable" |- ! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Rank ! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Name ! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Command |- | [[Colonel]] || [[Jaime Wolf]] || [[3004]] - [[3067]]<ref name=WDS45>''Wolf's Dragoons'', p. 45</ref> |- | [[General]] || [[Maeve Wolf]] || 3067 - [[3073]] |- | Colonel || [[Anton Blake]] || [[3085]]<ref name=FM3085p161>''Field Manual: 3085'', p. 161: "Unaligned/Uncontracted"</ref> |- | General || [[Siena Cameron]] || 3113 - [[3137]]<ref name=ER:3145p114>''Era Report: 3145'', p. 114: "Thomas Brubaker profile"</ref> |- | General || [[Thomas Brubaker]] || [[3138]]<ref name=SFp29/> - [[3151]] |- | Colonel || [[Henry Kincaid]] || [[3151]]<ref>''Redemption Rites'', p. 48</ref> - present |- |} ==Other Unit Members== [[:Category:Wolf's Dragoons Characters|List of known Wolf's Dragoons characters.]] ==Units of Wolf's Dragoons== {{div col|colwidth=25em}} * [[Alpha Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Alpha Regiment]] * [[Beta Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Beta Regiment]] * [[Gamma Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Gamma Regiment]] * [[Delta Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Delta Regiment]] * [[Epsilon Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Epsilon Regiment]] * [[Zeta Battalion (Wolf's Dragoons)|Zeta Battalion]] * [[Iota Battalion (Wolf's Dragoons)|Iota Battalion]] * [[Kappa Battalion (Wolf's Dragoons)|Kappa Battalion]] * [[Black Widow Company|Black Widow Battalion/Company]] * [[Black Wolves Company]] * [[Contract Operations Group]] * [[Fire Support Group (Wolf's Dragoons)|Fire Support Group]] * [[Home Guard (Wolf's Dragoons)|Home Guard]] * [[Orbital Operations Group (Wolf's Dragoons)|Orbital Operations Group]] * [[Seventh Kommando]] * [[Special Operations Group (Wolf's Dragoons)|Special Operations Group]] * [[Special Recon Group (Wolf's Dragoons)|Special Recon Group]] * [[Spider's Web Battalion]] * [[Support Battalion (Wolf's Dragoons)|Support Battalion]] * [[Tarantulas Battalion]] * [[Wolfsbane Battalion]] {{div col end}} ===WarShip Group=== * ''Alexander'' - ''[[Aegis (WarShip class)|Aegis]]''-class heavy cruiser. Destroyed over [[Outreach]]<ref name=MSUp120>''Mercenaries Supplemental Update'', p. 120</ref> * ''Beowulf'' - ''[[Congress]]''-class frigate. Destroyed over [[Terra|Mars]]<ref name=DOTJp35>''Dawn of Jihad'', p. 35</ref> * ''Darius'' - ''[[Lola III]]''-class destroyer. Destroyed over Outreach<ref name=DOTJp35 /> * ''Nelson'' - ''Lola III''-class destroyer. Destroyed over Outreach<ref name=MSUp120 /> * ''Athena'' - ''[[Sovetskii Soyuz (WarShip class)|Sovetskii Soyuz]]''-class heavy cruiser. Destroyed over Mars<ref name=DOTJp35 /> * ''Mars'' - ''[[Vincent#Variants|Vincent Mk 42]]''-class corvette. Destroyed over [[Buckminster]] in [[3070]]<ref name=MSUp120 /> <ref>''Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised'', p. 113</ref> ==JumpShips== * ''[[Gargoyle (Individual Odyssey-class JumpShip)|Gargoyle]]''. Assigned to ''Zeta Battalion'' in [[3152]].<ref>''Redemption Rites'', p. 235</ref> * ''[[Talbot (Individual JumpShip)|Talbot]]'' JumpShip of unknown class.<ref>''Redemption Rites'', p. 266</ref> * ''[[Sendai (Individual JumpShip)|Sendai]]'' JumpShip of unknown class.<ref name=RRiftp153>''Redemption Rift'', p. 153</ref> * ''[[Hukana Maru (Individual JumpShip)|Hukana Maru]]'' JumpShip of unknown class.<ref name=RRiftp153 /> * Several ''[[Hunter_(JumpShip_class)|Hunter]]''-class scout JumpShips<ref name="BSs53">''BattleSpace'' sourcebook, p. 53</ref> ==Unit Colors== The Dragoons' primary scheme is black on red, though various Regiments within the unit prefer to use bolder schemes. ==BattleMech Gallery== <gallery> Camomercswolfdragonns.png| A ''[[Berserker]]'' in Wolf's Dragoons colors Archer (Jaime Wolf) BTLegends.jpg| Jaime Wolf's ARC-2W ''Archer'' 3050U Hoplite.jpg|Wolf's Dragoons' ''Hoplite'' WDS Hellstar.png| Nina Slade's ''Hellstar'' with the Spider's Web colors during the Battle of Glenmora. Black Widow Company Timber Wolf BoTukayyid.png|''Timber Wolf'' in Black Widow Company colors. Wolfs Dragoons Marauder IIC EmpireAlone.jpg|A Dragoons ''Marauder IIC'' in battle. </gallery> ==Uniforms== ===Dress uniform=== The Wolf's Dragoon Dress Uniform consists of a black dress jacket, cape, and black trousers with scarlet piping. A sword or holster is added to the uniform.<ref>''Wolf's Dragoons'', p. 122</ref> <gallery> WD Officer Uniform.jpg|Wolf's Dragoons officer uniform WD Aerospace Pilot Uniform.jpg|Wolf's Dragoons aerospace pilot uniform WD Armored Vehicle Uniform.jpg|Wolf's Dragoons armored vehicle uniform WD Infantry Uniform.jpg|Wolf's Dragoons infantry uniform WD Dress Uniform.jpg|Wolf's Dragoons dress uniform Elite Dress Uniform.jpg|Wolf's Dragoons dress uniform in color </gallery> ==Notes== * ''Wolf's Dragoons'' were among the five mercenary units presented in the original ''[[BattleTech]]'' boardgame (the others being the [[Eridani Light Horse]], [[Hansen's Roughriders]], [[21st Centauri Lancers]] and [[Lindon's Company]]), and as such have been part of the BattleTech universe right from the very beginning. They also feature prominently in several novels. * Parodied as "Wolff's Baboons" in ''[[Critter-TEK]]'', where their special rules include an ability called "The Scriptwriter Is On Their Side". ==References== <references/> ==Bibliography== <div class="desktop-3-col"> * ''[[BattleTech, 2nd Edition]]'' * [[Blackthorne BattleTech (Comic series)|Blackthorne ''BattleTech'' comic]], issue #4 - "Finals" * ''[[Blake Ascending]]'' * ''[[Dawn of the Jihad]]'' * ''[[Divided We Fall]]'' (novella) * ''[[Era Report: 3145]]'' * ''[[Field Manual: 3085]]'' * ''[[Field Manual: 3145]]'' * ''[[Field Manual: Crusader Clans]]'' * ''[[Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised]]'' * ''[[Field Manual: Warden Clans]]'' * ''[[Historical: Brush Wars]]'' * ''[[Historical: War of 3039]]'' * ''[[Hour of the Wolf]]'' (novel) * ''[[Invading Clans]]'' * ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: 3070]]'' * ''[[Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad]]'' * ''[[Making a Name]]'' (short story) * ''[[Mercenaries Supplemental Update]]'' * ''[[Mercenary's Handbook 3055]]'' * ''[[More Tales of the Black Widow]]'' * ''[[Objective Raids]]'' * ''[[Redemption Rift]]'' (novel) * ''[[Redemption Rites]]'' * ''[[Shattered Fortress]]'' * ''[[Starterbook: Wolf and Blake]]'' * ''[[Tales of the Black Widow Company]]'' * ''[[Technical Readout: 3025]]'' * ''[[Wolf Clan Sourcebook]]'' * ''[[Wolf Pack]]'' (novel) * ''[[Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook)|Wolf's Dragoons]]'' (sourcebook) * ''[[Wolves on the Border]]'' (novel) </div> [[Category:Mercenary Commands|Wolf's Dragoons]]

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