what are the advantages of a round shield compared to, say, a kite or square one?
>>29320097
Mobility
>>29320100
they seem to be larger and more cumbersome than other designs
>>29320105
They come in all sorts of sizes though
>>29320097
> The year of our lord 1342
> Not using a kite shield
LMAO 460BC PLEBIANS WILL NEVER LEARN
> b-but its easier to sling on my back!
> m-muh mobility
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA WEAKFAGS
EAT HIGHER QUALITY GRAIN
>>29320105
The fuck are you smoking?
Round shields generally rather small in comparison to others.
Anyway,
Round shields like in the one in the OP were generally held by a single handgrip at the center, and used in a very active fashion, as you could obviously maneuver them far more easily. Compared to kite shields which have to be strapped to the arm, this does indeed grant a lot of mobility.
They were typically not very massive in order to make this possible, meaning that while you could block and parry in a more agile fashion, you couldn't simply hunker behind a round shield like you would with a kite shield.
Different shield types were used in different ways, for different purposes. Every shield that saw widespread use in history typically had a very good reason for being so popular, there isn't much of a point in debating which is better.
![armor3%20185[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/KShL3qN.jpg "armor3%20185[1].jpg")
>>29320097
Shields are more than just shape.
In this case, this is a bosse-held shield. Depending on the manufacture, era and region it might be the flimsiest of shit ever, designed to shatter and/or get things stuff into it.
Something something Normani formal duel rules specified each combatant had to bring three shields. They would break pretty quickly and you could yield as you wished when you were out of shields.
>>29320097
Shield shapes are pretty much a clusterfuck of custom, culture, fashion and military purpose.
>>29320124
>GRAIN
>year of out lord 1342
>meat is not readily available for all classes in his faggot country so as to build strength of your shield arm
The British Isles laugh at your poverty.
>>29320105
The more rectangular designs cover more body area without wasted space on the sides.
You can't get a round shield that gives a stamina regen buff.
>>29320097
A round one can be thrown at the enemy like a discus.
>>29320097
It doesn't (really) matter how you turn your hand, it always protects the same areas, which can gives you a lot of ways to mindfuck your opponent by turning the shield and opening for an attack it a way it's quite impossible to predict.
Also, round shields tends to be held by a central grip, it allows to project it further than kite shields which are much more static, it allows for more agressive use of the shield especially. Kite shields cover lines passively, round shields tends to be more active, while the weapon while rush into the gaps that the shield has made.
Obvious vid about it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkhpqAGdZPc
>>29320177
>>29320097
Shield walls are one reason. Having a round shield allows you to support it on the shield to your side and vice versa.
>Be wagon logistics officer
>Get footmen to use carry around spare wheels to lighten our load
>>29320097
There is something that you don't state though, is the shield held by a unique central grip, like the one you posted or is the shield like a greek aspis, with two points, because it changes a lot of the dynamics of a shield.
>>29320344
>solid, narrow wheels
>not using spoked wheels
People were using that stuff since a few centuries BC. It's like folding iron in how common it was.
>>29320372
>Be barrel logistics officer
>Get footmen to use carry around barrel tops and bottoms to lighten our load
>>29320097
The equipment dictates the tactics and vice versa. The hoplon and their straps demanded the use of a shield wall to be effective. The kite shield is a cavalry shield. Flat shields lend themselves well oth for shield walls and javelin warfare. Post-hoplite Republic Rome spurned shield walls and had oval shields that gradually curved and truncated until it turned into the Imperial curved rectangular shield. They ended up with flat round and oval shields once decentralized. Flat rectangular shields? Who knows?
>>29320169
>Year of our Lord
>Not Anno Dominae
Vernacular fags get >>>/out/
>>29320287
Kite shields do that better.
>>29320431
Sorry, rectangular shields do it better.
How bout a bullet proof shield so you can charge in and unload the full clip and win?
>>29320442
The only shield that does it worse are small shields and ironically, the aspis.
>>29320442
U-uh ERA blocks are better?
>>29320097
kite one flies away when you need it most :P
>>29320130
The fuck are you smoking?
Round shields were fucking huge allowing you to bash the enemies head in with the edge of the shield
a centerboss round shield is better than a Heater or a Kite shield in:
Striking Enemies: the Center Boss round shield allows you to punch with your shield, via edge or the Center Boss, its effectively a second weapon.
Strike protection: the round center boss shield allows you to fight around your shield more effectively while still protecting you. you can pivot it within your palm very easily to defend any incoming attacks.
Mobility: don't need a horse, just sling that shit on your back
Versatile: that shit isn't strapped to your arm, you can ditch it whenever. there is also no "down" or "up" to the shield, you just pick it up and bam, its a shield.
>>29320177
Like Captain America?
a round shield held in a single hand by the boss is better for mobility, individual combat, etc.
when the shield wall was a prominent tactic like the saxons and franks, they preferred to use kite shields or convex circular shields.
>>29320130
Round shield =/= a buckler.
>>29320397
kek
>>29322201
You would not be able to get enough leverage to hurt someone seriously with your shield, you're holding it by a central handle that's meant to rotate in your hand allowing the shield to swing side to side.
>>29320137
>yield as you wished once you were out of shields
Sounds like a bit of a "get out with honour intact" kind of thing. There were lots of rules like this throughput history, a way for both parties to keep their honour without one having to get murdered.
>>29320176
Nor one that has way high magic defense to switch to when your opponent pulled out pursuers
>>29322470
Yes so you rotate it so that the right edge is facing out towards your opponent and then you bash them with the metal edge
>>29320097
Because they only had one handle and no area to strap your arm to they were very easy to hit into your opponent's face
