Some civilizations can give their archers pavises, great wooden shields to protect archers from missile attacks. These shields don't show up in the graphics, naturally, but their effect is very important. They protect archers by giving them a whopping 5 pierce armor. However, there is a drawback: archer speed is decreased and because of the expense of producing this shield en masse, archers become more expensive.
The Blacksmith equips this device, and it can only be given to standard foot archers (not unique or mercenary archers) after a policy decision has been researched.
Technology Statistics[]
Available to: Bohemia (requires Hussite Beliefs), France, Genoa
Researched at: Blacksmith
Requires: Policy Decision
Century: 14th
Cost: 600 Wood, 400 Florins
Effect: Archers, Crossbowmen, and Arbalesters +0/5 armor, but 10% slower, 20% more expensive