honestly a shield that covers you in 180 degree protection and masks your every movement does not also need to have great durability.
A shield that size should have serious draw backs as well as cookie points to balance it out rather than it's state now where it is among the
best all-around-shields
but the huscarl shield stays i say but there needs to be real motivation to use something other than that
This is exactly why it shouldn't have 180 degree protection. I think the forceshield should be minimal.
There are a few drawbacks to the current forceshield:
1. As an archer it is pretty lame to aim a perfect headshot with the shield a half meter away from the head, only to see the shield absorb it anyway.
2. i find it boring to defend against archers sometimes as a shielder, because its way too simple/easy, just hold the right mouse button and you suddenly have an impenetrable defence against ranged weapons even though your shield is the size of your head
So to make more variety in the use of shields while still keeping them balanced, i think the Huge and heavy shields like the board shield should stay as they are. The Huscarls + whatever medium shield get nerfed on the forceshield part, but otherwise stay the same.
=
Heavy shields: Best ranged weapon protection (slow speed, large protection area, good hp, weak armor)
Medium shields/Huscarls: Best jack of all trades (medium speed, medium protection area, medium hp, medium armor)
Small (expensive) shields: Best melee protection (fast speed, small protection area, good hp, good armor)