How to defeat shields?

[Rodrigo]

Whats the best weapon and approach to deal with them? I've watched on YT some folks saying never break shield cause it gives double grip to enemies, but they block just a lot...

[Santo]

Flails are your friends until you increase your MATk. They ignore shields :)

[CHOO CHOO]

Axes or Greatswords to destroy them, flails to ignore them, or just level up your MATK until you can hit in spite of shields.

The thing about double grip is true; if you intend to break a shield then you need a plan for how to take down the unprotected enemy afterwards.

[Gilius Thunderhead]

I usually have an axe or two in the squad for breaking shields

either a shieldbro with a handaxe (because he has such low melee attack that breaking shields allows him to do at least something useful, and being a shieldbro he's probably safe from a double gripped counterstrike) and/or just a couple of long axes in the back row

axe mastery can help as it provides a bonus to axe breaking and named variants of axes can often have a nice bonus as well

[Rodrigo]

Originally posted by Santo:

Flails are your friends until you increase your MATk. They ignore shields :)

Never tried flails, will do

[CHOO CHOO]

You also don't strictly need any countermeasures to shields. It's perfectly valid to ignore shielded enemies and kill all the rest first, then surround the shielded ones and overcome their defence that way.

[Beatbeat Goodbeat]

Originally posted by CHOO CHOO:

You also don't strictly need any countermeasures to shields. It's perfectly valid to ignore shielded enemies and kill all the rest first, then surround the shielded ones and overcome their defence that way.

I usually do this. Shield bro vs shield enemy. Entire party of both side are exhausted, dead, or routing. Both are still locked in an eternal struggle to hit each other.

[SpectatorBehold]

Originally posted by CHOO CHOO:

You also don't strictly need any countermeasures to shields. It's perfectly valid to ignore shielded enemies and kill all the rest first, then surround the shielded ones and overcome their defence that way.

That's is the idea, but I've found that ignoring shields isn't always an option - Schrats are not impossible to kill without destroying their shields, but trying to kill them without dealing with their shields usually do not go well because they'll outlast you. Orc Warriors often carry shields as well, which makes them that much of a tougher nut to crack since they're already quite armored as well... But those are the only truly troublesome shield-wielding enemies there are out there in BB.

[CHOO CHOO]

Yeah, Schrats and Orc Warriors are a bit exceptional. Schrats because you pretty much need to destroy their shields, Orc Warriors because trying to destroy their shields is more trouble than its worth.

Can't comment much on Schrats, I'm not much of a beast slayer, but as for the Orcs I'd say ignore their shields. Kill the berserkers first, then the young orcs, and by the time only the warriors are left they'll be wavering and easier to hit regardless of their shields. Trying to destroy Orc shields takes too long and Orc Warriors aren't a priority target anyways, I would advise leaving them for last.

[Wandering Flare]

Originally posted by CHOO CHOO:

for the Orcs I'd say ignore their shields. Kill the berserkers first, then the young orcs, and by the time only the warriors are left they'll be wavering and easier to hit regardless of their shields. Trying to destroy Orc shields takes too long and Orc Warriors aren't a priority target anyways, I would advise leaving them for last.

I'll second this, while the Warriors can be a tad annoying with their passion for turning the formation into swiss cheese - them being the holes -, the Berserkers are always a top priority to avoid getting a bro oneshot by a lucky (for the orc) flail or axe headshot,
the Young just being quick targets to kill for a morale hit.

If there are no Young or Berserkers, it's just a wall-against-wall situation where wasting turns on breaking shields is a luxury you don't have, bonus points if some of the bros are relegated to continuously disarming the Warlord.

[Cat®]

I like to avoid shields until I have cleared out softer targets, as they often have heavier weapons anyway. Then when all the softies are taken the shielded guys fall easily enough, if they aren't routing already. If you can, it is useful to toss a net at any shielded enemy caught out of position, as they are both more fatigue hungry and the ones you are likely to want to swarm and kill in an opening.

Breaking shields in the early game is often quite rough, as the AI will often prioritise shielding instead of attacking. But I don't think the double grip buff itself is the issue. The fact of the matter is that if your character's life can be decided with one lucky hit then whether they are attacking once or twice is irrelevant, and the real issue is that you have an enemy you can't neutralise before it does permanent damage to your squad.

Consider CC like shoving, stunning, hooking, etc to delay them. Once they run out of fatigue they are also that much easier to kill.

[CHOO CHOO]

One situation in which I do like to break shields is against southern armies. Those flimsy shields break with a single attack, so it can be done fairly efficiently.

[Noivi]

Originally posted by Rodrigo:

Whats the best weapon and approach to deal with them? I've watched on YT some folks saying never break shield cause it gives double grip to enemies, but they block just a lot...

They're 2 ways. Frails, with 2Handeds or 1 handed.
The other way is having someone, most likely a shield bro, with high enough defense to use the perk "Taunt" (level 3 I think). Taunt the guy with the shield, wait that this guy attack your shield bro, and because he was taunted, he attacked twice to the guy that used taunt, so, he don't gonna be shielded and your offensive bro can attack more reliable. You can also use Fast Addaptation (level 1), to stack changes to hit.

[Heron]

Originally posted by CHOO CHOO:

One situation in which I do like to break shields is against southern armies. Those flimsy shields break with a single attack, so it can be done fairly efficiently.

Goblins too. I like to spec one of my early trash bro survivors into shielded 1h axe to accomplish just that. A 1h fighting axe can destroy Gobbo and Agarda shields in a single hit with mastery.

[A5G_Reaper]

While breaking shields are generally not advised, there were times where it's a good choice of action. Like, say, early game auxiliary/legionary fights. It's not unusual to clear the polearm ones only for 2-3 remaining shield ones to doggedly block every single attack you throw at them. And they're slowly but surely chunking down someone. Or maybe there's brigand with heater shield doing the same thing. Break the shield and murder them.

That aside, most other shield aren't really worth breaking (beside mandatory axe episode against schrat). When it's mid-lategame, your bros likely have enough melee skill to just plow through shields. Also, there'll be more enemies which means it's more likely that the shield ones will rout from their unshielded allies dying. For undeads, well, the shielded ones shouldn't be killing any nimble/bforged bros before you kill them so it doesn't matter that much.

If it's early game, you want to bypass shields, but doesn't want to break them? Fast adaptation is your solution. It's an underrated perk, but it makes for great tempo fighters.

[ulzgoroth]

Originally posted by A5G_Reaper:

If it's early game, you want to bypass shields, but doesn't want to break them? Fast adaptation is your solution. It's an underrated perk, but it makes for great tempo fighters.

Seems like you want massive damage at all costs to go with that, so that when you stack enough misses to get the hit you don't wind up needing to do it again?