The ships were ordered as part of a construction program intended to begin replacing the old Jäger-class gunboats that had been built a decade earlier, and to strengthen the fleet's force of cruising vessels as the recently founded German Empire began to expand its commercial activities, particularly in China.

Unlike the older ships, the Wolf class was intended to serve abroad to protect German economic interests overseas.

The ships were armed with a battery of two medium-caliber guns and five lighter weapons, and had a top speed of 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph).

Wolf was used to map Germany's colonies in western Africa, while Hyäne worked in German home waters.

The two Albatross-class gunboats and the rebuilt Cyclop were too few for the task of patrolling the Far East, so another three vessels were ordered according to the fleet plan that had been approved in 1872.

[1][2] Unlike the earlier German gunboats, which were entirely of wood construction, the Wolf class would be built with iron.

[4][5] They were powered by a marine steam engine that drove a 2-bladed screw propeller that was 2.53 m (8 ft 4 in) wide, which could be retracted while the ships were operating under sail.

To supplement the steam engine on long voyages, the ships were fitted with a barque sailing rig with a total surface area of 541 m2 (5,820 sq ft).

The Wolf-class ships carried an additional pair of 8.7 cm (3.4 in) K L/24 built up guns, which were supplied with 200 rounds of ammunition.

In place of these removed weapons, she received a 5 cm (2 in) SK L/40 quick-firing gun, supplied with 250 rounds of ammunition.

[4][5] The three ships of the Wolf class spent nearly their entire careers in active service on foreign stations, generally returning to Germany only for overhauls and modifications.

She moved to eastern Africa in early 1886 to support attempts to establish a colony there before returning home in late 1887.

The ship spent much of this time patrolling the coast of China, ready to protect German nationals in the country if need be.

[9] Wolf's next cruise, which lasted from 1886 to 1895, initially returned to East Asian waters, but she spent most of her time abroad in the South Pacific.

During this period, Hyäne operated in Kamerun in Central Africa and routinely supported efforts to suppress rebellions against German rule.

Renamed Seewolf, she served as a commercial vessel until 2 May 1924, when her cargo caught fire in Dieppe, France.