Quote Originally Posted by JMRC View Post
Before too much confusion is settled, let me point out a few things:

- the shield doesn't look from the getai...
- the unit is rendered in a spearmen animation, but it may not be its final animation family
- elite units don't require large amounts of armour and/or oversized shields; the elite status is given mostly by their martial skill or fanaticism during battle.
Yes it does look like a shield you guys would give an Germanic soldier and the rest of the equipment as well.

Seeing Germanics were Iron-Poor this may very well be a Germanic elite, then again the Germanic elite Bodyguard were known as Long Haired Companions.