The Schnocneg Regiment

the Schnocneg Regiment, often nicknamed the "S-Regiment" or "Prong Cavalry" is a long standing regiment of the Fumayan army making up a large portion of Fumaya's fighting gnomes.
The Prong Cavalry are made up of combat trained gnomes riding reindeer.

Composition

Manpower

Typically, the Schnocneg Regiment has about thirty active warriors, and about forty squires and aids. Since Fumaya has been on the brink of war for some time, some older members have come out of retirement to re-enlist and volunteers have swelled to about fifty warriors, and eighty support staff/squires.

Weaponry

The gnomes tend to fight with light lances, sabers, and light crossbows as they can be used while mounted relatively easily. They tend to wear gnomish sized versions of heavy armor when dressed for battle, but they will often take lighter kit when acting as scouts or messengers.
The current commander has stated that gnomes riding reindeer are too conspicuous for most stealthy scouting or couriers services and has insisted that every gnome take their full kit on every quest or action.

Vehicles

The Schnocneg Regiment has about a hundred trained wardeer, and another hundred riding reindeer being trained for battle as quickly as possible. They have another two hundred reindeer to carry supplies and/or serve as breeding stock.

Tactics

The Schnocneg Regiment is trained primarily trained to act in a combined arms fashion providing cover fire, flank support, and screening actions to aid allied human infantry units.
While the current military conflict has little call for this, some Schocneg gnomes are trained for long range reconaisance in the frozen wilderness. Often these "long riders" will take four or five mares with them so they can switch steeds to keep them from tiring out too quickly. Also, gnome riders have no compunctions of drinking their steeds' milk so they don't have to carry or forage for as much food.

Logistics

Upkeep

The gnomes are paid the full salary of most human men-at-arms in Fumaya.
Compared to human cavalry units, the cost of equipment and upkeep is fairly cheap.

Recruitment

The Schnocneg Regiment is made up entirely of volunteers, most of them come from the gnomes living in the northern portions of Fumaya with over half of them coming from Duchy of Zimoz and the majority of the remainder coming from the Duchy of Frymar. Most, but not all of them grew up around reindeer and many are the sons or grandsons of previous regiment members.
Gnomes are rarely turned down unless they are clearly in inferior condition.
Female gnomes are allowed to join, though many claim they are actually given stricter physical tests than the men. A little less than one in ten regiment members are female.

History

Small numbers of gnomes in West Colassia have been riding domesticated reindeer similar to how humans ride horses, but gnomes rarely rode reindeer into battle, until Sir Schnocneg the Reindeer Knight popularized the pratice.
The Schnocneg Regiment was founded by the gnome adventurer named Schnocneg who after living as a free lance adventurer for decades, famous for keeping at least three to four "war deer" at all times.
After getting his fill of adventuring, he was knighted by a friendly Fumayan human noble and charged with training other gnomes in his fighting style creating the legacy "Schnocneg Regiment" which has last for generations.

Historical loyalties

Almost all of the recruits are Fumayan gnomes, and they are loyal to their patriots. At this point, most riders are legacies being the sons or grandsons of previous cavalry gnomes.
Originally the Schnocneg Regiment reported to the Duke of Zimoz but later command was ceded to Kingdom of Fumaya.
While the northern most County of Polnoc has a fair few reindeer, few gnomes choose to live here often disagreeing with the often literally insane policies of Count Obrect Polnoc (aka Obrect the Cub). The "prong cavalry" have generally been avoiding Polnoc lands unless they have no choice.

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Type

Cavalry

Founding

1648

Overall training Level

Professional

Assumed Veterancy

Trained

Used by

• Fumaya Armed Forces