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Author Topic: 'Riot' shields and MiA  (Read 20079 times)

Zaku

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'Riot' shields and MiA
« on: August 17, 2015, 08:58:47 AM »
What's everyone's feelings towards using riot/ballistic shields for airsoft? Are there any rules for the MIA games?


I was offered by a welder friend for him to make me a full size Russian VM Fort shield for much much less than the ones online. Great addition to my Russian kit but at the same time, I don't feel like spending the money then finding out I can't use them or if this is super shunned among the MIA people.

Gimpalong

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Re: 'Riot' shields and MiA
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2015, 12:38:09 PM »
Ultimately, it comes down to what an event host will approve. Some event hosts might allow the use of a riot shield, others won't. MiA does not have specific rules regarding anything other than FPS/Joule limits.

Personally, I think riot shields are too easy to abuse and never actually get used as they are used in the real world. Most people build riot shields that weigh like 5 lbs and abuse the hell out of them. If someone really wanted to use a riot shield, I'd be all for it if the shield actually weighed like 70 lbs.

In order for a riot shield to be fair there has to be some commensurate disadvantage to carrying one. You want to haul around a huge 70 lb piece of equipment? Sure, go for it.

luke213

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Re: 'Riot' shields and MiA
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2015, 03:22:51 PM »
That's spot on my opinion of any sort of BB blocking device. The trouble with airsoft across the board is we're trying to emulate a firearm with a BB gun in essence and worse one that is safe to shoot at other people. That means the ballistics always suck, and a single BB can never be as effective as we'd like. So as a result along with all the other compromises in our chosen hobby any sort of barrier is a bigger problem than it would otherwise be. So plywood becomes a complete blockade to BB's, etc etc. Riot shields could work, but like mentioned it's just far too easy to abuse, unless I had a scenario that called for their use in some sort of scripted event scenario I wouldn't allow their use here. That said it's always going to be up to the people running the event, but you've gotta keep in mind their primary goal is that people that attend the event have fun, and enjoy themselves. Shooting a riot shield all day without getting the person out isn't often the "fun" they are looking to have;)

I'm not suggesting you're planning on using it like that, but it's just the reality of our hobby as a whole it's all the compromises we make to play.

Luke
xaos - "298,000 yen for a complete gun. How much is that in real money?"

Gabriel

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Re: 'Riot' shields and MiA
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2015, 08:14:13 AM »
That actually got me to thinking, you know what might be cool?  Styrofoam riot shields, as in shields that would chip apart and eventually break under sustained fire.  I would probably have to be fairly thing (1/4 in) in order to still be breakable at a semi extended range, but I could see those being a really interesting dynamic in some games.

Elvis

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'Riot' shields and MiA
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2015, 08:35:10 AM »
^^ I have always thought that it would be cool to make them out of a thinner material, so it would break to some extent under a lot of fire (maybe even thin plexi glass?). I agree with that idea as it would make them actually quite fun.

Zaku

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Re: 'Riot' shields and MiA
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2015, 09:52:03 PM »
That would be awesome and pretty cheap actually. Just don't fall on it.