Shield

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A shield used by the Spartan army

A shield is a broad piece of personal armor carried on the arm or in the hand. Throughout human history, it was widely utilized by soldiers to defend against attacks in close combat or to intercept projectiles.

Description

Historically, the shield was generally intended to act as a defensive complement to a handheld weapon. While it may vary widely in construction, shape, and size, its general profile is the same: a broad, sturdy disc of wood or metal which may provide some cover to its wielder. Unlike other types of armor which are worn, it is carried on the offhand, most often with a band or handle underneath by which it may be held. Designed for close quarters combat, it can be effective at intercepting projectiles, such as arrows, and blocking the blows of swords and other weapons.

Aside from personal protection, large shields could also be used to erect barricades by forming a line with shield-bearers. This tactic was employed by Crusaders during the Third Crusade in an attempt to prevent the escape of enemies or to force them to partake in personal duels against their commanders. Even so, they were not immune to being forcibly broken through, as demonstrated by the Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad in 1190 during his duel with the Templar leader Basilisk.

History

A basic yet efficient means of defense, shields have been used throughout much of the history of human warfare. They were standard service in the army of the Roman Republic and widely common among warriors of contemporary societies such as Egypt and Greece. During the Peloponnesian War, both Spartan and Athenian soldiers frequently carried shields into battle displaying their respective states' symbols.

Bayek wielding a sword and shield in battle

In Egypt during the 1st century BCE, the Medjay Bayek of Siwa, who eventually became a co-founder of the Hidden Ones, favored the typical combination of a sword and shield.

During the Viking Age, shields saw wide usage among the Vikings, who typically paired them with battleaxes and adorned them with their clan's emblem. The Raven Clan shieldmaiden Eivor Varinsdottir wielded a number of different shields during her adventures throughout Norway and the British Isles, and also fought against various shield-bearing enemies, the most challenging of which were the imposing Standard Bearers.

Shields gradually faded in prevalence over the course of the next several centuries. At the time of the Renaissance, guards did not generally rely on shields, although they continued to be an invaluable asset of field armies as protection against arrow volleys.

With the advent of firearms, shields, like swords, began to be phased out entirely in state militaries such that by the 18th century, they were unheard of among European soldiers. However, in other parts of the world, such as China, shields continued to see some usage. Sailors and pirates alike carried shields on their ships to use as protection against projectiles, while the Qing military was trained in the use of shields to deflect bullets. The Rattan Shield Company was an elite military force that specialized in the usage of the rattan shield, which they took their name from.

Shield statistics

Ptolemaic Egypt (1st century BCE)

{{#section:AC:CST/Weapons|"Origins Shield"}}

Name	Rarity	Quality (Max Level 55)	Damage (Max Level 55)	Attributes	Availability

**Only available after downloading The Curse of the Pharaohs

Viking expansion (9th century)

Light Shields

{{#section:AC:CST/Weapons|"Valhalla Light shield"}}

Name	Class	Atk	Spd	Block	Stun	Crit Pre	Wgt	Availability

Heavy Shields

{{#section:AC:CST/Weapons|"Valhalla Heavy shield"}}

Name	Class	Atk	Spd	Block	Stun	Crit Pre	Wgt	Availability

Behind the scenes

A shield from Project Legacy

In Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles, shields are used in two areas by Crusaders as a means to block the exit of the player, thereby forcing a duel with a particular enemy. Once the fight was over, the player must use the skill Shield Bash to break through the barricade by directly charging through it.

In the crafting system of Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy, one shield is made from four bars of copper, two bars of tin, and one set of pine logs. This suggests that the metal plating of the shields are forged from bronze, yet they appear to be iron. Two shields and one shield in turn are used to train one group of swordsmen and one Roman sentry respectively.

In Assassin's Creed: Origins, shields feature as a weapon that can be equipped by the player for the first time in the series. They were absent as a usable weapon in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey but returned in Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, where the option to wield two shields simultaneously is made available.

Gallery

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  Concept art of shields in Origins
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  Concept art of shields in Origins
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  Concept art of shields in Odyssey
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  Concept art of shields in Odyssey
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  Concept art of shields in Valhalla
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  Concept art of shields in Valhalla
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  Concept art of kite shields in Valhalla
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  Concept art of kite shields in Valhalla
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  Shields being used to block arrows during the Battle of Monteriggioni
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  A Ming dynasty Wooden Shield Guard
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  A Ming dynasty Metal Shield Guard
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  The Rattan Shield Company

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy
• Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China
• Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Fate of the Gods
• Assassin's Creed: Origins
• Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
  • The Way of the Berserker
  • Wrath of the Druids
  • The Siege of Paris
• Discovery Tour: Viking Age
• Assassin's Creed: Nexus VR
• Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple