whats all the hate for riot shields?

[Adolf Hamster]

kind of inspired by the site design thread but it's a common theme i've noticed on here is there seems to be a lot of distain for riot shields/ballistic shields/whatever you want to call it.

and i wonder why? site i used to play at (now closed down) had a couple of shields strewn about for general purpose use and i've never seen any particular gameplay issue with them. admittedly they were rarely used because even a bit of cut up heating oil tank with a handle is enough to make most airsofters regret carrying after 10 minutes, and mostly they became a sort of portable cover.

so what's the bugbear with them? how come some uk sites don't allow them at all? i can't beleive it's because they're not considered to be "bulletproof" given most things that count as cover in airsoft definately won't stop a bullet.

 

[Compulsive Reload]

kind of inspired by the site design thread but it's a common theme i've noticed on here is there seems to be a lot of distain for riot shields/ballistic shields/whatever you want to call it.

and i wonder why? site i used to play at (now closed down) had a couple of shields strewn about for general purpose use and i've never seen any particular gameplay issue with them. admittedly they were rarely used because even a bit of cut up heating oil tank with a handle is enough to make most airsofters regret carrying after 10 minutes, and mostly they became a sort of portable cover.

so what's the bugbear with them? how come some uk sites don't allow them at all? i can't beleive it's because they're not considered to be "bulletproof" given most things that count as cover in airsoft definately won't stop a bullet.

I personally don't have an issue with them, Infact I would love one but can't seem to aquire such a beast. 

There is pros and cons to using one, yes your invulnerable to the front? But get flanked your dead, grenade your dead, bound to a sidearm,  etc. 

Gear and a gun is heavy enough running around all day, but with a shield? Depending on the weight you'll be knackered.

All depends on the rules of the site but the people who moan mustn't be able to figure out how to take one out. So they whinge, and as we all know in this day and age whingers get what they want, that's the only reason I can think of.

Riot shield seems very situational and could be more of a hindrance if not used properly, all I know is, I could use one at my site for some of the rooms.

Imo.

 

[KendoKhan]

one site in manchester has police armadillo intermediate shields. They only use them in two game modes and the shield and shield holder can be killed by grenades.

 

[Adolf Hamster]

I personally don't have an issue with them, Infact I would love one but can't seem to aquire such a beast. 

There is pros and cons to using one, yes your invulnerable to the front? But get flanked your dead, grenade your dead, bound to a sidearm,  etc. 

Gear and a gun is heavy enough running around all day, but with a shield? Depending on the weight you'll be knackered.

All depends on the rules of the site but the people who moan mustn't be able to figure out how to take one out.

Riot shield seems very situational and could be more of a hindrance if not used properly, all I know is, I could use one at my site for some of the rooms.

Imo.

yeah, i've used them on occasion, including a 30 minute juggernaut game (where the shield was superfluous other than to mark out who the juggernaut was) and it's an absolute pain to carry and use, and reloading is not easy.

which is why i don't get the hate, yes you do get that protection but you're going to suffer majorly in other areas, and there's a natural limit to how long someone wants to carry one.

 

[Game Cam]

I have been thinking about making a shield for a while and adding all sorts of gizmos to it but that's a project for later.

I personally don't feel either way about shields.

I do feel bad for the people that use them though as most need team mates to back them up and try and be a team player. There was this guy in Nottingham that had one and it was only him and me moving up. Everyone else was just hiding at spawn no matter how much he tried to get them to use him as cover.

 

[Compulsive Reload]

I have been thinking about making a shield for a while and adding all sorts of gizmos to it but that's a project for later.

I personally don't feel either way about shields.

I do feel bad for the people that use them though as most need team mates to back them up and try and be a team player. There was this guy in Nottingham that had one and it was only him and me moving up. Everyone else was just hiding at spawn no matter how much he tried to get them to use him as cover.

Yep was wanting to make blitz's shield off rainbow six myself.

Poor guy, really pisses me off when people don't push forward, like how else are you going to take the objective. Happens alot at my site, where they all sit back and don't contest, annoying when you make the first move and no one follows.

 

[Adolf Hamster]

Yep was wanting to make blitz's shield off rainbow six myself.

Poor guy, really pisses me off when people don't push forward, like how else are you going to take the objective. Happens alot at my site, where they all sit back and don't contest, annoying when you make the first move and no one follows.

mate of mine made one of those, although being steel it was heavy, god only know how bad it'd be if it was heavy enough to stop proper bullets.

 

[Prisce]

I can explain why.

Dragons lair in Ongar, home to a certain country’s Airsoft team, one of their guys had a riot shield and a glock with long mag.

Game one, shield guy rushes my position, puts his shield up across his body and head, I ping his shins and boots. He doesn’t take his hit. I ping him again. Still no taking. I full auto him(less than 10m away) in the shins, still not even looking like he is gonna take his hit. I hold down full auto until he moves the shield downwards, I move gun upwards full auto in the face, no face pro. He then takes his hit.

This happens every game with a riot shield. People think, oh it’s bullet proof, means I can’t die.  

 

[Compulsive Reload]

mate of mine made one of those, although being steel it was heavy, god only know how bad it'd be if it was heavy enough to stop proper bullets.

The one on youtube that was pretty much exactly was out of wood I think and maybe sheet metal, fug steel jesus christ.

 

[Nick G]

This happens every game with a riot shield. People think, oh it’s bullet proof, means I can’t die.  

To be fair I've noticed a tendency among some players to act the same way using a plate carrier 

 

[Adolf Hamster]

I can explain why.

Dragons lair in Ongar, home to a certain country’s Airsoft team, one of their guys had a riot shield and a glock with long mag.

Game one, shield guy rushes my position, puts his shield up across his body and head, I ping his shins and boots. He doesn’t take his hit. I ping him again. Still no taking. I full auto him(less than 10m away) in the shins, still not even looking like he is gonna take his hit. I hold down full auto until he moves the shield downwards, I move gun upwards full auto in the face, no face pro. He then takes his hit.

This happens every game with a riot shield. People think, oh it’s bullet proof, means I can’t die.  

that's pretty bad, did the marshalls call him on it?

The one on youtube that was pretty much exactly was out of wood I think and maybe sheet metal, fug steel jesus christ.

yeah steel is brutally bad.

 

[Arwen]

I don't like them cause of a few reasons...

1. Everyone who I have seen use them seems to forget that if they get hit by a BB (showing ankle etc) it still counts and they should go back. 

2. I don't think they are really realistic. Which I realise is "rich" coming from me. However a thin bit of steel would not protect you from a real bullet. 

3. They can slow or halt play in tight situations by making a temporary bottle neck. That only clears if someone can grenade them. 

If I am playing a geme with a riot sheild. I much prefer if we play the rule of 1 grenade hit on the sheild and it is out for the rest of the game. 

 

[Prisce]

that's pretty bad, did the marshalls call him on it?

yeah steel is brutally bad.

No, no they didn’t. The team were regulars.

 

[Adolf Hamster]

No, no they didn’t. The team were regulars.

owch, that's bad

 

[AshOnSnow]

RIFT often have a few riot shields for each team. Adds a nice dimension to the game.

 

[Prisce]

RIFT often have a few riot shields for each team. Adds a nice dimension to the game.

Yeah, will admit RIFT are the only organisers I have used that use the Riot Shield well.

 

[Smooth_Operator]

I'm with @Arwen on this. There's very few shields out there that would stop a 5.56mm round, let alone a 7.62mm or .50 BMG.

On that basis, a hit from most AEGs, GBBs or snipers should, in realism terms, represent penetration of the shield and realistically the player carrying it... 

They're a great reason for players to not take their hits - lets face it, we don't need any more of those than we already have...

 

[Albiscuit]

When I first started we played at Bunker 51 on and off. There were a few riot shields lying around the site (it is also used for paintball and laser tag, not just airsoft) I picked one up for some extra cover and got a right bollocking from a marshal for using it. He didnt seem to understand the fact I hadnt been told not to use them and didnt like my comment of, if its not allowed take them out of the site!!

 

[Greg147]

They can be great. Providing both teams have access to them.

Bad memory - I was at a site where one player bought one along and was allowed to use it. In attacking, they needed to take an objective in a corridor-like passage between two buildings. Mr shield moves up, and there's literally nothing any of the defenders can do. He just sits there blocking the corridor off while his team go back and forth from the objective, unhindered by us (as we've no way of flanking that position due to brick walls). No point playing that round at all. It just wasn't created with a shield in mind, and the presence of one made it way too easy for the attackers.

Good memory - RIFT Harmerwood. Other team makes a daring push on the objective with their shield in front, and their objective-carrier behind, escorted by half a dozen players. They push through the woodlands straight towards our defenders, the shield absorbing most of the shots. It looks great. Except no-one's spotted me on the flank with my M60 and....brrrrrrrp ? balanced gameplay and a plan let down only by someone in the right place at the right time!

 

[Compulsive Reload]

They can be great. Providing both teams have access to them.

Bad memory - I was at a site where one player bought one along and was allowed to use it. In attacking, they needed to take an objective in a corridor-like passage between two buildings. Mr shield moves up, and there's literally nothing any of the defenders can do. He just sits there blocking the corridor off while his team go back and forth from the objective, unhindered by us (as we've no way of flanking that position due to brick walls). No point playing that round at all. It just wasn't created with a shield in mind, and the presence of one made it way too easy for the attackers.

Good memory - RIFT Harmerwood. Other team makes a daring push on the objective with their shield in front, and their objective-carrier behind, escorted by half a dozen players. They push through the woodlands straight towards our defenders, the shield absorbing most of the shots. It looks great. Except no-one's spotted me on the flank with my M60 and....brrrrrrrp ? balanced gameplay and a plan let down only by someone in the right place at the right time!

No grenade for the corridor? This is why I need to buy one or two.