F*cking shields, how do they work?

[Apollyon]

To me the rules on shields are not clear. Do they just distract 1d6 damage from incoming attacks or do you have to use the d6 in the same way as it is used when parrying with any other object?

[Rev. Sylvanus]

Do mean shields from the weapons section?

Or shields from the Field Hazard section?

[IVhorseman]

Physical shields must roll to parry, while field hazard shields automatically make this roll. A field-hazard shield, whether it be a plasma shield or some kind of magical blocking field or simply a cloud of locusts, is designed in such a way that incoming attacks automatically hit it first.

[Apollyon]

I was talking about shields from the weapon section.

If a shield rolls 1d6 to parry why should i get one (if i cared about CP that is) when a simple CC weapon can do exactly the same? I have the feeling i am missing something obvious here...

[*CRAZYHORSE*]

At first it may seem hard to understand why shields would be useful at all when it only subtracts 1d6 of damage while a two handed weapon can even subtract 2d6 of damage if it is used to parry.
Well you see using a shield to parry instead of relying on your big hefty weapon to parry with has a number of advantages:

-It has a low use rating of 2 (Even when attacked by just a hand weapon it can be difficult to parry with a two-handed weapon with a UR of 4)
-Very importantly it is the only weapon that can parry a counter attack!(effectively countering counter attacks, this is probably one of the biggest advantages of a shield)
-It has a very low cost (1cp)
-It can be paired with a heavy weapon which packs quite the punch.
-It can be paired with a two-handed weapon when jousting.
-It is the only weapon that can block charge attacks.

I hope this clarifies why shields are extremely useful. There are also a lot of tactics awesome tactics that shields make available.

[Apollyon]

Ok, ,maybe i am just stupid here. But where do the rules say you need overcome a use rating of 2 on a d6 to parry with a shield? And as i understood it, if you try to parry with a weapon you have to have to both roll higher than your weapon's use (thus it is harder to parry with be bigger weapons) and the roll you opponent had on his individual use rating...

Anyway, this (simple?) question shows to me that the rules are sure fun to read but still in some places they are not "connected" very well. Of course i could fugde everything i do not immedeatly understand but then again why should i start using dice in the first place?

[*CRAZYHORSE*]

And as i understood it, if you try to parry with a weapon you have to have to both roll higher than your weapon's use (thus it is harder to parry with be bigger weapons) and the roll you opponent had on his individual use rating...

Yes, this is not contradicting anything I said or claimed.
So let's say you are trying to parry a strike from a hand weapon. Your opponent rolled a 2 for his hand weapon's UR which is sufficient to hit you. With a shield it would require a skill roll of 2 to successfully parry. With a two-handed weapon it would require a skill roll of 4 to successfully parry.

[stubby]

Ok, ,maybe i am just stupid here. But where do the rules say you need overcome a use rating of 2 on a d6 to parry with a shield? And as i understood it, if you try to parry with a weapon you have to have to both roll higher than your weapon's use (thus it is harder to parry with be bigger weapons) and the roll you opponent had on his individual use rating...

So what you're saying is, you don't understand why you need to overcome the use rating to parry, because your understanding was that if you try to parry you have to roll higher than the use rating?

[Apollyon]

Ok, ,maybe i am just stupid here. But where do the rules say you need overcome a use rating of 2 on a d6 to parry with a shield? And as i understood it, if you try to parry with a weapon you have to have to both roll higher than your weapon's use (thus it is harder to parry with be bigger weapons) and the roll you opponent had on his individual use rating...

So what you're saying is, you don't understand why you need to overcome the use rating to parry, because your understanding was that if you try to parry you have to roll higher than the use rating?

No i just want to understand how shields work because it is not clear to me.

Edit: I *think* i got it.

[stubby]

No i just want to understand how shields work because it is not clear to me.

Edit: I *think* i got it.

Meanwhile I want to figure out what specifically wasn't clear, in case it means I need to go in and add some clarification.  So far all I can think of is maybe I need to change

A minifig that cannot make an effective Counterattack, or that experiences a cowardly fear of getting killed, can attempt to deflect an incoming attack with his own weapon or shield instead. In order to succeed, his Skill Roll must equal or exceed both his own weapon's Use rating, and the attacker's Attack Roll (including Attack Modifiers).

to

A minifig that cannot make an effective Counterattack, or that experiences a cowardly fear of getting killed, can attempt to deflect an incoming attack with his own weapon or shield instead. In order to succeed, his Skill Roll must equal or exceed both his own weapon or shield's Use rating, and the attacker's Attack Roll (including Attack Modifiers).

[Apollyon]

No i just want to understand how shields work because it is not clear to me.

Edit: I *think* i got it.

Meanwhile I want to figure out what specifically wasn't clear, in case it means I need to go in and add some clarification.  So far all I can think of is maybe I need to change

A minifig that cannot make an effective Counterattack, or that experiences a cowardly fear of getting killed, can attempt to deflect an incoming attack with his own weapon or shield instead. In order to succeed, his Skill Roll must equal or exceed both his own weapon's Use rating, and the attacker's Attack Roll (including Attack Modifiers).

to

A minifig that cannot make an effective Counterattack, or that experiences a cowardly fear of getting killed, can attempt to deflect an incoming attack with his own weapon or shield instead. In order to succeed, his Skill Roll must equal or exceed both his own weapon or shield's Use rating, and the attacker's Attack Roll (including Attack Modifiers).

Yes, that might help. I needed to read that paragraph a few times before i finally got it. Where i first looked how to work shields was section 3.3 though, where i was probably confused by focussing on the "or the purposes of Parrying, a Shield has a Damage rating of 1d6" statement while overlooking the "use: 2" bit on top the the explanation.

[IX_Legion]

So shields have a use of 2? For some reason I always thought shields had a use of 3.

Also crazyhorse, shields can be used to shove. I can't remember if this is any more effective than a normal shove or not though, so it may not be an advantage at all. It should be though.

[Ross_Varn]

If you really want to pay attention to the Melee rules, there are some mechanics that can make for badass encounters. Attack countered with Parry, then Shove the guy down, he has take his action to get back up, Attack him on the ground- just depends how detailed you want to get.

[Rev. Sylvanus]

If you really want to pay attention to the Melee rules, there are some mechanics that can make for badass encounters. Attack countered with Parry, then Shove the guy down, he has take his action to get back up, Attack him on the ground- just depends how detailed you want to get.

Just some notes on this scenario--cause it is pretty bad-ass--.  It only takes 2" to stand up, not a full action, nor can a shield be used to parry and shove in the same round.  With these notes in mind, the scenario works as long as it is your opponent's turn and the minifig in question has expended its movement for the turn (otherwise it'll just stand up if it survives).  their first attack with whatever weapon you've got (or just survive that attack), and then shove (hoping, too, that they don't have a second attack to kill you with, lol).  Having no movement, their unit will be unable to stand up; as your turn begins, said unit remains disrupted and ready for the taking   .

OR, if techincalities are not your style, as long as you and your opponent are fine with the encounter, do it your way.

[IX_Legion]

And once again, I have misread the rules. I have getting up as an extended action, using all of the guy's movement and his action. Kind of funny when someone bails and survives, gets up, shakes his head, and then gets murdered because he can't run any farther