"Wolfnet" is the informal name (there is no official designation) of the "intelligence agency" assembled by Fishbait (who is referred to as "Alpha" or "the Bitch" in her role as Chief of Intelligence).

Wolfnet is loosely divided into 7 (or 8, depending on how you count) "Offices":

WD0 - Command Group: Leadership. Not really a "group", just a few guys, headed by Fishbait
WD1 - Strategic Studies: Some dudes (part time) that try to make long-term plans, formulate goals and policies.
WD2 - Special Affairs: Tasked with keeping lostech safe and the "Wolf Thing" out of the limelight.
WD3 - Military Intelligence: Provide higher level (operational and above) military intel for the Lancers.
WD4 - Information Processing: Part information gathering from public or semi-public sources, part real espionage (Wolfnet has VERY limited resources for this).
WD5 - Counterintelligence: Tries to vet out enemy spies. Also tasked with mundane stuff, like screening recruits.
WD6 - Security and Policing: Military police, physical and digital security. VIP guards/escorts.
WD7 - Special Operations: Some soldiers, both battle armored and regular, have received "special ops training". Whatever that is.

Carlyle's Commandos was a mercenary unit consisting of two battlemech lances, plus supporting infantry and logistics assets. The unit and its commander, Durant Carlyle, were wiped out by "pirate forces" while defending Trellwan at the turn of the millennium.

All movable assets belonging to the company were taken as salvage by the pirates, including dropship assets. Carlyle's underage son, Grayson, was never accounted for. He is believed dead - or enslaved.

It was never confirmed, but LIC reports from the incident citied it as "likely" that forces from the Combine were either behind the whole thing or at the very least supporting the pirates. If so, it is probable that "The Red Duke", Henri Ricol of Rodigo, was involved.

As of 3003 AD the company was stricken from the MRB's list of active merc companies.

"The Bounty Hunter" was the title of a heroic team-style tri-vid show that aired from 2956-2968.

Supposedly based on a true story, that being the mercenary life of the nameless "Bounty Hunter" and his emerald green mech (often, but not always a Marauder), the producers instead developed their own mythos almost completely unrelated to the "real" person (more likely than not it was an assumed identity shared by several different people across time and space).

The popularity of the series was such that that it spawned numerous sequels, prequels and spin-offs, as well as reboots. Ironically, the number of green-painted "Bounty Hunters" at large in the Inner Sphere grew as the franchise gained in popularity...

"Mercenary Hearts", the Channel 7 show following the life and exploits of Takari Tanida and the Black Wolf Lancers, is often compared to "The Bounty Hunter". That comparison is solid when it comes to viewer ratings, but "The Bounty Hunter" was never a reality show, but a serialized adventure created by a team of writers and producers.

Stellar is ex-Davion, a disgraced (no one seems to know what it was all about - other than of was a matter of honor) knight that chose exile over the ridicule of her peers. She’s an attractive, if dour, woman in her late 20s/early30s (she doesn’t tell, but it's been a few years, so we're probably talking mid-to-late 30s now) that drinks and smokes entirely too much (if asked she claims to be a connoisseur of fine spirits and cigars). She does not enter into close personal relations, instead devoting all her time to her work.

Stellar signed on with the Lancers, initially as a lowly lance commander, then rising all the way up to battalion command (2nd Bn, 1st Regiment) in no time at all. She's slated to take over the 3rd Regiment. She previously had command (NAIS) and combat experience (vs Kurita/Liao both), but no mercenary experience. She prefers to bring her 19th century (American Civil War) cavalry saber whenever possible and even takes it into the cockpit. She owned and piloted her own Javelin "Special" called Jarvis (technically it was a mech that belonged to the AFFS, but because reasons it’s listed as destroyed in action). As a battalion CO she's long since been upgraded to a T-bolt.

Her callsign is not related to her first name (well, maybe a little), but derived from her tendency to use the word “stellar” a lot. Sometimes it means “good”, sometimes it means “bad”, sometimes it means something else entirely. It all depends on mood and context. Sometimes, when she's not hearing, her men (and women) call her "the Black Bitch" with a certain reverence in their voices.

The Lancers ambushed and defeated in detail the merc contingent of the Red Duke's strike force. Their leader, Colonel Arkham Stone, was captured, injured but alive, as were a number of mechwarriors. Takari promised them safe and free passage back to the IS, and even offered to hire any man who would pass the BWL muster.

The mercs were made up of four companies that had fallen on hard times, and been forces to seek employment outside the MRB. They included:

Blue Tigers: Once a fairly successful company, the Blue Tigers almost reached regimental size twenty years ago, before dwindling into obscurity and bankruptcy. it wasn't so much a fall as a slow, wasting illness.

Willard's Marauders: This company was made up of former AFFS servicemen. Served for about a decade in Davion employ, guarding unimportant worlds along the Taurian border. Dismissed after they were found to be dealing with pirates. Banned by the MRB, they went into the Periphery in search of work.

Killson Company: The most famous of the four, the Killson Company was once an elite unit, made up mostly of men with experience from the Solaris arenas. They erned fame and fortune in some truly daring raids back in their heyday. It's been nearly ten years since their last contract, so they were pretty much assumed to be nonexistent at this point.

Argus Irregulars: Comprised mostly of Terrans, the Argus Irregulars tired to employ combined arms tactics. They would have been more successful if they hadn't tried to do so with far too few and too light mechs. Took several MRB black marks for being understrength during (the board was probably tipped of, as they rarely launch investigations without good intel).

GM notes: Feel free to make up some mechwarriors with backgrounds from these 4 extinct merc companies.

Anastasia is a tall, blond (possibly natural) Caucasian woman in her late 30s or early 40s (although with Terran medtech it's hard to say a woman's age for certain). She is a ComStar official, with the rank of Precentor (she's not related to THE Blake). She seems to have close ties to the military, so she is possible a Precentor Martial, but she could also be a Precentor ROM.

Precentor Blake was the facilitator for the secret Combine-Lancer talks that ended with Takashi Kurtia being returned to his family (after which a grateful Coordinator gifted the Lancers with a Star Lord and 3 Overlords). She even offered the use of her own private, very modest, Swiss mountainside home (well, maybe not THAT modest - it did include a VTOL platform and rooms for nearly 50 people).

On the losing end of some form of interal ComStar power struggle. Currently living in disguise as a mechwarrior with the Katanas (her appearance has been cleaver altered by Dr. Jacobs, making her look very different from her true self). Captain Winters (Snow White) seems to be an ally/friend/whatever. The same applies to the matronly Demi-Precentor "Nani" Dell of Waldorff, and Colonel Carson Holmes Esq., commanding officer 2nd ComGuards/Sandhurst Academy.

Hendrik I Grimm, King of Oberon: Deserted from the LCAF and fled into the Periphery with the remnants of his own 6th and the 5th Lyran Regulars. Eventually made himself pirate king of the Oberon Confederacy. Was finally tracked down and forced to battle at Crater (Henry's Star) Lyran Guards Colonel Melissa Musgrave. The ageing Grimm defeated the Lyrans, but paid the ultimate price. The crown passed to his son, Hendirk.

Hendrik II Grim, King of Oberon: After spending years solidifying his grip on the realm (a typical problem for dictatorships) and expanding his influence to nearby systems, the second Grimm started raiding nearby realms. After the disaster at Somerset, he ceased raiding well defended regions, and instead took to statesmanship. He gained an alliance through marriage with the Greater Valkyrate (between his son, Hendrik III Grimm, Morgraine, the Pirate Queen of the Valkyrate), and subjugated the Elysian Fields (a largely non-piratical kingdom) and several indep systems. Killed by his own bannerman, Graf Tyros the Elder, and his head given over to the Wolves.

Hendrik Grim the Younger, Crown Prince of Oberon: Said to be an able military commander and mechwarrior. Married to Morgraine, the Valkyrian Queen to secure her allegiance. He has one daughter by her (and many bastards by loose women of all levels of society - if the rumors be true). Killed by his own father's guards in 3002, in what was a failed attempt to keep the (Black) Wolves at bay.

Tallia I Grimm, Queen of Oberon: The late king's oldest living child (Hendrik the Younger is her little brother). She had an expensive IS education and spent years at court, both in the Combine and the Commonwealth. Passed over for succession. Forbidden to marry by her father (probably to avoid complicating the succession).

Graf Tyros the Elder: One of King Henrik II's oldest and most loyal captains. Was turned to Queen Tallia I's cause, and delivered the King's head to his enemies. He was later made the Duke of Trellwan and moved there with his household his followers, and his (short) company of mechs.

Precentor Victor Ohm: Master of the Oberon VI Class B HPG facility. Implicated in the plot by the Combine/King Grimm to seize the ComStar jumpship and steal the SLDF computer core. Arrested by Anastasia Blake, pending an investigation.

Henri V Ricol, the "Red Duke" of Ricol: The head of an ancient clan of samurai. An important noble in the Rasalhague District and a respected mech commander. One of his ancestors earned the nickname the "Red Duke" after a particularly violent reign (even by Combine standards), many years ago.

Hassid Ricol: The Duke's son. A mechwarrior.

Formerly of the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces, 10th Lyran Guards, Schwarzkopf got tired of the general incompetence of the Steiner brass and the extreme favoritism shown to those with the money and proper connections (Adolf's family is only tenuously nobility - but more importantly, not very rich). As with so many young officers, he felt he was smarter, more handsome, and a better mechwarrior than those who got promoted instead of him.

Against the wishes of his father, Adolf brought his family mech (a Blackjack) to Solaris, where he ended up in the same stable as Takari. He enjoyed a 2 to 1 win-loss ratio, which was rather good, but hardly good enough to propel him to fame and fortune. He was recruited alongside the original Lancers, but didn't go through the interview process (since he was known to Takari).

He was given a place in the Katanas' command lance after Roq was murdered by DEST on St. John. He was upgraded to the Grasshopper named "Lindorm" in Puppy's honor, since it was felt his Blackjack was too light and slow. He's currently waiting for the Guillotine to finish refitting.

His callsign was originally "Black Adolf", from his old unit, where there were four Normans – but only one of them a Negroid. His mech was painted with a black head, mostly as a joke, and called “Schwarzkopf”. In the Katanas he's only called “Schwarzkopf” (mech still has a black head).

Mirage is a slight redhead in her mid-twenties (that was back in 2997 - she's soon to become permanently 29). She’s rather attractive, save for the disheveled hair, vicious facial scar, the broken nose and the permanent scowl marring her face (expertly fixed - save the scowl - by Dr. Jacobs).

Mirage hails from "the Periphery", more specifically the Oberon Confederation (out beyond the Commonwealth/Combine border). The daughter of a minor “Lord” on the planet Ferris II, she spent her youth training as a mechwarrior and mechtech. Later she joined her father’s band of piratical mercenaries and raided Periphery worlds for slaves and tech supplies (she's pretty much failed to mention this part, having always portrayed herself more as a victim than a "pirate princess").

During one raid against a world on the Commonwealth border (Somerset to be more specific), they were unfortunate enough to run into a Steiner peacekeeping force, a full battalion of medium and heavy mechs. The pirates were decimated and the survivors arrested, but Mirage managed to pass off as a slave and thus escaped execution. She made her way to Solaris in the hopes of finding employment, but it was difficult to find anyone willing to take her on without a mech to her name or any form of credentials.

She was one of the original Lancer recruits, picked up on Solaris, alongside Puppy, Jimmy and Catnip. Takari gave her the break she needed, and she will never forget that leap of faith. From her first hours in a company Stinger, Mirage has come very far. She now pilots the Hatchetman prototype that's part of the Katanas' command lance, and she's got more wealth than she ever had as a Periphery "nobility". Not bad for a girl who nearly ended her life on the end of a rope.

Life hasn't been all kind to her though. She was very close to Puppy, and still mourns her. She also had a thing for the boss man, but what girl doesn't? She had a fling with Drivethrough, but that's over (apparently it was quite hot, for a time, until it crashed and burned). She seems very pleased with Tooms and Ogre having been accidented. She's not so happy about Fishbait being large and in charge. They don't really mix well. Oil and water and all that.

Her callsign comes from her uncanny ability to move unseen, appear from nowhere to unleash hell, then fade away before the enemy can mount an effective response. She’s at her best in fast, agile mechs. The Hatchetman is a little on the slow side for her, but it does suit her temperament and fighting style in some ways.

Catnip is the Katanas' second in command, Takari's right hand man, and a very loyal samurai.

He is a former DCMS mechwarrior (he had 2 confirmed kills in his Panther before joining the BWL) of the 9th Dieron Regulars. He was dispossessed at Tamar when the 2nd Sword of Light pulled out and left the remaining Combine forces to. He was never a samurai in Combine service, and therefore not a true ronin. After receiving the daisho from his master, Takari, Lord Chesterton, he does consider himself to be samurai and to hell with the Combine.

Catnip is of mixed Asian-African ancestry (think Japanese mixed with Sub-Saharan African). He considers himself God's gift to all women (not that Takari bothers with these things, but he can't avoid having noticed that Catnip is no longer his amorous self - he's in some form of not-quite-secret relationship with Valkyrie).

Catnip is one of the original Lancers. He was recruited on Solaris, alongside such notables as Puppy, Jimmy and Mirage. He quickly worked his way into the Katanas. He originally piloted an old gladiator's Panther called "Quilt", then moved on to a modified PH, an d then took over Takari's old "Kamikaze". He now pilots a lostech "Royal" Black Knight by the name "Katanacat". As of the ladning on Oberon VI he has 23 kills to his name, making him a company level multi-ace.

“Catnip” is named after the plant that’s so appealing to most cats. It started when someone (one of his mechtechs probably) called him “A catnip to women” and the term stuck. Kwan isn’t sure if he likes it or not, but he doesn’t hate the callsign. It’s not like he has a choice in the matter anyway.