most_precious_blood
Specialist
One of the biggest myths perpetuated by older fighters, and directed at those new to shield work, is that the primary mission of a shield person is to simply stay alive and slow the enemy’s advance. I believe this to be a misconception, as in my opinion, shields are much more than a distraction, spell magnet, or a momentary cause for pause; they are the foundation upon which victories on the field are built.
It is my belief that the primary goal of the shield person should be to compliment the use of the great weapons, spells, alchemy, and archery. This is best accomplished if the shields are in constant movement: killing and disabling (or shattering) enemy shields, stunning limbs, and destroying enemy support types.
Knowing when and how to accomplish these tactics and feats are of primary importance to the effectiveness of your unit. In order to understand your place in your unit, you must first familiarize yourself with the basics of your role, the methods of training, and the equipment you will use to achieve victory. Once you have learned the basics of shield wall fighting, you can then advance to an understanding of the unit’s role in the formation. Understanding the value and purpose of your unit in its formation grants insight into the nature of the battle, and understanding the nature of a battle can help you win the war.
It is recommended that you practice the material in this treatise for at least two hours a day, four times a week. After two weeks, if you are still alive, you should have noticed a marked improvement in both fitness and skill. After a month of sticking to your new training schedule, even a novice will fight with the competency of a veteran.
Training is intended to be conducted in groups of at least four, though I caution against limiting your development by pinning your ability to practice on the availability of three others. To see true improvement, dedication is required... few can find it within themselves, let alone another. Do not pin your success and survival on the commonplace shortcomings of others, if no partners are available, practice on the Pell for a few hours.
Any “adventuring†township will offer you plenty of opportunities to find training or practice groups, but be wary of those who “claim to know.†He who knows says little, he who does not, says much. Many students of arms have tried to pass themselves off as instructors or masters, and attempt to draw funding from a pool of earnest students. Eager to learn even the most basic concepts, they are blinkered to the fact that they are wasting their time with a charlatan. All too often, a student tries to instruct before they are ready, trying to impart understanding of a concept they are unable to execute, or one they do not truly comprehend. It is a classic blunder, and one that unfortunately earns my opprobrium only from harsh experience.
It is my belief that the primary goal of the shield person should be to compliment the use of the great weapons, spells, alchemy, and archery. This is best accomplished if the shields are in constant movement: killing and disabling (or shattering) enemy shields, stunning limbs, and destroying enemy support types.
Knowing when and how to accomplish these tactics and feats are of primary importance to the effectiveness of your unit. In order to understand your place in your unit, you must first familiarize yourself with the basics of your role, the methods of training, and the equipment you will use to achieve victory. Once you have learned the basics of shield wall fighting, you can then advance to an understanding of the unit’s role in the formation. Understanding the value and purpose of your unit in its formation grants insight into the nature of the battle, and understanding the nature of a battle can help you win the war.
It is recommended that you practice the material in this treatise for at least two hours a day, four times a week. After two weeks, if you are still alive, you should have noticed a marked improvement in both fitness and skill. After a month of sticking to your new training schedule, even a novice will fight with the competency of a veteran.
Training is intended to be conducted in groups of at least four, though I caution against limiting your development by pinning your ability to practice on the availability of three others. To see true improvement, dedication is required... few can find it within themselves, let alone another. Do not pin your success and survival on the commonplace shortcomings of others, if no partners are available, practice on the Pell for a few hours.
Any “adventuring†township will offer you plenty of opportunities to find training or practice groups, but be wary of those who “claim to know.†He who knows says little, he who does not, says much. Many students of arms have tried to pass themselves off as instructors or masters, and attempt to draw funding from a pool of earnest students. Eager to learn even the most basic concepts, they are blinkered to the fact that they are wasting their time with a charlatan. All too often, a student tries to instruct before they are ready, trying to impart understanding of a concept they are unable to execute, or one they do not truly comprehend. It is a classic blunder, and one that unfortunately earns my opprobrium only from harsh experience.