Nuclear Renaissance Forces: The Wolf Clan

As part of my series of articles on the Nuclear Renaissance setting I thought I would make a start on the forces that inhabit it and to start with I thought I would cover the Wolf Clan.

Background

As is said, many animals died in the final Nuclear conflict. The land was poisoned, and species died out as their habitats were destroyed. However, the tenacious have lingered. The serpents still slither on their bellies, the carrion birds circle and wheel in the skies and the wolf howls on the plain. Indeed the wolves have prospered. They are intelligent hunters and canny scavengers.

It is only to be expected that man copies them in these leaderless times. Wolves may be feral hunters and cunning trap layers, but they are also nurturing parents, and highly social animals. Stories abound of children abandoned in the wastes being taken in by the wolves and raised as part of the pack. Indeed, many folk of the wolf clan owe their lives to the wolf mothers who suckled them.

The wolf clan is as close as it gets in the wastes to a religion. They are a cult who worship wolf deities, and are held in thrall by their beliefs. They reckon that the way of life is to hunt and prey upon the weak, that the pack is the highest authority in all matters.

The alpha members lead the rest of the packs towards goals unknown outside of the clan. Greycoats, Long Fangs and Black Wolves prowl the wastes looking for fresh meat. All protect the cubs and mothers. These are the castes of the wolf clan. The older Grey coats are the wisest of them. The long fangs the seasoned war veterans, and the Black Wolves the young fighting elite. Most feared though are the Wolf Brides, who are said to practice witch craft. Strange powers of the moon send them into trances, when it is said they are granted powers by the wolf goddess, The White Wolf.

Wolf and human are not regarded as separate, and while Wolves cannot speak the tongue of man, man lacks many wisdoms that a lupine mind can teach. There is no distinction in the castes between the two races of animal. They live as symbiotes. Man and wolf are free to take a bride of either species. Those married to wolf ride as cavalry on their steeds, with the free wolves running alongside as their nomadic lifestyles take them far and wide. To keep stride, the people of the tribe often use vehicles. Some travel ahead as scouts, and some even go as prophets. They spread the creed of the wolf cult, and enlist new members. This keeps the human side of the tribe vital and abreast of technology, a necessity out in the poisoned lands they make their home. Most full moons, people of the boneyards stay indoors. The howls they hear are not just of the wolf, but of man too.

(Text Courtesy of Ramshackle Games)

A good example of one of the Wolf Clan is Uffe, a prophet of the White Wolf. He travels ahead of the clan to spread their creed and enlist new initiates to the pack.

Uffe of the Wolf Clan

I quite like the idea of a clan of animal worshipping barbarians traveling the wastes accompanied by packs of great wolves. I can imagine their vehicles being covered in pelts and rather grizzly trophies while the clan itself are a bunch of hard cases in wolf skins.

Alas there arent any other official Wolf Clan miniatures available from Ramshackle at the moment but there are plenty of suitable proxies from other companies. A prime example of this would be the Imperial Wolfbanes from Warzone and quite a few fantasy miniatures. As for wolves, you are spoiled for choice as just about every fantasy range has a few!

I plan on fielding a small force of them at some point in the future, possibly a raiding party with fast vehicles and accompanied by several wolves. Theres even a couple of the old Leviathan resin monsters available from Scotia Grendel that would make excellent great wolves (possibly even the White Wolf herself!)

Next up will be the Friendly Panda Chemical Corporation!

All the best!