HISTORIANS: Shape of Faction Shields?

[Alletun]

The shields that me and TSDIV are doing have so far been round. The Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Irish, Gotland and frankish shields are done or near completion. But i was wondering, could the shields vary in shapes in different "cultures". Im starting the holy roman empire one and thinking of making it look like this shape instead of the traditional round one, would that be a good idea or completely out of place in the era?:


Here are some addition shield shapes:

[Alletun]

Holy roman Empire's shield:

[Tsar Stefan Dusan IV]

As Alletun said we are discusing of posibility that each group of factions has its own shield form but we need hystocial accuracy!!!!! That's where You come in. Which group of factions/cultures used what shields most frequently?

[Kythras]

Unless you're planning on having a different shape for each culture I'd stick with round shields for every faction, and I don't think there are that many shield shapes...

[Tsar Stefan Dusan IV]

We don't have like 20 cultures or so......
We are just proposing this, will be back on the round ones if team members don't approve the idea.

Frankish

[Kythras]

Whilst it wouldn't be that accurate, I suppose it could be done...

Perhaps...

German (HRE, Frisia, Franks) = heater
Norse = round
Slavic = upside-down teardrop
Roman = Triangle? Tower?
English = Kite

That could work actually...

[WMS]

the norse factions would most definitly have round shields, kite shields work both for the saxon english and the french, many celtic faction shields would be fine round, though traditionally the classical celtic ( and we must remember that the term celtic refers to many different peoples accross europe being given the name Keltoi by the greeks) shiel dconsists of an ovoid shield board with a long, spindle-shaped umbo with a spine extending vertically along the shield board. This style of construction is shared by the Republican era Roman scutum, as well as Etruscan and Iberian shield forms, suggesting a common ancestral type. However, as the centuries progressed, the form became less and less identified with the Mediterranean peoples. Both Greek and Roman art depicted the oval shield with the spindle boss as an identifying feature of the barbarian Celt's shield. The anglo-saxons and the vikings traditionally used Round shields, though kite shields were used by the saxons as well (this is attested to in many accounts of the battle of hastings telling of the saxons using large kite shields.) i dont believe the heater shield was not to come around until a lil over a hundred years after our mod ends unfortunately. Kite shields would be less common in this era though, as they picked up in the 11th century, which is at the end of our mod. So, i would say mostly round shields, some kite shields, and other different types of ethnic of indigenous styles that may have been used, though I am no expert on the subject either.

[Sanskrit_Bandit]

I'm pretty sure the only shields in this time were round sheilds that were quickly being replaced by kite shields. But no triangular ones yet.

[Tsar Stefan Dusan IV]

So, the best sollution would be round shields for all?

[Sanskrit_Bandit]

Well round shields were the old traditional style. But kite shields were quickly becoming the new fashion among wealthy armies, like Frankish and German ones for example.

[WMS]

yes, for the most part, round and some squarish or rectanglish ones, but not like legionary shields. Kite shields might appear in later and more expensive men.

[Kythras]

Maybe some of the HRE (emerging) and some of the very latest Frankish units could use them (on the battlemap), but that would be it, No cigar for symbols though.

Woops, Kite shields didn't come until the 10th century, and the Normans where the first to use the collectivelly as an army, there are no Normans, and we're starting in the 8th century so... yeah...

All in all I don't support it...

1) It wouldn't be historically accurate
2) It would make the collection of symbols look unorganised and unprofessional
and 3) It would mean more research (Not much, bet every little bit adds up) and more work of the graphic artists...

[WMS]

im confused, what are you saying, you dont support the round shields idea or you do?

[Kythras]

lSorry, shouldn't have triple posted.

I support round shields for Faction symbols, and almost everything ingame, but I'm ok with some use of other shields ingame

[WMS]

i agree with that, when i say square shields, i refer to shields sort of like what saxon hearth troops used in BI, these would be cheap makeshift shields of the lower classes. many bucklers and other round shields though were incredibly strong, and at this time round shields were the mainstay of shield technology until the eleventh century when kite shields began to become comon.

[Tsar Stefan Dusan IV]

Was it just 'modern' form or had practical reasons?
The change of shield appereance, offcourse.

[Kythras]

In my 1) 2) 3) Post I was refering to polaks post, but you got in before I finished...

[Sanskrit_Bandit]

hmm, i checked the wiki article and it said they werent widely used till 10th c. by Normans like Kythras said, but i could've sworn I saw them around earlier then that. oh well.

[WMS]

as kythras said, they were widely used at first with the normans, they make great shields for cavalry that used lances to charge in a "frankish charge". The longer bottomgave added protection to riders lower sections in melee rather than have to reach about with smaller round shields to block blows. it gained popularity amongst professional soldier because of this added protection in melee

[Alletun]

So as a conclusion, if i've read all the above correctly:

1) All faction symbol shield should be made round.
2) Some/a few units on the battlefield could have kite or teardrop shields.

am i correct?