Riot Shield

The Riot Shield is a primary weapon in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It offers new defensive and offensive capabilities to players. Although designed to function as ballistic shields used by police and military forces, the Riot Shield more closely resembles typical riot shields used by police in appearance, in that it is made of clear plastic rather than metal. Even then, ballistic shields are built to protect the user against handgun and shotgun rounds, and are easily penetrated by higher-powered weapons. However, since ballistic shields have a small window, the Riot Shield was most likely chosen for maximum visibility.

Unlike their real-life counterparts, the Riot Shield in MW2 is indestructible and is capable of absorbing damage from most weapons, including M203 grenades, launchers like RPG-7 and anti-materiel rifles such as the M82.

Usage
The Riot shield is a primary weapon in single player, Multiplayer and Special Ops. Players using the riot shield cannot hold a weapon, go prone, or place a breach charge. The shield will deflect all enemy bullets, but the impacts will leave large cracks across the front of the shield, until the game reloads the image (It would overload the game if it did not). The shield also greatly reduces explosive damage if pointed in the right direction, enabling the player to survive grenades and Claymores with little trouble. In some ways, it makes the Blast Shield unnecessary, although the Blast Shield is non-directional.

The riot shield will slow down movement at all times. Sprinting with the Riot Shield will shift it to the side but this vulnerability can be circumvented by running at an angle. When not in use (i.e. using a secondary weapon) the shield is placed over the player's back, where it can still deflect bullets. When looking at a player that has set a riot shield, they appear to have additional pads/armor on them as well as a helmet. This is likely the real reason behind the very slow movement of players using riot shields, as the effect does not disappear when you drop the riot shield. This also explains why players who pick up riot shields are able to maneuver faster with them than those who begin with the riot shield as their primary weapon. However, the additional armor is purely for cosmetic reasons and players that spawn with their riot shield still take full damage when they do not have their riot shield.

The riot shield does have a number of offensive capabilities, such as a melee attack, in which the player bashes an enemy with the shield. Two melee attacks, or one melee attack in Hardcore will kill the enemy. However, using this melee ability can expose the wielder. Bullets can also ricochet off the riot shield and kill enemies and so, it is advised to keep some distance against a shielded player. Deflecting enemy bullets with the shield will give a player bonus experience points, but the effect decreases over time to prevent abuse.

Unlike the enemies in Single Player or Special Ops, the player cannot use a weapon while wielding the shield. Switching to a secondary weapon places the shield on the wielder's back, which offers some limited protection. However, when engaging an enemy, switching from the riot shield to a secondary weapon takes a considerable amount of time and is one of the greatest risks of using riot shields. Players can throw grenades as per normal (exposing the player momentarily), and the Throwing Knife is particularly useful as a replaceable ranged attack.

It should also be noted that the riot shield can block bullets several killstreaks including the Harrier, but the shield is useless against the pave low, chopper gunner and AC130 killstreaks.

Using the Riot Shield
Mastering the riot shield is hard because of the complex angle work involved - even minor exposure can mean death. And because the riot shield is transparent, players using the shield are vulnerable to flashbangs. However, being exposed to either a flashbang or stun grenade with the riot shield in multiplayer will not lower a shield. A useful tactic is to combine the riot shield with the Commando perk. This causes the player to charge people with the Riot Shield from a significantly longer distance. Players will also find it very helpful to be using Lightweight, as riot shields slow down player speed dramatically and Lightweight can be used to counteract this.

The shield is generally best used in tight spaces or doorways, as the user cannot be flanked as easily, minimizing the chance of them getting hit from the sides. Riot shield users have to be careful, however, as skilled players will attempt to charge the shield to knife the user or otherwise circle around for a clear shot. To minimize damage from the sides, it is advised to cut down moving to the sides while under fire. Because of the way the shield is held, the player's left side tends to be more exposed than the right. Because of this, users should try to keep a wall or door frame on their left. Additionally, if a player is carrying the throwing knife, the optimal time to use the throwing knife with the Riot Shield is when an opposing player is seen reloading, preparing to throw a grenade, or when running directly at Riot Shield user. As many skilled players will attempt to counter the Riot Shield by sprinting at it to knife the player, running in a straight line towards the player with the Riot Shield will leave them wide open for a throwing knife kill, as they can not shoot while sprinting or easily get out of the way. If under attack in melee range, always keep the shield pointed at the enemy and bash when the opportunity arises. Riot Shields take two hits to kill an enemy, so take this into consideration.

Using the Riot Shield in conjunction with the Blast Shield will help the player survive most explosive attacks around the player and the player will most likely survive a Semtex stuck on the Riot Shield while donning the Blast Shield. Without a Blast Shield a player whose Riot Shield becomes stuck with a Semtex has a fairly low chance of survival from the blast. In the event that Semtex is attached to the shield, one counter-tactic is to charge the enemy so that the explosion kills the thrower. Changing the shield for another weapon will drop the Semtex, giving you the opportunity to run away from it.

Some players will use the shield purely for rear defense while relying on a secondary weapon for offense, such as shotguns or akimbo machine pistols.

One preferred technique when facing the back of an enemy is bashing them with the shield instead of knifing or shooting them. This tactic also unlocks "Back-Smasher"; a multiplayer challenge.

An effective use of the shield is to hold objective locations, such as in Headquarters or Domination, in order to safely secure it or prevent enemies from capturing it. A wall of riot shields in search and destroy can be very daunting to opponents and can be very effective when supported with firearms. Another variation of the wall is the Turtle technique, where two or more players with Riot Shields and Blast shields walk back to back, which protects them from gunfire until they get to their destination, with the Blast Sheilds providing protection from Semtex grenades and Flashbangs, which should keep the group safe.

Using a handgun with a Tactical Knife as a secondary with the shield can be useful, because of the quick swap and melee, which can save a players' life in tight situations.

Facing the Riot Shield
A player using the Riot Shield is vulnerable in a number of ways. The shield does not provide full-body coverage. When standing, the player's feet are exposed. The head or feet may also be exposed while crouched, depending on how the shield is positioned by the player. A keen shooter can exploit these openings, using carefully aimed shots to stop a shield-user in his tracks.

Explosives can be highly effective against the shield. For example, the riot shield can be stuck with a Semtex grenade, killing the user. Explosives can also be tossed behind a player using a riot shield.

Yet another strategy is to use a throwing knife. If a person wielding one is standing up it is possible to bounce it off the ground and kill the person. It is also possible to bounce knives off other walls and behind the person into the wielder. Or, if you are being charged by a sprinting riot shield wielder, it is possible to hit them as the back-and-forth movements of the Riot Shield expose their sides.

It is important to assess the threat of a riot shield when deciding how to engage. Shield users have limited offensive options and are often not a threat at all while at a distance. Be conscious of other enemies using the shield as a distraction and always focus on enemy shooters rather than the shield. Be mindful that an effective strategy for shielders is to get within Commando melee range, quickly switch to a pistol with Tactical Knife and kill you before you have a chance to react. This strategy is very fluid and depends on the victim underestimating its speed, so never pull a grenade or reload when they are capable of closing this distance.

Quite possibly the best strategy to take down a Riot Shield player is to equip your own pistol with Tactical Knife and rotate around the player while stabbing consecutively. You will melee twice as fast as the shield user, and you only need to find an opening once, while the shield user will need to land their sluggish melee twice. Throwing a stun grenade near the shield user is also effective, as this not only slows them down but prevents them from turning quickly enough to block your fire, allowing you to run behind them and knife or shoot them in the back -- be mindful that if the stun grenade lands in front of the shield they will be unaffected. You should not run directly at a stunned shield user, since they might throw a knife at you and kill you even while stunned. Instead, run at them slightly to the left or right of where they are facing to prevent them from doing this.

A way to take down an aggressive riot shield user if no enemies but him are around, is to act like a bull fighter. Let him run at you, and if you want, you can run at him also. Try to keep to his left if possible. Once you get close enough dodge to your left (or right, but left is favored), and while turning towards him, knife. This should stab him in the back, killing him. This takes practice, and a fair amount of timing, but works very efficiently.

Another method to deal with shield users is to rush them at speed while they are crouched. If there are no other enemies attacking you, it is fairly easy to jump and stab the player in the head from the air. This method is best used with a tactical knife, since you will still have the speed advantage if the shield user moves. Another way is to throw C4 at their feet and blow it up when they close the distance. Several strategies are employed by a Riot Shield user, so the quicker you figure out which one they are using, the quicker you can counter it. If they are charging at you, it's probably a knifer/shotgunner; if they stop mid-distance and wait, they are probably lining up a throwing knife. Identify the threat, and deal with it accordingly.

Also, you can tell roughly far away the charging shield user is. If they are more than 2 seconds away, plant a claymore, and assuming you timed it correctly, the claymore should activate and catch the shield user off guard. If the user manages to see and avoid it, that should give you the opportunity to stab them in the back while they are avoiding it.

Single Player
The Riot Shield is used by the various enemies in certain parts of the campaign, such as Shadow Company and Russian forces in The Gulag. In addition, the shield features prominent in Spec Ops missions such as Terminal. If the riot shield is on the player's back in single player, it will not block anything. Unlike human players, all enemies can wield a weapon and a shield simultaneously (always a MP5K). Enemies will charge the player if they get too close; otherwise they will usually remain in formation, where they are protected from frontal attacks.

Using flashbangs will stun the enemy, providing an opening to shoot or engage in melee combat. An interesting tactic is to equip a Riot Shield and bash just as the enemy attacks. It takes two hits to kill someone with the shield. Frag grenades and the grenade launcher are also effective if aimed behind the shield wall

PC/Xbox 360 Achievements/PS3 Trophies

 * Unnecessary Roughness - Kill an enemy by bashing him with the shield in Single Player or Spec Ops. This Achievement/ Trophy is shown with a player being kicked in the privates by a man with a Riot Shield.

Trivia

 * The Riot Shield users' static animations are taunting hand gestures. If a player using a different primary weapon picks up a Riot Shield, however, they will not perform these animations.
 * The PS3/PC/360 Unnecessary Roughness trophy/achievement picture shows a soldier with a riot shield kicking an enemy soldier in the groin.
 * In the campaign, unused riot shields lying against the walls are not bulletproof; in fact, bullets pass right through them. This is best seen in "The Gulag".
 * Though some players may have claimed to, you cannot kill someone by shooting the Riot Shield enough to shoot through. this can be proved by standing in front of a sentry gun and the bullets will never get through.
 * If a player drops a riot shield that has no cracks and picks up a different one, the new one will have the same number of cracks in the same places.
 * A Riot Shield will protect the user's feet even when not crouched in Single Player.
 * A Riot Shield is not visible on a player's back in Spec Ops.
 * A Riot Shield will not protect the user from melee attacks in Spec Ops and Single Player.
 * On the lower back area of the Riot Shield player model, there is a small sign that says, "kick me!" Juggernauts have the same sign.
 * It is not possible to go prone when using the Riot Shield, only when using a secondary weapon.
 * Riot Shield users have their own player model to make them more distinctive, like snipers. In 3rd person they look similar to Juggernauts from Spec Ops.
 * In light of the above, the character model for the Riot Shield can be somewhat out-of-place, specifically for the OpFor and the Brazilian Militia, who are both paramilitary/guerrilla forces. The model depicts a heavily armored soldier with a riot mask on. The character essentially looks similar to riot police/SWAT officer, which the two aforementioned factions are more than likely not equipped for such.
 * If you cause damage to a Riot Shield user, blood will appear on the shield. Strangely, this blood will not show for the player using the shield, it will just be cracked.
 * Right now, there is an XP boosting technique involving two people on the same team shooting at each other's shields, which acts as a serious problem in Search and Destroy, as experience gained in this mode is substantially increased.
 * When looked at through a Thermal Scope, the entire shield will glow white along with the player, as the shield is part of the character's model.
 * Using a Riot Sheild in Multiplayer is often regarded to be used by 'Noobs'. Players generally dislike the use of Riot Shields by other players, unless battling against Sentry Guns or Air Support that can fire upon players.