Going pell mell during summer break

[JohnF]

Exactly, Patch was understandably miffed when I put a
hole in his shield. It costs time and money to repair and replace
equipment. So, as well as the judgement call on how hard to hit, we must
consider our opponents feelings about their kit being damaged. We must
also understand the limits of our kit.

If a person wears armour they will get dents, butted mail gets holes,
swords get nicks. The only sure way to make kit last is to leave it at
home, hanging on a wall and never use it. The nature of fighting is that kit
gets hit, and at some point it will fail. As you said above, people would
take multiple shields to war and tournament. The ancients knew that
shields are easy to break. Shields are a consumable. Same as a lance
used for jousting. Or shoes to a runner, or tyres to a boy racer, or new
cars to the demolition derby driver. Some sports are more expensive than
others.

What is important is circumstance. Was the damage normal wear and
tear? What was the intent of the attacker? Was the shield fit for it
purpose? Was the shield used correctly?

Thrusting against a shield is a valid tournament tactic. Against some
opponents it will create fear. Fear can cause them to freeze. This creates
an opportunity to score a valid hit. A blunt tip can be jammed into the
shield trim to push it aside so a buddy can make a hit. Doing this with a
sharp tip may risk being disarmed. But the butt of a polearm is admirably
suited to pushing a shield out of the way - and has much less risk of
damaging it.

I put it to you that in grand melee there is not the same scope for using
the feints and non linear footwork of the duel. I would also suggest that
shock and awe through a barrage of attacks, including the shield, can be
a useful strategy. It is a poor strategy to try and defend against every
attack in turn. The attacker is able to plan the next attack whilst the
defender is still responding to the current one. The purpose of a barrage
is to disrupt the willingness or ability to fight.

I agree that noobs should refrain from thrusting at shields until they know
when, why, and how to do so correctly. Else they will repeat my poor
strike to Patch's shield. Or worse, cause injury.

[Silver]

I have always put forward the idea of the shield being an offensive weapon
not a stationary thing
if it is in one place you cant move, simple?
also a hit in the ribs with a shield (or face if you ask robbo) is not fun well in a way
I think that shields should get to the point where the are a case weapon to what you have and if you think of it like that you are more likely to flow with an attack and respond rather than absorb a hit

[Mad Jim]

Don't forget shield punches I always liked and wanted to do shield punches though for play it can be far to devestating!..
Yes kit fails, and shield, swords, spears etc as you pointed out all have a shelf life..and just thinking about shield punches, in the past, one day against Frolic, when we were involved with the Company of the Sacred Sword we were close in battle when, I am not sure what happened as to why, but I had a round convex shield [made by Mr Red Beard, which I still have and an awesome shield it is] that I wound upward, unfortuniatly for Frolic he was so close that I wound up into his helmet visor and drove it into his nose bridge! Thus leaving a scar..blood everywhere ahah. Though back to this my guys here they tended to hold the shield very close to their person and as a result in combat had their noses bashed from either my shield in motion against theirs or they would ram the shield into them selves! Took a little while but they learnt from it ahahah

This doesn't really have to much to do with the thread but funny anyhow!

[JohnF]

I agree with Silver. Those who stand still get hit. The shield is a weapon. Use it!

[JohnF]

I have scored a few own goals from holding my shield too close.

[Mad Jim]

I have found also that people sometimes forget that they have a shield for defence, eg: they try to defend most incomming attacks with their weapon and not the shield, and when striking they leave the shield behind thus giving a nice opening.
I have seen this also when using sword and buckler, as I tend to encourge people to keep their shields covering them at all times as with the buckler, as you guys would know in I:33 the buckler and sword are pretty much one, where as the later works on S&B the buckler is more independent, but still its giving cover...and as what Silver says..yea keeping your shield/body/weapon in motion is as good as living! a stationary target is a good as dead target...