Shields slung on the back

[Miracle]

Certain units, such as Pavise Xbows and Varangian Guards, have shields affixed to their backs instead of their arms.

Does that mean the shield defense bonus applies only to their rear defense?

If so, that would mean Dismounted Noble/Portuguese/English Knights and Tarbardariyya are just as good as Varangian Guards in the frontal melee match, and Pavise Xbows aren't as tough in a melee as their stats would indicate.

[Atalus]

I think it means that when the crossbow men are reloading their shield bonus applies

[HoreTore]

Well, the varangians don't have much on the way of crossbows...

I'm really wondering if someone has the answer to this.

[Rozanov]

Interesting to see what is in wikipedia on this:

Pavise

A pavise (or pavis, pabys, pavesen) is a large convex shield of European origin used to protect the entire body. The pavise was also made in a smaller version for hand to hand combat and for wearing on the back of men-at-arms. It is characterized by its prominent central ridge.

The pavise was primarily used by archers and crossbowmen in the medieval period, particularly during sieges. It was carried by a pavisier, usually an archer, or, especially for the larger ones, by a groom. The pavise was held in place by the pavisier or sometimes deployed in the ground with a spike attached to the bottom. While reloading their weapons, crossbowmen would crouch behind them to shelter against incoming missile attacks.

Pavises were often painted with the town's coat of arms where it was made or sometimes stored in the town arsenal for when the town came under attack. Religious icons such as St. Barbara and St. George were featured on the front of pavises. Even the Hussite chalice was featured on pavises during the Hussite Wars. Most pavises were covered in a coarse, carpet base like canvas, before painting and painted with oil and egg-based paints. Only 200 or so exist today but many were present in period.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavise

seems the pavise crossbowmen in M2:TW are a hybrid - probably because doing it properly (ie with a detachable pavise held by a groom (no less)) wouldn't work in the battle engine.

[Jambo]

Good query. This is something I've often wondered about too. Does anyone know for certain?

[Didz]

I must admit I was slightly bemused by the depiction of the pavise used on MTW2. The idea of the crossbowman having it strapped to his back so that his arms were free and then crouching with his back to the enemy to load seemed like quite a clever idea when I first saw it happen in an MTW2 battle.

However, I'm not sure how historically accurate this use of the pavise is. The historical references suggest that the pavise was used as a freestanding but movable sheild which was either stuck in the ground using a spike or held in place by a second man. Apparently, the role of pavise-bearer was recognised as a skilled and dangerous task and men employed as pavise bearers were actually paid twice as much as the crossbowman they were employed to protect.

The archer or crossbowman would then shelter behind it whilst reloading. Some even had firing slits inserted so that the crossbow could be fired from behind it. It was essentially a shield for use in seiges rather than the battlefield.

There are some references to men-at-arms having pavise strapped to their backs but whether this was part of some special combat technique or merely a means of protecting ones back during the confusion of a melee is not clear. It may even be a simple misunderstanding as soldiers almost certainly strapped their shields to their backs on the march and its possible some historian has seen an image of soldiers on the march and extrapolated a flawed theory based upon the image.

It seems to me the extra weight would more than offset any benefits. It would be interesting to find out if Mike Loades has done any experiments with the use of pavise shields.

[Slaists]

I guess, only CA can provide a definite answer on this... They know the engine and they know whether the pavise defense is applied to the back or to the front and left as for the common shield-bearer variety.

[edyzmedieval]

Varangians used their shields on the back almost all the time. Only the most powerful of them could handle the big shield and that huge double-handed axe (in this case, single handed).