Riot Shields and Assault Rifles, Can they be used together? Options

[OSUMacbeth]

When I was reading through the pdf the first time I thought I read something about only being able to use SMG or lighter weapons with a riot shield. Is that actually somewhere in the book or am I just imagining it?

OSUMacbeth

[hahnsoo]

While I'm not seeing any language that explicitly forbids this, I'd argue that you would need both hands to fire an assault rifle, and thus you wouldn't be able to use a Riot Shield (or anything in the other hand) while using an Assault Rifle. Up to the GM, I suppose.

[Supercilious]

Dice penalty (Akimbo shooting will never be promoted or made useful in a game of mine, EVER)! And Threshold Increase should discourage dadstardly players from following this route...

[weblife]

Actually.. A shield with a hole in it, designed specifically as a weapon stand, would give greater accuracy and decreased recoil.

In that case you could use both. Would probably take a hit on mobility though.

[Supercilious]

Clever devil-rat, you are...

There is no way not to reward thinking like that.

[weblife]

:P

[Austere Emancipa...]

Significantly reduced field of vision when ready to fire (a smartlink would help with this) and inability to quickly engage targets outside of a ~90 degree field (unless you drop the shield) are sufficient rewards, I should think. In any case, the recoil will still affect accuracy more than it would when holding the assault rifle normally with two hands: you lose the forearm point of control so you only have two, towards the rear of the weapon. The weapon will bounce around in the firing port; unless of course it's somehow mounted firmly in the port, in which case you can kiss mobility and maneuverability goodbye.

This post has been edited by Austere Emancipator: Sep 6 2005, 11:42 AM

[PBTHHHHT]

So it's acting similar to a bipod support for a rifle as the rifle rests onto the shield?

[weblife]

I Was thinking more in the line of a mobile firing platform, more than rapid moving field of fire.

Fx as a vanguard for breaking into or out of a corp installation, corridor combat, even used by the guards defensively. SWAT use, ala Léon when they storm his apartment.

Mobile heavy cover with a fixed assaultrifle. Reduced firing angles, but heavy protection and ability to overwatch and suppress an otherwise exposed area.

Some teams would just send a Drone for the job though.

[Austere Emancipa...]

I guess this would then be a heavy, ballistic, wheel-mounted shield, instead of a light, unsupported riot shield? If you plan on using two hands to fire the weapon the shield has to be sturdy enough to stand firmly on the ground, and since you'll want a hell of a lot of protection when just squatting there in the middle of the corridor in a firefight the shield had better be thick and heavy -- optimally you won't be moving much with a setup like that anyway.

[Rotbart van Dain...]

And there's the purpose of tactical ballistic shields...

[Austere Emancipa...]

Of these types of shields, largely yes (note lack of firing ports or weapon mounts of any kind ;) ). I'm pretty sure weblife originally meant something more along the lines of this, which it would make no sense to give to someone armed with a longarm.

[Rotbart van Dain...]

My guess would be, he meant something more like this.

[Austere Emancipa...]

Ouch... Good thing you aren't likely to use those in a situation where whatever target you might want to engage with your longarm is more than twenty or so meters off. It must be "interesting", trying to aim steadily with upwards of 13lbs resting fully on your more extended arm. Can't say much about the design of the shield otherwise -- seems like an improvement over the more old-fashioned tactical blanket shields.