Damage to Shields

Most medieval shields were wood, or wood with a thin layer of metal.
After one good battle, a shield was worthless. Do not use this rule unless
you are willing to tolerate some bookkeeping in the name of more realis-
tic combat!
See Shields (p. 287) for the Defense Bonus (DB), DR, and HP of
shields. If your shield’s DB makes the difference between success and fail-
ure on any active defense (not just a block), the blow struck the shield
squarely, and may damage it.
Apply the attack’s damage to the shield. Subtract the shield’s DR. If no
damage penetrates the shield, there is no effect . . . but you experience full
knockback!
If damage penetrates the shield’s DR, mark it off against the shield’s
HP. Use the standard Damage to Objects rules; ordinary shields are
Homogenous, with HT 12. If the shield is disabled or destroyed, it no
longer provides its DB, but it still encumbers you until dropped. If it is
completely destroyed (-10¥HP), it falls off.
A powerful blow may punch through your shield! The shield acts as
cover, with “cover DR” equal to its DR + (HP/4). Damage in excess of cover
DR penetrates the shield and possibly injures you; see Overpenetration
(p. 408). When using hit locations, roll 1d: on 1-2, apply damage to your
shield arm; on 3-6, apply it to the location targeted by the attacker.