[Tuidjy]

The weapons will be used if they cannot trample the opponent, i.e. when he's the same
size or bigger. So the answer to your question greatly depends on what you are facing.

If there is no one big enough to prevent them from trampling, shields and reinvigoration
items is what you should use. But in late game, trample is not very good, and I
actually consider it a disadvantage on a Supercombatant.