Hello, this is XboxAhoy and this is the twenty-sixth
episode of my Black Ops 2 Weapon Guide.
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.
Our build with the Assault Shield is a general-purpose
defensive set, designed for the mix of mobility
and resistivity needed in objective game modes.
With this loadout you'll be able to support
your teammates in capturing well-defended
objectives, by deflecting your enemy's fire
as your teammates support from behind.
First up is the Perk 1 Greed wildcard, permitting
two choices from the powerful selection available
in the first perk tier.
First up is Flak Jacket - with the Assault
Shield equipped, you will find your enemies
resorting to their explosive options rather
than their guns - and so the ability to resist
both bullet and blast is a very useful one.
It will greatly enhance your overall survivability,
making it easier to capture points and otherwise
to stay in the fight: being tough to kill
should be your first priority with the shield.
The only explosives you need watch out for
are those of a sticky ilk: semtex grenades
and crossbow bolts will easily take you out
should your shield become stuck, with or without
Flak Jacket.
Next up, with an important boost to your mobility,
is Lightweight.
You should spend much of your time crouched
with the shield to maximise the protection
it offers - and paired with the already slow
mobility innate to the weapon, anything that
can lift your lethargic nature is welcome.
With Lightweight, you'll stand a better chance
in closer quarters - better able to bash a
more sprightly opponent.
Next, Fast Hands will permit faster weapon
switching and equipment use, minimising the
time you'll be left unprotected.
This choice is near essential if you plan
to make good use of your tactical and lethal
equipment: without it, your opponent will
have a generous window in which to shoot you
whilst you toss your ordnance.
Our final perk selection is Tactical Mask,
adding another degree of resistance and synergising
well with Flak Jacket.
If you're stunned, you're very vulnerable
- getting hit by an enemy concussion or flash
will make it particularly easy for them to
flank around and pepper you with bullets.
Without the mobility-enhancing traits of Extreme
Conditioning or Dexterity you will have to
take a more cautious tack - but sprinting
near the enemy should be avoided at all costs,
as during such manoeuvres your shield will
offer next to no protection.
A Combat Axe offers a means of extending your
lethal reach - and paired with Fast Hands
will offer the swiftest way of eliminating
the enemy without exposing yourself for too
long.
You can also retrieve the axe from where it
lands - useful given the absence of scavenger
in our build, and with careful use you can
sometimes get multiple axe kills in a single
streak.
It is best used on enemies at a closer range
- while long range kills are certainly possible,
your odds of landing a shot decrease the further
away the target.
Bait an enemy into expending their entire
magazine into your shield, and watch for their
reload - this will serve as your cue to perform
a quick toss of the axe to secure a surprise
kill.
Of course, sometimes you will need to rely
on your shield bash to secure a kill - and
there's nothing more helpful than two concussion
grenades to hold a foe in place while you
manoeuvre into a striking position.
A stunned enemy will prove less able to bypass
your shield's defence - but they might not
be entirely helpless, so be sure to approach
from the stunned enemy's flank as to avoid
their last-ditch dispensation of their available
rounds.
In any case, concussion grenades will help
turn the tables on your foe - either rendering
them vulnerable to your attack, or slowing
them down to buy time with which to secure
an objective, or to make good your escape.
Our final point is spent on a secondary weapon
of your choice - the KAP-40 probably the most
versatile option, and will give you an offensive
backup should you need to reliably kill any
enemy.
That's our build - one designed to maximise
survivability, while still giving you the
mobility you'll need to employ the shield
as a semi-offensive tool.
If you're content to scavenge for a weapon,
you could sacrifice your secondary and perhaps
a concussion grenade to pick up another perk
and the requisite wildcard - if you're after
more aggressive use of the shield in an attempt
to secure bash kills, then Extreme Conditioning
or Dexterity might be a worthwhile selection.
Quite often you might be best leaving the
killing to your teammates - the shield works
best over the longer sightlines, as your opponent
won't be able to quickly flank you and shoot
you in the side.
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.
Thanks for watching, this has been XboxAhoy.
Join me next week, when I'll be covering the
KSG.
Until then, farewell.
