About Shields

About Shields

This is a listing of quotes and advice from players in their own words, about that lovely bit of Amtgard Equipment, the board.

Sponge

It (A larger shield} may get in the way of a few shots you're used to throwing, but the difference is fairly minute, so it probably won't. just work to find adjustments, like moving your shield out an inch or two so the shot path is no longer blocked.

Corbin

Assuming an arm-mounted shield.

Most up and comers fail with a shield because they force themselves to hold it perpendicular to their opponent(s).

Especially with a larger shield, this will tend to cut off your attacking arm and limit your momentum.

First, take your sword and stand without the shield as if you where fighting single sword. Sword arm, sword, and sword leg forward.

Second, hang the shield on your off arm and hold it so that no movement is required to block a shoulder slot to your sheild side.

Third, kill your opponent(s).

Brennon

Unless you're a really big guy that shield is going to be a disadvantage, not an advantage.

By big I don't mean 'fat', I mean 'is really tall, has broad shoulders. and has really long arms.' That's an Arg-sized shield.

For comparison I'm six foot with broad shoulders and a 6'2" arm span and my shield is only 28 inches in diameter.

Tanath

The most milage your going to get out of a big shield like that is a bridge or castle battle, where you can use it as a door.

Other than that, your better off with a stuffed parrot.

Kerb

The smaller your shield is the more room you have to throw shots around it, so really the idea is to make it really small so you can swing around it but make it big enough you can still cover all targets, so really if you can hand block anything and everything your shield only needs to be as big as your hand so the actions of your weapon are unhindered. Mostly however 28 to 32 is normal becuase it doesnt require as much active movement and still allows a good variety of attacking options.

Glen

As a general rule of thumb, I'd say if you can't tuck your shield under your armpit and still fold the fingers of that arm around the opposite edge of the shield (assuming a round), your shield is too big and will start to interfere with your shots.

I'm 6'2" and I used a shield that is just under 30", and it's probably about half an inch or so too big around to be ideal, but I've never gotten around to trimming it. My old 29" shield was almost perfect, but some cretin stole it.

Cedric Einarsson

There's a lot of prejudice against large shields. They worry that it will get in the way, or that it will slow them down, or a thousand other things. But the people I have seen complain loudest tend to be the ones that don't know how to use shields properly. It is true that using a shield means you can't attack with both hands. But a good fighter can kill easily with only one weapon.

They say the best way to avoid being hit is to be somewhere else when the shot lands. But even better is to have the shot land where it's not supposed to. Use the shield to interfere with your opponent's vision and his maneuverability. Use it to limit his options to a few predictable moves. Think about the problems your shield causes you and figure a way to apply those problems to your opponent.