Thanks, and I'll pass that on to the Swords crew with great relief.
(I'll also re-think a chunk of Story that had mention of iron v magic logistical considerations)
> > (BTW, I'd suggest thinking through the idea of an iron or indeed
> > bronze
> > *shield* very carefully. There's a good reason why they're
> rare in the
> > real world, and it's nothing to do with magic.)
>
> Oh I know, but these are buff Guys & Gals with bulging....muscles.
Weight is not the point (unless you're trying to stop bullets - Civil War iron shields were tried when firearms came in, and dropped, fast).
Wood cushions a blow. Iron does not. If you're stopping a heavy sword/axe blow, wood is *better*. OK, so the shield becomes a disposable item, but fine - it was. And having your enemy's weapons stuck in it is always a useful possibility.
Iron "shields" do exist, but they're bucklers. You don't use them in a shield wall. Up to 18" across, max. Used against lighter weapons than Dark Age, usually (I know them in about 15th century), and you tend to deflect rather than block if possible. (The grip, BTW, is wooden or otherwise heavily padded, for the same reasons).
Great for 1:1 fights, and lend themselves to a very fast and mobile fighting style. The smaller shield doesn't block visibility, and you can fight "round" it, it doesn't get in your way. Use it with a sword, not with a spear, though. Looks like a very Vingan / skirmisher idea to me. And by a nice coincidence, the one iron shield I spotted in OiD is used by a Vingan :)
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