Vigil

My question is: how does one use a riot shield effectively? How do you fight, which perks and equipment etc.

I have little experience playing MW:2 myself, I usually watch my little brother play who is pretty damn good at it. While watching I came to relish the prospect of a full-fledged riot shield class.
After a while I decided to give it a try and see for myself. As a player I was horrible during that time so that might explain some of my problems.

Theoretically, the Riot Shield is extremely powerful 1 on 1. You can stop any gunfire, crawl closer and bash 'em to death while being safe yourself. But when I tried it out it just didn't live up to it. I'd like to hear whether this is due to my lack of experience/skill or just the concept as a whole.

At first I used

Riot Shield
Magnum .44 + Tactical Knife
Throwing Knife
Stun Grenades
Marathon Pro
Lightweight Pro
Commando Pro
Final Stand

But I quickly ran into trouble. The reason I thought a Magnum + Tactical Knife would be effective was that I thought you could close the distance, swap weapons when in Commando range, and lunge for the kill. But I learned that the second you drop the shield, no matter how well-timed, you get shot to shreds. No matter what I did, I learned I had to keep behind the shield as long as my opponent was firing.

So I swapped it for a Thumper. Didn't work either, simply because I never got to use it. Most of the time, fights with my Riot Shield come down to this:

1- Either I sight someone or someone sights me. If they sight me I'm dead, if I sight them I crouch and move in on them.
2- When they see me, most opponents will try to shoot me. Sometimes they kill me even though I aim the shield perfectly at them. But usually I can close the distance. Until they stop firing, I have to keep the shield up because I die the moment I let it down.
3- Now, some opponents aren't dumb, and they either throw a Semtex at me or start running circles around me and knife me. This keeps killing me. If they don't, I wait until they stop firing and chuck a throwing knife at them. The problem is that usually they are moving, and I lack the skill to hit moving targets with the knife.
4- When I manage to get into melee, I usually end up bashing them to death. Sometimes, though, I lunge at them with Commando, only to realise I've lost sight of them afterwards. I turn, see nothing, and get knifed in the back.

Now, with that being said, let me explain what I think goes wrong.
If I get killed by gunfire, the killcam shows them aiming at a very small piece of me not covered by the shield (shoulders and thighs), while in MY vision at the time, I am aiming the shield perfectly at them. Is this some sort of lag, or does the shield really fail to cover me completely?
Some opponents run at me, turn around me and knife me. I know this tactic, so I am prepared, but they still manage even with me countering perfectly. It looks as if they can run faster than I can turn, but my sensitivity is enough to easily outdo them. Again, it seems as if there is some kind of lag that causes it to LOOK like I cover myself, but to them shows me vulnerable. I experience no visual lag myself, though. Also, sometimes I Commando-lunge at someone, only to find they knife me in mid-air even though I struck first.
Semtex is pretty much the bane of the riot shield. I have no way to notice they're preparing one, the animation is just too subtle and I get no grenade warning. If they stick it to my shield, sure I can swap it out to drop the Semtex, but the timer is so short that I die anyway. Also, they can just shoot me the moment I swap the shield. I can counter grenades by aiming the shield at them, but opponents will throw one, then wait for me to aim at the grenade and shoot me.
Against flashbangs I can't do much either. If I look away they shoot me in the back, if I keep looking I get blinded and they knife me.
Then there's the issue of moving targets. If they stop shooting, but move around, I am too slow to chase them but cannot hit them with the throwing knife, because I lack the skill to do it. This sometimes results in nerve-wracking chases where they keep trying to shoot me, with me constantly having to perfect-cover their gunfire to survive while I close in.
Finally, grenade launchers. Nothing to say there, there's just no way to aim the shield to stop all the splash damage. Free kill for them.

I found Final Stand really useful since you can be shot from afar, then survive because the shield blocks their other bullets until you recover. I still can't settle on a secondary because no matter what, if I drop the shield I get shot so I can never swap. Maybe I should toss a stun grenade instead of my knife when they stop shooting? That way I might hit moving targets and then finish them off with the knife. Marathon is vital to me because without it, I feel so vulnerable- when I didn't have it I kept being knifed from behind by random people running around the map, because I was too slow to avoid them. I've tried to use Semtex instead of the throwing knife, but it just ends up leaving too much time for them to kill me anyway, even if I do get them with it.

Advice?

pantstofry

Look at the thread below yours in Quick Discussion called Riot Shield. Otherwise, for me I use akimbo M9s because they're quick to pull out and fun.

FearTheTerror

scav + thumper + dc
1 man army
akimbo g18 + hardline =P

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iPeeOnTrees

I don't really think you should use tactical knife unless you are going to run around with that instead of your riot shield. I think there are two ways to play with the riot shield. The normal way by using a secondary preferably akimbo weapons. The other way is to slap on One Man Army, Danger Close, and Thumper or RPG with either a semtex, frag, or C4 equipment.

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blub212212

In my thread:

Riot Shield
.44 Magnum (any pistol) Tac knife. Akimbo USPs work as well with the knife glitch
C4 <---IMPORTANT
Stuns
Scavenger
Danger Close
Commando

To use this set-up:
Throw c4. Double tap square/reload button to blow up. Pick up bag. repeat
If you don't have a c4, block the knife attack with your shield, quickly shift to your pistol, and knife the guy. commando works wonders =D
Bump with shield for a last resort

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oneinchwunda

This thread should be merged with the other one.

/thread.



I'd be an awesome mod.

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blub212212

nah you'd close too many threads
watch "WingsOfRedemption's Riot Shield Nuke" On youtube. It's on MachinimaRespawn's channel

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xDoMx J0KER

Smoke + Claymore = Win when using riot shields, into trouble, toss smoke down, drop claymore and back up.

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blub212212

YouTube - Modern Warfare 2: WingsOfRedemption's Riot Shield Nuke (MW2 Gameplay Tutorial)

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TransparentOpacity

I use this

Riot Shield
RPG

C4
Stuns

Scavenger Pro
Danger Close Pro
Commando Pro

Martrydom

It works really well for me. RPG people from any range and get lots of multi kills. C4 and commando shield bash for close range.


I know what you mean about getting knifed or shot when you think you know you're safe. It happens to me a lot. I'm pointed directly at them, and they still shoot me. I don't know what to tell you about that.

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Shneakeh

UUUSSSEEE THE CALLLSTAPPPP KKNNNIFE...
Knife+equipment+switch weapon+knife again. This is so helpful with a riot shield...

Also, RPG AND C4 FTW.

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SimoHayha

I've been practicing the "black art" of shielding for a while now, even got my 50,000 bullets deflected emblem. The most basic tactic is to look down slightly when crouching to give your feet maximum protection. Don't get too fixated on this downward looking position because when guys rush, you must look back up slightly or they will knife you in the top of the head. It's also important to know that your left side sticks out slightly and people will aim for this area. I used marathon perk early on in my shield career, and I think I died a lot because you're just not that protected when running with the shield. When I do run toward a known enemy position I try to lead with my left shoulder because it offers better protection. Teammates should not generally tuck in right behind you because it makes one big juicy target. If they hang back they can get a lot of kills without even being noticed by the enemy who is focusing on the shielder. I think people who focus on K/D will never be happy with the shield but it's really fun, and contributes to game wins if used skillfully.

Load Out
Shield, Silenced Raffica
throwing knife, stun grenades
Scavenger, Hardline, Commando
3-4-5 killstreaks

For me this load out is all about getting throwing knife kills. There's nothing better than bringing a "speed tac-knifer" to a standstill with a stun grenade and sticking him with a throwing knife. Actually there is: when he comes running back for revenge and ends up with another knife in his eye socket. For me the stun grenades are essential, I have "most throwing knife kills" over 700 times and probably 90% of those kills involve stun grenades. You can't stun yourself as long as you're crouched and the grenade ends up in front of you. Throwing a stun grenade right at your feet is a good tactic against rushers because right around the time they reach you, they get stunned. After enough throwing knife kills you don't have to spend much, if any time aiming it, you just let it fly because you know where it will go.
One thing I noticed with this load out is that the tone is set by your first few engagements. If you get killed three or four times from poor timing of a grenade or knife throw, all the enemy knows is that he shot at you and you went down, so from then on he'll just open up on you so you have to play conservatively and stay safely in your crouch. On the other hand if you make three or four good kills right off the bat, the enemy will be much more cautious around you. This means they spend more time trying to figure out how to deal with you which gives you and your teammates an advantage.
I like the silenced raffica with this loadout because if you come around a corner and find some enemy looking the other way you can take them out quietly with either the Raffica or the throwing knife. The Raffica draws quicker than the other machine pistols also, which is nice in close quarters. It also has decent range so if you miss a long "hero shot" with the throwing knife, you can still get them with the Raffica.

SimoHayha

I've used this exact load out quite a bit. One thing non-shielding people might not know is that you can be two feet away from your own C4 blast and survive it, as long as your crouched and facing the C4. This means you can camp in a small area right near your C4. When a guy sees you and closes in for the kill just click, click, boom. Martyrdom is a great death streak for this load out because eventually they figure out your game and come back in a group.
Another thing about C4 is that if you try to detonate it while it's disabled from a flash or stun, it will detonate as soon as the stun or flash wears off, even after you've died. So if a guy throws a flashbang into your camping spot and bypasses the C4 and kills you, he will get killed by the C4 if he hangs out too long.

gca

Yea, the C4 tactic in that video has brought me the most success.

However, doing a mobility swap is very good too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYw9Hz3eLYA

He doesn't explain it in the vid, but all you have to do is:

1. Use a Shield Class with OMA

2. After the game has gone on for a bit, pick up any weapon on the ground to replace your Shield. This will drop your shield to the ground.

3. Use OMA to switch to a SMG class with a secondary.

4. Swap your secondary for the riot shield you just dropped. You keep the movement speed on an SMG, instead of taking the speed reduction from the Shield, which makes it a whole lot more viable.

5. Add stun and claymores for extra lulz.


I also like a shield class with a throwing knife. You just have to be VERY patient. Lining up the throws also takes a bit of practice. Explosive classes are much easier to use, especially C4, because people will flood back for rage kills, only to get C4'd again.

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zone3871

im pretty sure that C4's and claymores disappear after you respawn.

and my riot shield class has TKnife+USP45, Throwing Knife,stun G's, marathon,lightweight,commando (all pro). it is pretty effective. its like a rushing shielder, which is pretty fun. you can practically catch up to some AR/LMG people running from you and bash'em to death.
one thing that i find to be really effective against someone is that when they are going to throw a grenade/semtex/or anything, you can see that they aren't holding their primary weapon. that time is the best for me to either throw a stun G , or switch to TKnife+USP45 and knife them to death. but you have to REALLY watch them. you can only see them about to throw something only for a second, unless they are cooking grenades. so you really have to be quick.

blub212212

true, but if you wait in the killcam long enough i think it may work

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SimoHayha

I think you're correct about the C4 disappearing when you respawn. I could be wrong but I think that if you watch the killcam, your C4 or claymore is still active. I think I've got some C4 and claymore kills while watching the killcam, but maybe what I'm getting are martyrdom kills. I hope someone can verify this because if that's true, then it's probably worth watching the killcam to give your "stunned" C4 time to recover and detonate.

zone3871

yea, C4's and claymores are still active until you respawn. so you watch the killcam and wait for your equipment to blow up or not. but auto-respawn is like 6secs.