Inspecting Shields

From BelegarthWiki

Jump to: navigation, search

From the Book of War

  • 2. Shields
    • 2.1. Shield must be padded on the edges and face so as not to cause injury when struck with a forceful blow of an arm/hand.
    • 2.2. The maximum width of a shield is 3 feet.
    • 2.3. The maximum height of a shield is 18 inches less than the height of the wielder.
    • 2.4. The minimum dimension on the face of a shield is 12 inches.
    • 2.5. Shield spikes are allowed for decoration.

Inspecting Shields

Although shields are not weapons, they still must be checked to make sure they comply with all applicable rules in the Book of War.

Because they can be used for bashing, shields must also pass basic safety tests. In particular, the core of a cored shield should be well padded on the sides and face so that it can't be felt by a forceful blow, and the handle on a coreless shield should be likewise padded. Additionally, shields must not "taco", or fold over under medium pressure.

How to check shields

  • 1. Measure the shield. If it does not conform to the rules listed above, the shield fails.
  • 2. Feel along the rim and the face of the shield, checking for soft parts of the foam, called a sweet spot. Feel for breaks, rips, or core. If your hand feels core, fail the shield.
  • 3. Make sure the shield edge foam is not coming loose from the core of the shield.
  • 4. For shields with a core: Using your forearm, strike multiple forceful blows along the entire rim of the shield. If your forearm hits core through the foam, fail the shield. Using your fist, punch the face of the shield in a number of places. If your fist hits the core, fail the shield.
  • 5. Check to see if the shield "tacos". Using a medium amount of force, try to bend the shield edges together like a taco shell. If the edges of the shield touch together, fail the shield.
  • 6. Check the hardware used to anchor the shield straps to the core. Make sure there are no sharp edges or bolt ends that stick out significantly.

Also See Inspecting Coreless Shields

Personal tools
For Fighters
For Craftsman
Leadership