Round Shield

The Round shield is the archetypal defence of the Saxon, Celt or Viking. It consists of a wooden disk with an iron or steel boss or umbo in the middle. More expensive shields might be faced in leather and surrounded with a metal rim that could be used to break weapons. The Round Shield is held by a single handle in the middle of the back, giving it good flexibility.

Kite or Norman Shield

The long kite shield was introduced in the 12th century, and was designed to protect mounted warriors. The elongated tail protects their left sides against lance or spear blows. Over the next few centuries the kite shield became the main defensive shield for all sorts of warriors. The Kite shield also often included a Guige, a strap allowing it to be hung from the neck.

Targe

The Targe (or target shield) grew to replace the earlier round shields in the 13th Century, and continued to be the main form of shield for infantry through to the 16th century. The Targe was made or wood covered in iron, or sometimes iron alone, and was strapped to the forearm with two straps, or enarmes.

Targes were sometimes also squareish in shape as opposed to round.

Small Heater

The heater, which was the main shield of the plate armoured knight in the 13th and 14th Centuries, evolved from the earlier kite shields, but was made of metal. A Heater gave protection to the knight's left leg, and was strapped to the forearm with two straps, or enarmes.

A small heater such as this might be intended for a coat of arms only.

Large Heater

The heater, which was the main shield of the plate armoured knight in the 13th and 14th Centuries, evolved from the earlier kite shields, but was made of metal. A Heater gave protection to the knight's left leg, and was strapped to the forearm with two straps, or enarmes. A Large heater might also be used by a dismounted knight, where foot troops would use a Targe.

Tower or Pavaise

A Tower shield, or Pavaise was any shield large enough to give shelter to a man hiding behind it. Such shields were only used by footmen in the 15th Century and later, and although they could be carried they were usually rested on the ground while in combat. Tower shields were most commonly used by archers and, especially, crossbowmen or handgunners, who would have need of a defence to hide behind while reloading.

Still larger pavaise, made of wood or wicker, were used to hide bodies of men during sieges.

Ecranche, Tartsche, or Tilting Shield

This sort of small metal shield is part of the equipment of a 14th to 16th Century jousting Knight. The Ecranche can as easily be flat as angled (the angled version may be known as a Tartsche), and is worn high up on the left shoulder and upper arm over the reigns. These shields are specially angled so as to deflect the blow of the lance sideways. Such shields could also be bolted to a suite of full plate, again for jousting, in which case they would be referred to as a manteau d'armes.

Many thanks to my freinds and many members of the Playmobil community, including Richard, Olki and Ty, for helping me find names for this most elusive shield.

Buckler

The Final development of the footman's shield, the small metal buckler was held in the hand like the earlier round shield, rather than being strapped to the arm. A Buckler could also be used as a punching weapon, and might be fitted with spikes or blades. Later bucklers often had fantastic additions such as lanterns, sword breakers, or built in pistols.