Soldier following leaders masquerading as sorcerers (4)
I believe the answer is:
magi
'sorcerers' is the definition.
(magus is a kind of sorcerer)
'soldier following leaders masquerading as' is the wordplay.
'soldier' becomes 'gi' (government issue or general issue**).
'following' says to put letters next to each other.
'leaders' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letters of 'masquerading as' is 'ma'.
'gi' after 'ma' is 'MAGI'.
(Other definitions for magi that I've seen before include "Travellers in NT" , "Eastern men of lore; Epiphany figures" , "Wise men, visitors to Bethlehem" , "Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar" , "The three Wise Men of Bethlehem" .)