"Smile, you're about to die."

[Joker]

Hello,

My instructor told me that sometimes special forces, when making assaults, put smiley faces on their ballistic shields to give their opponents a split second brain freeze.

I want to put something similar on my fighter's shield. Does anyone have ideas on what the fantasy medieval equivalent of a smiley face should look like?

-Tymon

 

[Cor_Malek]

Wide selection of secular pilgrim badges (they originated as holy places "Been there, got the badge"). Obvious choices would be the wandering penis and vagina:
Picasa Web Albums - ihti - badges (top left, copy of the one that's most famous, as it's been often used by Monty Python's)
Naughty medieval badges.
Those badges were common as hell, and while fragile - the sheer number that got deposited means that a LOT of them get unearthed, so every museum and journal has a steady collection of those. Should be easy to pick something.

What setting are you using? In medieval Europe, this trick was heavily used by Templar knights (but also many more - ie hospitalers, Maltan Knights), who put the Cross on their capes and shields for same reason.

 

[S'mon]

Hello,

My instructor told me that sometimes special forces, when making assaults, put smiley faces on their ballistic shields to give their opponents a split second brain freeze.

Is this a police SWAT-type assault team 'special force'? Do they clear squatters out of Amsterdam tenements? I've never heard of shields being used by any modern military force.

 

[Cor_Malek]

Is this a police SWAT-type assault team 'special force'? Do they clear squatters out of Amsterdam tenements? I've never heard of shields being used by any modern military force.

Actually, marines special response units (um, or rather teams, as it's USMC SRT) use ballistic shields. I have on good account that they're at least on stock of polish elite GROM, but as with many special forces - their equipment is highly customized and is mostly kept secret. Most info on their gear come from "well d'uh!" category (as in - kinda obvious).
MP also has elite units, and they'd obviously need that.

Not to mention that modern trend in training manoeuvres (um, or is it an idiom?) is to mesh together as many types of forces as humanly possible and have them train together - from spec ops through troopers and cops to firemen and medical technicians.

But nowadays most special forces are taught urban warfare, and as always - it includes as many types of weapon and gear as humanly possible (both of your allies and opponents). I'd guess that rangers don't train with those... but I wouldn't bet on it. OK, SOWT operators probably don't use those.

PS.: I love wikipedia so much. Here's a picture. with rather extensive description.

 

[Dykstrav]

I don't know the historicity of it, but I once heard a neat story about some Greek hoplites and their shields.

Many hoplites would adorn their shields with motifs of animals or mythological creatures, usually one they personally identified with or sought to emulate. Supposedly, one hoplite painted a tiny housefly in the very center of his shield. When asked about it, he responded that he was going to get so close to the enemy in combat that they'd plainly be able to see the housefly image--a statement about his bravery.

His allies noticed that when he engaged the enemy, their gazes would inevitably be drawn to the tiny housefly image. From a distance, his shield looked blank, but up close, the tiny image compelled them to draw their gaze to it and figure out what it was. In that split-second reflexive distraction, he'd stab them in the neck.

 

[Amphimir Míriel]

My suggestion is to read the excellent "Song of Ice and Fire" series of novels by George R. R. Martin, for extensive and realistic depictions of heraldry and medieval warfare.

In-game, I wouldn't give any actual bonuses for having an unusual charge in your shield, but I would still encourage you to do it, since it would provide for a lot of roleplaying opportunities (The Knight of the Dancing Baby!)

 

[El Mahdi]

For a particularly creative and unorthodox crest, like the ones above, I'd give the character a +1 or +2 bonus on their first attack against a melee opponent (the first attack right after they close to melee range, but only for that first attack). It would be a cool incentive for players to be creative and expand their characters.

 

[RangerWickett]

Totally unrelated question: while reading this thread, were your eyes perhaps distracted by an Evony ad?

 

[S'mon]

PS.: I love wikipedia so much. Here's a picture. with rather extensive description.

I see it's a pic from a "simulated bank robbery", so the Marines are used for policing? Did not know that.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

... their gazes would inevitably be drawn to the tiny housefly image. From a distance, his shield looked blank, but up close, the tiny image compelled them to draw their gaze to it and figure out what it was. In that split-second reflexive distraction, he'd stab them in the neck.

Oh, like the little fly they sometimes paint in the bottom of urinals... but without the neck stabby.