Assault Shield - Black Ops 2 Weapon Guide

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This time, we're covering the Assault Shield.

Essentially Treyarch's version of the Riot Shield as introduced in Modern Warfare 2, the Assault Shield is unlocked at level 34.

Ballistic shields capable of repelling small arms fire do exist, although most are only effective against lower-energy rounds such as those fired by handguns, SMGs and shotguns.

The greater the protection, the more unwieldy a shield will be: while it is possible to stop high-powered rifle rounds, such a high degree of armour would be prohibitively heavy to carry.

Modern materials have helped to lighten the load, however - while early ballistic shields were constructed of basic sheet metal, modern designs take better advantage of newer materials such as kevlar and ceramics for maximum protection and lower overall weight.

In-game, the Assault Shield is a mêlée weapon with reach similar to that of the Combat Knife.

Unlike the knife, however, the Shield will require two bashes to kill an uninjured opponent.

Of course, the shield is more suited to absorbing damage than dishing it out - it will block any bullets that strike it while held, and will even block some shots from the rear while you are holding your secondary weapon.

In addition, you can plant the shield on the ground to serve as deployable cover - although it will disintegrate upon sufficient incident damage, leaving you without protection.

Attack speed is slightly slower than that of the combat knife, with each bash taking approximately three quarters of a second - or 80 bashes per minute.

While quick enough to tackle an unaware enemy, the need to land two bashes can make your life difficult against a more active opponent, particularly if they are wielding a weapon effective in closer quarters.

Handling is relatively slow: switch times can be inconveniently sluggish, taking a full second to switch to another weapon.

Fast Hands will alleviate this a little, but nonetheless this lapse in protection can prove a liability.

Movement speed is slow too, on par with the LMGs at 90% of the base mobility.

Thankfully, the shield requires neither ammunition nor reload to use - you can bash as often as you like without pause.

Should your allies make good use of your cover, you can help support their advance on an objective - and with their help you can put paid to your opponent's momentum.

The Assault Shield is a weapon like none other, and when employed correctly can swing objective games through its complete denial of your opponent's fire.

It can render an enemy sniper entirely useless, and at any reasonable range even most automatic weapons will struggle to penetrate your defence - this can open a window to breaking through a tough spawn trap, and gradually force open your enemy's vice-like grip.

Deploying the shield as mobile cover can open up new firing positions, too - an impromptu defensive point can prove surprisingly effective when equipping the shield with another primary weapon via the Overkill wildcard.

As an offensive weapon the Assault Shield falls woefully short, however - with its minuscule range, two hit bash, and extreme vulnerability to automatic fire in close-range gunfights, you'll quickly learn the shield is simply not effective in an aggressive role.

You'll find frustration in your enemy's seeming ability to bypass your defences, and the poor lethality of the shield's bash attack will render you all but helpless in close quarters battle.

Still, the Assault Shield is a support tool first and foremost, and its use as an offensive weapon should be limited where possible.

Nothing else can directly thwart enemy fire, and with a dose of teamwork the shield can prove its worth in objective game modes.

With this bulwark you might deflect your opponent's attack, your aegis a bulletproof guarantee that your time with the shield...

...is sure to be a bash.

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