45 replies to this topic

[SgNerf]

Hello everyone, this is my first post on NH. Though some of you may have already seen my nerf blog reviews or youtube test-fire videos.

Anyways, I've learnt alot from everyone here, so i guess its time for me to contribute back to the NIC.

Here is an interesting DIY item that i haven't seen posted around here yet... so here goes.

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Looking for some protection from foam darts?

Make your own Foam Ballistic Shield!

Foam ballistic shields can introduce more interesting tactics in nerf skirmish games, especially for indoor close-quarter-battle (CQB) games!

This idea sprang up from a recent office nerf game...



Its very simple to make, you can find the steps at my modworks blog:

http://modworks.blog...tic-shield.html

Have fun creating your own rules and scenarios incorporating foam ballistic shields.

Cheers!

Edited by SgNerf, 24 May 2009 - 01:03 PM.

[StealthMan]

Or you could just use a manta ray....

[SonReeceSonJensen]

Love it; hella ‘tactical’! I have always been a fan of the look and function of police riot shields and the call sign sticker adds a lot of aesthetic value.

I don’t care how many people say “WELL, not in MY War!”, this is feasible and simple innovation and could add an interesting dynamic to play scenarios.

[SgNerf]

I agree... most nerf players are concerned that foam ballistic shields can be a very tough defensive item to counter in a nerf game, and they are right.

In outdoor open-field games, with good teamwork, its possible to out-flank a lone shield equipped player and take him out from the sides or the back.

But in indoor CQB games, its almost impossible to take out a shield equipped player advancing along a corridor. I experienced this first-hand in my office games. In a crouching position, the shield can easily cover almost 90% of the player!


Therefore special rules would be recommended when incorporating foam ballistic shields into nerf games, here are some rule ideas:

-> Each team is only allowed to equip one player with a foam ballistic shield.
-> The shield equipped player is only allowed to carry a Nerf Maverick (or similiar single-shot blaster).
-> The shield equipped player can only walk, not run (to simulate the encumbrence of the shield).
-> The shield is immune to all standard foam darts, but the shield (and player) can be eliminated by any hit from a foam missile (ie. Nerf Titan, Buzz Bee Big Blast etc).


Here is a gameplay suggestion which incorporates some S.W.A.T tactics to spice up nerf games...

Create teams of 3 players grouped into squads, all squad members moving in a row behind each other in a "stack" formation, the game objective is to hunt the opposing teams and eliminate them:

-> 1st squad member: Foam Ballistic Shield + Nerf Maverick (offering protection for the squad)
-> 2nd squad member: Nerf Vulcan (to provide high RoF firepower, firing over the shield member)
-> 3nd squad member: Nerf Titan (to counter the opposing team's shield player)

Played in an indoor game location, it'll be an interesting test of teamwork, blaster skills and quick reactions!

Edited by SgNerf, 18 May 2009 - 01:47 PM.

[fallinouttadabox]

Looking for some protection from foam darts?

I think if you answer yes to this, you're probably on the wrong site.

[CaptainSlug]

What a fun-killing idea. And this has nothing to do with foam projectiles.
If you don't want to be shot, then practice aiming, dodging, and utilizing your team members.

Using a shield other than a manta ray at a major Nerf War would just make you an annoying buzzkill.

Edited by CaptainSlug, 18 May 2009 - 10:35 AM.

[SgNerf]

You're right... carrying large shields in a game definitely creates an unfair advantage. I wouldn't want to play in a nerf game surrounded with shield equipped players too!

So yeah, i agree these shields are only suitable for scenario gameplay with special rules.

[Alexiumz]

What a fun-killing idea. And this has nothing to do with foam projectiles.
If you don't want to be shot, then practice aiming, dodging, and utilizing your team members.

Using a shield other than a manta ray at a major Nerf War would just make you an annoying buzzkill.

Agreed, but give him credit - it is a cheap and easy to make, simple but effective 'creation'.

[xbox180]

Just use a Titan, it will most likely Peirce the foam, like a .50 cal to balsa wood.

[Mr BadWrench]

Heaven forbid anyone make a defensive Nerf accessory.


It looks damn good, its simple and effective.

How many missile,rocket,grenade,ball and arrow firing Nerf blasters are there on the market??? What does everyone do with them?? Convert them to fire the same old boring weighted FBR projectiles. Someone finally finds something to do with the guy who shows up at a war with a stock LBB or BBB or even a reactor and everyone has to put him down. GOOD WORK N.I.C.!!! GOOD WORK!!


SgNerf, you are welcome to use your shield at any war I host as long as you agree that any non Micro projectile that hits your shield kills you and everyone behind your shield. If the person behind you has a shield, he is safe. He's next, but he's safe.

Don

Edited by Mr BadWrench, 18 May 2009 - 12:53 PM.

[SgNerf]

Yup, the "foam missile eliminates shield" rule would definitely be a must in nerf games. Along with limited shield players per team.

My colleagues set this rule in our recent office game and it quickly changed everyone's armament selection, teams automatically started equipping more Titans and Big Blasts to counter the shield players. Proper deployment and grouping of players with the right blaster combinations became crucial. This really added an additional dimension to the gameplay.

We even had one guy who emerged as a specialized "shield" hunter, he just carried a Big Blast with a bag of foam missiles and became the nightmare of all the shield players!

Btw, I like your rule which also eliminates everyone else hiding behind the shield during a foam missile hit... that'll stop the entire team clustering behind the shield players! Haha...

[SonReeceSonJensen]

I like how this is evolving into games with the “triangle of advantage” ingrained into it like Empire Earth: arrow units kill soldiers, soldiers kill horse units, and horse units kill arrow units (or something like that).

I agree that just having a shield at a war to try and be cute is lamer than lame, but with scenarios and rules I see a great way to incorporate less used things like missiles and balls and add “specializations” to different team members.

Continued props, SgNerf.

[halonerf117]

this a good idea that i will definetely try. i might even try and add it to my latest invention.

[SchizophrenicMC]

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You see, my cousin and I (Yes, the dreaded cousin strikes, yet again) sometimes have wars somewhat similar to this. In them, we have his house's hallways set up so that a defending team has cover, usually consisting of cardboard boxes. The defenders get the Vulcan, a Longshot, and any others they choose, aside from the Titan, which goes to the attackers. Only the Titan missile (His Reactor broke long ago) can penetrate the cover, after which, it is moved (Lightweight cardboard, to the rescue) and hits from any weapon count against the hit player. Attackers get 4 hitpoints (4 hits before a timeout), defenders get 10. This is simply because the defenders are stuck in a small hallway and get one life, whereas the attackers have infinite lives.

We play on a rotating roster, so as to make the game fair. Game ends when all defenders are down.




And, Captain Slug, I've noticed as of late, you've become a lot less friendly to new ideas. Are you, perhaps, jealous that slowly, your creations are being forgotten replaced by the new, or is it something else?

I'm not calling you out, here, but you've been kinda coming off as a bigger dick than Talio. Are you compensating for something?

[spartan062]

It would be interesting to have an "All vs. 1" type game with this. . .

Or you could make it an emplaced shield. Just weight the bottom significantly.

Edited by spartan.062, 18 May 2009 - 09:07 PM.

[LiterSize]

I like the look of it, but I thought that was a cafeteria tray at first, haha. Well, you've got an implement to use during scenarios with specific rules, so that works. I personally would have never thought to do what you did, though I have been fine with my crossfire buckler after all when I have decided to go with it.

[Snake51886]

I like this invention. I agree with Badwrench concerning what he said. I think the shield would be most suitable in a specific gametype though. I can imagine this being used in an escort mission with some restrictions, or as I9 has proposed a RFDG (Doomsayer) round vs all. (Have two Doomsayers with a shield guy against many opponents. Or something along those lines...)

[LiterSize]

Ya know Snake, we should test one of these against your PAS...

[Snake51886]

My dreaded PAS...Your Crossfire shield deflected it without a problem. Did it leave a mark on the shield?

And my PAS also has the ability to hit you when completely concealed in cover. I nailed Ryan#### in the head at MNMNO while he was completely out of my line of sight. (With an assist going to the wind).

I'm going to try and locate one of these at my local Murray's. Saturday at ChANO 2 we can give them a test.

[Ambience 327]

I have to whole-heartedly agree with Badwrench on this one. Why do some people automcatically dismiss anything that isn't practical for a standard, outdoor, NIC-style war as completely useless? No offense intended to CaptainSlug, but I think his comment in particular is a bit narrow-minded, which isn't what I'd expect from someone who thinks so well outside the box when it comes to mods & homemades.

I don't think that SgNerf "doesn't want to be shot". I think he wants to add an interesting piece of equipment, with a well-thought-out set of rules and restrictions, to his games to add some variety and change up people's tactics a bit. And I've never understood why the manta ray is so often thrown up as the only "shield" allowed in a war. I've heard it said that the rule exists because it is an actual Nerf product, and that building something else would give people a distinct advantage in that they could alter the shape/size/weight/etc to make it more effective. However, isn't that exactly what things like the +Bow, SNAP and other Homemade blasters do?

Now, I would definately agree that if everyone started running around with a shield in every battle at every war, it would get old fast. However, as an indoor player, who seriously enjoys mixing things up with new game types and a smattering of (easy to remember) special rules every now and then, I really like this, and could see myself incorporating it (or something like it) into a scenario every now and then.

[MithMorchaint]

I'd like to join the "this is a really cool idea" school of thought.

I have often regretted the fact that arrow and missile-firing guns just get converted to dart-firing and the missiles go to waste. This is a great way to incorporate those guns and ammunition types into the game and I, for one, love it.

[Draconis]

My favorite blasters don't even shoot micros. I think shields are under utilized by our community, and I think that a lot of that stems from most of the community organization stemming from the east coast. Y'all seem a little particular about your wars, and that seems fine. For you.

[VACC]

Wouldn't that be a greater indictment of you not throwing your own events? Nerf wars are not difficult to pull off. Have friends. Give them nerf guns. Make your own rules. I highly reccomend it.

[Draconis]

Wouldn't that be a greater indictment of you not throwing your own events? Nerf wars are not difficult to pull off. Have friends. Give them nerf guns. Make your own rules. I highly reccomend it.

Yes and no. There is merely a far greater population density on the east coast than the west. I am working on throwing my own, I assure you. I'm just saying that because there are more easties, you are able to have more wars, with more people, who are then more active in the community. But because of that, most of the noobs view easty rules as the accepted norm, instead of creating their own.

[Langley]

I thought that the author of the article did a pretty good job of summing up the issue:

On the flipside, this may also make shield equipped players abit too "overpowered" in nerf games, therefore organizers should set additional special rules to balance the usage of foam ballistic shields.

Draconis:
You may want to take a look at this article. Particularly, what's defined as 'East Coast Style' and what's defined as 'West Coast Style'. Out here we're always willing to change up the rules a bit. We're just less inclined to let someone run around with a nerf gun or 'accessory' that throws the game off balance.