Parrying with a shield...

By Santiago, in Dark Heresy Rules Questions

Hi,

Okay, we all know the rules for attackingwith 2 hand to hand weapons but do they also apply to a shield.
I would say no.

Example:
A feudal knight (no 2 weapon wielder or ambidextrous) is wielding his sword into battle and has a shield on his arm. If the rules would apply he would have to attack at -20 and if he would parry using his shield it would be at -25

If the knight would just wield his sword in this case he could parry using his sword at +10.

So I have ruled, in my game, that parrying is not attacking does is an exception to the rule.

So the knight in my example could parry with his shield at +15 and with his sword at +10.

Now for my second question (almost forgot), how about the guy with the Guard Shield and the Autopistol, this guy can also use the shield as a 6 AP cover.
Can he move and use this cover at the same time, technically yes, but it would be a full action, can he use the shield for cover and shoot, yes.

My second question, what kind of action would readying the shield to use as cover be, I would say a Half action, simular to Bracing.

GrtZ,

Santiago...


ps. A normal sword has the Balanced Trait and a Shield the Defensive Trait...

I agree with your sollution to both questions, I would exempt the shield from the standard penalty for using it together with a standard weapon and/or in the wrong hand, as long as you use it to parry. If you want to attack with it however I would treat it as any other weapon and impose all the standard penalties. And a shield in hand can be placed as cover as a half action, seems perfectly alright.