Some warriors carry a hand weapon in one hand and a shield in the other, and so are able to defend themselves easily by deflecting blows by means of either their shield or hand weapon. Any hand weapon is good for this, whether it is a sword, an axe, a club, pistol butt, etc.

If a warrior on foot fights with a hand weapon and shield, he may increase his Armour save by a further +1 in close combat. Eg, if he has a shield and light armour and a sword, his armour save is increased from 5+ to 4+ when fighting in close combat. This only applies in close combat, not against wounds suffered from shooting, magic, or other means.