shield wall
Overlapping barrier line
A shield wall is a defensive military formation in which soldiers stand shoulder to shoulder with their shields overlapping to create a continuous barrier against enemy attacks.
The tactic was used by ancient and medieval warriors, most famously by Vikings and Anglo-Saxons, and required tight coordination to maintain effectiveness.
In figurative use, shield wall describes any unified defensive front: The PR team formed a shield wall around the embattled CEO.
Massed infantry formation
- testudoRoman protective shield array
- infantryGround combat troops
- warriorsPeople engaged in battle
- ranksPositions in hierarchy
interlock · overlap · shoulder-to-shoulder · bristling · spears · front-line · barrier · rampart
Armed hostile engagement
- clashViolent disagreement or collision
- skirmishBrief, limited combat
- siegeEncirclement forcing surrender
- onslaughtFierce, overwhelming assault
assault · melee · engagement · charge · advance · push · brace · flank
Unity among allies
- cohesionTendency to bind together
- brotherhoodKinship among men
- comradeshipMutual loyalty among companions
- shoulder-to-shoulderImmediately beside one another
teamwork · fellowship · trust · discipline · coordination · unbreakable
phalanx
Massed infantry formation
ranks · interlock · overlap · shoulder-to-shoulder · bristling · spears · front-line · barrier · rampart · bulwark
combat
Armed hostile engagement
- clashViolent disagreement or collision
- skirmishBrief, limited combat
- siegeEncirclement forcing surrender
onslaught · assault · melee · engagement · charge · advance · push · brace · flank · vanguard
solidarity
Unity among allies
- cohesionTendency to bind together
- brotherhoodKinship among men
- comradeshipMutual loyalty among companions
shoulder-to-shoulder · teamwork · fellowship · trust · discipline · coordination · unbreakable
- Spartan warriorsphalanx, King Leonidas, agoge, red cloak, greaves
- defensedefense, defending, protecting, protection, security
- medieval warfareknights, siege warfare, castle, castle siege, siege
- VikingsViking, longships, longship, raiding, Norse settlers
- Epic BattlesTrojan War, Thermopylae, 300, Gladiator, Braveheart
- formationsline, circle, triangle, ring, spiral
shield wallcharge
Cost or accusation
assault · attack · offensive · cavalry charge · advance
shield wallskirmish line
Extended infantry formation
every man for himself · rout · disarray · guerrilla tactics · mob
wall, shield, wallet, walls, shielded, walled, shields, shielding, wallpaper