advance guard
Troops sent ahead
An advance guard is a detachment of soldiers sent ahead of the main force to scout, secure routes, or provide early warning of enemy contact.
The term extends to any group that goes first to prepare the way: The tech companies served as an advance guard for the broader economic transformation.
Also called a vanguard.
Information-gathering before action
- patrolRegular surveillance route
- flankersThose protecting the sides
- skirmishersLight troops in loose formation
- outridersMounted advance guards
scouts · infantry · cavalry · platoon · squadron · commandos · rangers · paratroopers
First to forge ahead
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
- innovatorCreator of new methods
- pathfinderOne who discovers routes
- groundbreakerInnovator, first to act
forerunner · trendsetter · visionary · avant-garde · early adopter · changemaker · cutting edge · revolutionary
One who foreshadows
- heraldOfficial news announcer
- forerunnerOne that comes before
- portentSign of future calamity
- omenProphetic indicator
signal · forewarning · prelude · foretaste · antecedent · prologue · foreshadowing · presage
Handheld defensive armor
- bufferProtective intermediate space
- screenDisplay or barrier
- coverProtect by overlaying
- barrierObstruction preventing passage
bulwark · defender · safeguard · picket line · early warning
reconnaissance
Information-gathering before action
- patrolRegular surveillance route
- flankersThose protecting the sides
- skirmishersLight troops in loose formation
outriders · scouts · infantry · cavalry · platoon · squadron · commandos · rangers · paratroopers · dragoons
trailblazer
First to forge ahead
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
- innovatorCreator of new methods
- pathfinderOne who discovers routes
groundbreaker · forerunner · trendsetter · visionary · avant-garde · early adopter · changemaker · cutting edge · revolutionary · reformer
harbinger
One who foreshadows
- heraldOfficial news announcer
- forerunnerOne that comes before
- portentSign of future calamity
omen · signal · forewarning · prelude · foretaste · antecedent · prologue · foreshadowing · presage · indicator
shield
Handheld defensive armor
barrier · bulwark · defender · safeguard · picket line · early warning
- guardsbodyguard, protector, sentinel, sentry, watchman
- trailblazerstrailblazers, pioneers, innovators, groundbreakers, forerunners
- war participantssoldiers, troops, armies, army, combatants
- Pioneerspioneer, pioneers, forerunner, trailblazer, innovator
- assault troopsshock troops, assault teams, storm troopers, stormtroopers, strike teams
- Lexington and ConcordLexington, Concord, minutemen, militia, British redcoats
advance guardrear guard
Troops covering a retreat
rearguard · rear echelon · reserve force · baggage train · tail end
advance guardold guard
Conservative faction within organization
laggards · traditionalists · conservatives · rearguard · stragglers
guard, advance, guardian, advanced, advancement, advancing, advances, vanguard, guardianship