Meat Shield
From Gears of War
The Meat Shield is a slang term, coined by game developer Epic Games, for using an enemy character (either a player or a Non-Player Character) as a shield from enemy fire. Using characters as shields is a new gameplay mechanic featured in Gears of War 2. In order for a player to take a character as a meat shield, the player must press the "A" button when over an enemy character who is down but not out; dead characters cannot be taken as meat shields. Players can use meat shields in both the campaign and Multiplayer. If a player is used as a meat shield, his/her character is considered dead and the player is sent to the spawn screen to spectate.
[edit] Gameplay
When a player uses a character as a meat shield, the player is limited to using only a pistol (such as the Snub Pistol, Boltok Pistol and the Gorgon Pistol), and cannot perform rolls or use cover. Possessing a meat shield does not make a player invulnerable. A player can still be damaged or killed from behind and on the sides, with a headshot, or with a direct hit (on the player, not on the meat shield) from an explosion (such as a Frag Grenade or Mortar). Boomers, Tickers, Wretches, Sires and Bloodmounts cannot be used as meat shields.
The meat shield can only take a certain amount of damage; if the body absorbs too much damage, it will disintegrate and leave the player vulnerable. Weapons that are particularly effective at destroying meat shields are the Scorcher Flamethrower and Mulcher. The meat shield can be instantly destroyed by a strong explosion (such as from a Mortar, Boom Shot, or Ticker) or a Chainsaw Bayonet. However, a player who uses the Chainsaw on a meat shield will be vulnerable as the enemy sacrifices the meat shield. The meat shield can be "dropped" at any time by performing an execution move with the "X" button, in which the player's character will snap the neck of the meat shield and drop the corpse, or simply by switching weapons.
[edit] Trivia
- Characters will sometimes talk when taken as a meat shield, but they are usually cries for help from teammates and orders to the holder to let them go or even kill them.
- There are rumors that there is a glitch to "save" a meat shield, but how to is unknown.
- There is a glitch that happens in laggy games in which a player could chainsaw their teammate that is being used as a meat shield, and it will show that said player chainsawed their teammate at the bottom of the screen.
- If a player that is holding the meat shield fails at an active reload, the player will slam their weapon against the shield's Head in aggravation of the weapon jamming, therefore un-jamming it.
- Locusts are better meat shields since they are larger than Gears, and a Locust holding a Gear as a meat shield often if not always has his/her head much more exposed.
[edit] Gallery
 Baird being used as a Meat Shield |
 Drone being used as a Meat shield |
