Assault Shield

"Ballistic-proof blunt shield weapon. Can be deployed on the ground as cover."

- Create-A-Class description.

The Assault Shield is a primary weapon introduced in Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Call of Duty: Strike Team. It appears to function quite similarly to the Riot Shield of previous games with one major addition; the ability to plant the shield on the ground to serve as a barricade.

Campaign
The Assault Shield can be found and used in "Celerium". It can also be unlocked in the customized loadout section if the player successfully completes five challenges in "Odysseus".

Multiplayer
The Assault Shield is unlocked at level 34. It is classified as a Special in the create-A-class section. Compared to the Riot Shield, the Assault Shield is more mobile as it weighs less. Much like the Riot Shield, it will provide some degree of resistance to bullets, explosions and the radiation emitted from the Guardian Scorestreak. Its effectiveness is highly dependent on the player's stance and is most effective when used in a crouched position; concealing the player's feet from threats. The player can melee with the Assault Shield, and it takes two hits to kill an enemy with full health in Core game modes and one in Hardcore game modes. While the player may plant the shield at their feet by pressing the "fire" button for cover, it serves little benefit as it takes time to plant. There are limitations where the player can mount a shield (such as in a doorway or on an uneven surface) and it is easily destroyed while on the ground. When carried, cracks in the shield left by enemy fire can greatly hinder the player's view. Like other Special weapons, the Assault Shield can be prestiged at weapon level 6. There is no harm in prestiging it as there are no attachments lost and there is still the benefit of continuing to gain XP and progress towards the Marksman challenge.

Depending on playstyle, players may choose many different perks; for example, if the player is fond of using the Assault Shield as a melee weapon, then Lightweight, Ghost, Extreme Conditioning or Dexterity perks can prove very useful because they increase the speed & agility of the player as the weight of the Shield makes it difficult to move, and Ghost is recommended because when the Shield is placed, Ghost hides it from the mini-map and fades the cursor that would usually appear above friendly tactical and assault units (e.g. Trophy systems, C.4., etc). Using Concussion Grenades along with Tactical Mask and Fast Hands may help significantly to slow enemy's movement to either catch up with running ones or flank them and melee them while they are almost completely vulnerable. Alternatively, the player may use the Assault Shield as a way of drawing fire and then switching to another weapon or equipment (such as a pistol or Combat Axe) at the right moment, where Fast Hands can again be a great aid.

It is worth noting that the Assault Shield blocks bullets from behind when on the player's back, similarly as how the Riot Shield does in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Camouflages
Camouflages are available for the Assault Shield, and are completed by doing the following actions:
 * DEVGRU - Get 5 kills with Assault Shield.
 * A-TACS AU - Get 10 kills with Assault Shield.
 * ERDL - Get 15 kills with Assault Shield.
 * Siberia - Get 20 kills with Assault Shield.
 * Choco - Get 30 kills with Assault Shield.
 * Blue Tiger - Get 40 kills with Assault Shield.
 * Bloodshot - Get 50 kills with Assault Shield.
 * Ghostex: Delta 6 - Get 75 kills with Assault Shield.
 * Kryptek: Typhon - Get 100 kills with Assault Shield.
 * Carbon Fiber - Get 1000 score from blocking enemy fire.
 * Cherry Blossom - Get 25 Hatchet Kills while holding the Assault Shield.
 * Art of War - Get 25 Shield Bash medals by killing the player shooting at your Assault Shield.
 * Ronin - Get 25 kills with the Assault Shield and no Perks equipped.
 * Skulls - Get 25 kills with the Assault Shield and no weapons equipped. (Also includes Lethal equipment and Secondary Tacticals via Tactician)
 * Gold - Complete all Camo unlocks for the Assault Shield.
 * Diamond - Complete all camo unlocks for all Specials (including Combat Knife).

Call of Duty: Black Ops II

 * The Assault Shield can ricochet bullets for a kill as shown here.
 * When an Assault Shield is "destroyed", the only part to break is the planting mechanism. The shield itself remains with the same damage as it had before.
 * If the player picks up the Assault Shield in "Celerium", they can possess three weapons for the rest of the mission as the Assault Shield can be swapped for another weapon.
 * In campaign, if the player is holding an assault shield and uses an Ammo Crate to refill their ammunition, then the HUD's ammo section will display 2 carried shields (1 held and 1 in reserve). Despite this, only one shield is actually carried by the player.
 * The Assault Shield can deflect the deadly flood water on Hydro. It must be planted in calm water; the player can take cover behind it and survive, as shown here. This was patched in a later update.
 * If taken too much damage, picking back up the shield and planting it back regenerates its health.

Call of Duty: Strike Team

 * The Assault Shield is called a Riot Shield in-game, although it is not as such.
 * The Assault Shield appears to have the DEVGRU Camouflage by default.