[Edi]

*sigh*

Most units on Dom3 have only one weapon unless they are something like the assassin or the EA Ulm warriors. When equipped with an item weapon, the intrinsic weapon is replaced. I don't know precisely what kind of checking is involved in that, but it generally replaces all melee weapons. Not a problem as such because most units only have one to begin with.

Missile weapons are bonus wrt melee weapons but most of them require two hands. This is probably why they disappear when equipping a single item weapon, since there is no flag to differentiate missile weapons from melee weapons as such. Adding range and shots is what turns a melee weapon to a range weapon, but here is no specific identifier flag. So if one hand slot is full, scratch missile weapon. Add shield and for some reason the check algorithm recognizes the difference and returns the missile weapons.

All of the above assumes a two-handed unit, not one with four, in which case the peculiar behavior starts. It's noteworthy that this feature has been around at least since Dom2, probably since DomPPP. DoW is the only unit that is significantly impacted, the closest followers being the Van and Hel commanders with javelin.

Altogether this affects only a few units and in very minor ways since something like the DoW is going to get a full kit of items anyway. Now we just know how to optimize it. So even if we get a consensus on the bug vs. feature, whether or not it's worth fixing (taking into account the possible amount of work and the possibility of something else breaking due to some unforeseen factor) is a determination only the devs and more specifically Johan can reliably make.

Edi