Shield Maidens Unit Guide

Unit Details

• Season 7: Wolves of Ragnarok
• Acquisition: Seasonal Challenges
• Unlocked Via: Seasonal Unit Challenges
• Type: Melee Infantry - Tower Shield
• Era: Golden Era

Shieldmaidens are unique because they’re a hybrid unit, equipped with not only shields but two different weapons. You can switch between fighting with swords and spears to your tactical advantage, with spears inflicting debuffs on enemies and benefiting from a longer reach, and swords dealing more damage at a closer range. Spear-wielding Shieldmaidens are also especially effective against cavalry units. Ensure that you switch when necessary to adapt to your current situation!

In the spirit of the iconic shield wall tactic, Shieldmaidens can encircle their commanding warlord, and move while holding formation and offering excellent protection. When using this ability with spears equipped, the unit will maintain formation and defend, whereas equipping swords will make the Shieldmaidens act more aggressively if enemies get too close.

Historians contest whether or not shieldmaidens were as prevalent in Germanic and Viking cultures as many believe. While making appearances in sagas and historical chronicles such as 'Hervarar saga ok Heidreks' and Gesta Danorum, the texts make clear that the heroics and deeds of figures like Hervor and Inghen Ruaidh defy the expectations of their gender. Nevertheless, archaeological finds like the Birka grave, a woman buried with weapons and board game pieces thought to represent strategic thinking, confirm the existence of high-ranking female warriors in Viking society.

The reputation of shieldmaidens persists in Norse mythology, in which the legendary Valkyries were said to ride into battle on behalf of the god Odin. They would choose the warriors destined to die, then escort the einherjar to Valhalla and the hall of the slain. Reaching into modern-day popular culture, the legends and inspiration behind shieldmaidens have given rise to famous characters like Eowyn, the shieldmaiden of Rohan in The Lord of the Rings, Kattegat’s formidable ruler Lagertha in Vikings, and the Marvel Comics superheroine Valkyrie.

The introduction of Shieldmaidens was an important opportunity for us to make a great unit inspired by women in Viking and Germanic societies, who often enjoyed more rights and freedom than women in many other civilisations in the same era. We wanted to introduce a unit in Season VII that portrayed female warriors as a part of a militaristic society. They would be respected and feared in the same way as their male counterparts, raiding and battling in the same vein as brutal warriors.

In Conqueror’s Blade lore, Shieldmaidens are the armed wing of the Cult of Freyja, goddess of love, fertility, sex, war, gold, and magic. In peacetime, these women serve as bodyguards in the households of highborn families, and sometimes as guardians of sacred places such as temples, groves, or stone circles. On the battlefield they are like incarnations of the valkyries, fighting with sword and spear at the side of their leader. Legend has it that when shieldmaidens sound their battle-cry, their allies will follow them into even the most desperate melee.

Shieldmaidens are unique because they’re a hybrid unit, equipped with not only shields but two different weapons. You can switch between fighting with swords and spears to your tactical advantage, with spears inflicting debuffs on enemies and benefiting from a longer reach, and swords dealing more damage at a closer range. Spear-wielding Shieldmaidens are also especially effective against cavalry units. Ensure that you switch when necessary to adapt to your current situation!

In the spirit of the iconic shield wall tactic, Shieldmaidens can encircle their commanding warlord, and move while holding formation and offering excellent protection. When using this ability with spears equipped, the unit will maintain formation and defend, whereas equipping swords will make the Shieldmaidens act more aggressively if enemies get too close.

Stay tuned to the official website and our social channels for more news on Season VII: Wolves of Ragnarok before its launch on March 18! For further reading on Viking shieldmaidens, check out Sky History, and visit History for more information on life for women in the Viking Age.

Core Unit Statistics

Unit Traits:

• Staunch Defenders - This unit is excellent in defence, making it ideal for blocking an enemy advance. Damage taken is also reduced.
• Two Weapons - This unit carries spears and swords: Wielding spears and shields improves defence and blocking, wielding swords improves attack capability. They also stay in formation while switching weapons.
• Stand Firm - Takes less damage from cavalry charges when wielding spears.
• Northlanders - Leadership value is decreased by 10 during Season VII.

Formations:

• Block - A dense formation intended to enhance the unit's defenses.
• Shield Wall - The shield wall is a tightly packed formation intended to defend in one direction.
• Shield - Soldiers stand in a tight defensive formation, countering frontal attacks. Enhances impact resistance.

Unit Orders:

• Freyja's Charge - While wielding swords, the Shieldmaidens roar to encourage their surrounding allies and charge towards the target point, hurting enemies along the way.
• Triple Strike - While wielding swords, the Shieldmaidens launch three consecutive strikes at the enemy with their shields, greatly reducing the enemies' armour penetration for a short period of time. The third strike deals double damage.
• Cover Commander - The unit forms a ring around their commander, and will endeavour to follow and maintain this formation.
• Guardian - The unit will defend a designated area, forming a smaller shieldwall and boosting the protection of nearby allies.

Veterancy Paths:

Core Path:

• The Soldiers Life (1) - Increases Health by 3%

Top Path:

• Move as One (1) - Increases movement speed by 3%.
• Toughen Up (3) - Each Level Increases piercing defence by 3%
• Stand Fast (3) - Each level increases blocking by 40.
• Second Wind (2) - Each level reduces Vanguard cooldown by 3 seconds
• The Soldiers Life (3) - Each level increases Health by 3%
• Cold Blood (3) - Each level Increases Piercing Damage by 3%
• Move as One (3) - Each level increases blocking recovery rate by 20%.
• Bloodbath (3) - Each level increases slashing defence by 3%
• Second Wind (2) - Each level reduces Freyja's Charge cooldown by 2 seconds.
• Facehardened (1) - Increases blunt armour penetration while wielding spears by 30%

Bottom Path:

• Unswerving (3) - Each level increases blunt defense by 3%.
• Razor-Sharp (3) - Each level Increases piercing defence by 3%
• Breakthrough (3) - Each level increases block break during Triple Strike by 10%.
• Second Wind (2) - Every level reduces Valkyrie's Touch's cooldown by 3 seconds.
• Hone (3) - Each level Increases slashing armour penetration by 3%
• Move as One (1) - Each level increases movement speed by 3%
• The Soldiers Life (3) - Each level increases Health by 3%
• Second Wind (2) - Each level reduces Triple Strike cooldown by 2 seconds.
• Razor-Sharp (3) - Each level increases slashing damage by 3%
• Razor-Sharp (1) - While wielding swords, the unit's slashing and piercing armour penetration is increased by 30%.

Unit Kit Crafting

Related Information:

• Season 7: Wolves of Ragnarok
• Berserkers (4.0 Stars)
• Sons of Fenrir (3.0 Stars)