ranked phalanx of vase

[Sean Manning]

Large strapped shields are usually held in one of two positions in medieval combat art: the "outside ward" with the shield roughly vertical on the left side leading with the part of the rim closest to the hand, and the "high ward" with the shield in front of the body with the bottom edge leading and the top edge close to the fighter. The "outside ward" is preferred by the few renaissance arts that teach fighting with round, strapped shields, because it gives good reach and visibility. See Paul Wagner and Steven Hand, "Early Medieval Shield Techniques" in Spada (Chivalry Bookshelf, 2003), and Stephen Hand, Further Thoughts on the Mechanics of Combat with Large Shields", Spada II (Chivalry Bookshelf, 2005) (NB. that many Chivalry Bookshelf authors are suing the press for failing to pay royalties).