bb proof riot shields

[Black Templar]

Re: bb proof riot shields

First off, I will prattle on about the 'Riot' bit. A Public Order shield would never be used in a f/arms scenario but I accept the usage of the term.
A ballistic shield would be split as NIJ3A, NIJ3A+ or the all singing SS109, (Tungsten 7.62, NATO 5.56 metal core)

Ballistic shields are never 'round' That is a PSU 'Snatch' shield.

You can get a very light NIJ3A shield that weighs about 2kg, you can use them all day long easy peasy.

As in RIF terms we strive for realism a full SS109 can and does weigh upto 20kg, consider that the current issue ones are 15.5 - 17kg with plates and 'skirt' ( stops legs and feet getting done) By all means, get as accurate load out as possible, weigh the rifs and comment about 'real steel' etc, then make a shield out of cardboard. it would be such a false representation as to make it fairly offensive to those who use the damned unwieldy things. Don't get me wrong - I trust those things totally, but simply would not entertain using a cardboard or plastic one in gaming. If you want to give it a bash, try lumbering around with 15kg on your arm for a few hours, which you cannot due to its design rest anywhere.
As for any 'Arnie' like heroics, your pistol aiming rapidly goes down hill, and the thought of a carbine being used - Not a hope, even an MP-7.

Of course you could say it is only an NIJ3A shield, fair play etc, however any carbine / rifle would cut straight through such and the person behind it. Would work in a pistol game though.

That's just from the perspective of somebody who has dragged the things about, add that to the armour with plates, the helmet and all the rest of the stuff along with the rapidly steaming goggles, makes for a fun day usually.

[CHIFF_MoA]

Re: bb proof riot shields

It all depends what you want out of the game really. I skirmish as a military simulation game, not a video games reenactment, so my interest in playing either with or against riot shields is pretty much nil. The same goes for people building their own RCXD's, throwing foam tomahawks or any other ridiculous item that CoD has to offer. If my local urban site introduced the use of riot shields, I'd probably find another site to play at and I'm sure I wouldn't be alone.

I appreciate that variety is the spice of life and that everyone gets enjoyment out of different things, but I'd much prefer it if people left the video game gimicks at home.

[Mickydoos]

Re: bb proof riot shields

I think the metal frame + cardboard would work great at say the mall. 4 x 2 metal frame plus two extra bars through the middle for strength and arm straps with cardboard cable tied on. Maybe a thin protective layer to make it (watered down wood glue?) last longer than one shot.

And perhaps the rule that they are not grenade proof at all
Think this would be great at breaking stalemates at the mall

[MAJIK]

Re: bb proof riot shields

Like Full Metal Ash said you could have a piece of cardboard instead of perspex to keep the cost down places like ASDA and other supermarkets have loads there just going to throw away so you could take them of their hands.

Dom

[FullMetalAsh]

Re: bb proof riot shields

I'm undecided on this... I know in real life if you are carrying a riot shield and it gets hit by a 7.62 or a 5.56 then chances are you're going to drop. But then again as has been said before the same would happen if you tried to take cover behind a bush from a real bullet, so it's not really the same in airsoft is it? You don't moan because "oh in real life you'd be toast." because that would ruin the entire game.

I think it could be made to work if you had low cost replacement parts and then a framework to put them in. Say, for example, a sheet of perspex which takes roughly 15 rounds to break. Obviously it's not an exact science but neither is it in real life. You could then mount that in a 4 foot by 2 foot framework so that it still didn't cover a person completely to make them vulnerable. If you could do that for cheap and then were made to throw it away when the perspex broke/spiderwebbed then it'd be doable - just grab the shield when you go back to the safe zone and replace the lense. It'd be great for clearing stalemates if you acted quickly, and it wouldn't be overpowering because lets be honest, 15 rounds is a 2 second burst.

It'd be pretty effective if you were only on single shot though - the team work required to take one down would be a nice change to the gun'n'run tactics of most games.

[Heath]

Re: bb proof riot shields

I made one out of some corrugated plastic once, it worked quite well, but was thin enough to crack when shot at enough. Never used it at a proper airsoft site, and seeing as it would fragment into shards, it would be a H&S nightmare. I can see how a cardboard one would work. Especially if it had a metal/wooden frame, so you just had to replace the cardboard after every game, and not build a new one from scratch.


Heath

[Hellfish]

Re: bb proof riot shields

Used some Police issue riot shields at CQB today......both the rectangular and round ones.

They were brilliant, but only when used in conjunction with a pistol.

[laurence]

Re: bb proof riot shields

cardboard riot shields would be great, would withstand some bb's but not over protective. also, you can chuck it away if you dont want it

[madwelshman]

Re: bb proof riot shields

It also helps when players know shileds are in game, the problems really occur when they just appear.

Another point is its not marshalls that make a game is players that make one.

A good point, but marshals can be key to a great day, Teflon warriors can be removed by a good marshal, fair play is controlled by a good marshal.

Have you ever heard anyone say "rubbish gameday, nobody taking thier hits ect, but the marshals were ace!" ?

[ixil]

Re: bb proof riot shields

Riot shields are not Bullet Proof!

Its like in one of the Jean-Claude Van Damme movies, where he hides behind a turned over table in a restaurant from couple of terrorist with mp5 and AK-47.

Its just not mil sim.

[Magay]

Re: bb proof riot shields

We've used them at SWAT's Area 51 site quite a few times. The idea is there is one shield, and either team can obtain it. It's a short length shield, meaning your legs get peppered quite a bit... Once the player holding the shield is hit, they drop it where they are and it's fair game for either team to steal. It really turns games around, on some games where taking a corridor would take a fair while, the shield appears and the opfor get pushed back, but losing the shield means the opfor can push you back to where you started with it.

It is well marshalled and I haven't seen any problems with it!

[Counting Count]

Re: bb proof riot shields

it's all down to how well the marshals monitor and control their usage!

It also helps when players know shileds are in game, the problems really occur when they just appear.

Another point is its not marshalls that make a game is players that make one.

[madwelshman]

Re: bb proof riot shields

We use them to great effect, a mixture of the armadillo military/ police issue ones, which are 4 ft, heavy enough to hinder the user accurately firing an aeg, linkable too. Also the police issue "captain America" style round ones and 2ft cut down 4th style ones, makes the opposing team think, position well on the flanks to hit them from the sides or nade kill them, which spices up the game, especially when the team then repeatedly try to recover them! Turns into a turkey shoot!

As for any cons, nah! In woodland they are awesome, cqb, then degradable ones seem a great idea, it's all down to how well the marshals monitor and control their usage!

[Ward8124]

Re: bb proof riot shields

GLORYBOY built two out of card for a game at urban assault, they worked really well, and being only card, it was possible to shoot through them if you concentrated enough fire.

They really upped the pace of the game we used them in, and allowed both teams to push down a corridor that is usually quite stagnant and choked up with players taking potshots from behind doorframes.

They had downsides though, they were complete grenade magnets, and once you are behind them, you are blind, so very vulnerable to being flanked.

The only people I heard moaning about them were the players sitting at the back taking potshots, who coincidentally are usually the same people whining about people not taking hits.

I'd love to see Ian making this a full time feature at UA as it would the usual end to end corridor standoffs! Would have to be a destructible shield though and one on each side. Me and a mate I go with regularly on their night shoots have often commented about the use of these so I'm personally a big fan of this.

[S3V3R]

Re: bb proof riot shields

We made riotshields out of dinner trays & baking trays.
Was 3 for 2 at ASDA so we thought "why not?"

Testing was scary though. The metal tends to dent at point blank at anything over 400FPS. I doubt a bb would ever be able penetrate a dinner?