SHIELD

Learn about the Ballistic Shield in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. Discover its usage and appearances in the game to help you through your mission.

Alright, let's talk about the Ballistic Shield in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. While the wiki goes into a lot of detail about its history across the series, for our purposes in Portable Ops, it's pretty straightforward. You'll encounter enemies using these, and they're designed to block bullets from handguns, shotguns, and submachine guns. Think of it as a mobile piece of cover that an enemy is holding. They're not invincible, though; enough small arms fire can shatter them, especially the transparent ones used by groups like the Gurlukovich Mercenaries in other games. In Portable Ops, you'll mostly see them used by Soviet military and Spetsnaz forces. Keep an eye out for them when you're facing off against these groups, especially during missions in places like Tselinoyarsk. They're a good indicator that you're about to face some heavy resistance. While you can't equip them yourself in Portable Ops, knowing how they work will help you strategize your attacks and know when to push or when to take cover yourself.