[shovah]

unless you take fire on the pretender then you need randoms/empowerment. The charcoal shield can be used by mounted troops and only use it on melee units as all it does is grant a strength 7 or so fireshield (so anyone who hits you takes 7 armour piercing fire dmg, deadly vrs un dead. Also remember that a f9 or so pretender gets around 15ap fireshield...)