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I think this would be another good riddle about something which came from WW2, hope you enjoy it!

My shield is the heaviest, slowly when I moving.

Poor at bombing, yet good at piercing.

For some I am a support, for others I am a trouble.

Even the shells poured, the defense still stable.

In honor of my protection, I even got coronated.

Until a pole turned downward, then my shield got penetrated.

What am I?

Hint 1 :

For futher information of "troubleshooting", the "fox" found a way to it.

Hint 2:

God Save the Queen, yet this "queen" can't be saved all the time in World War 2.

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  • $\begingroup$ Is it "Maginot Line"?? :) $\endgroup$
    – Chris.C
    Sep 23, 2016 at 11:52
  • $\begingroup$ Riddle edited, I hope it would be more clear for puzzling. $\endgroup$
    – Shane Hsu
    Sep 23, 2016 at 15:52
  • $\begingroup$ I'm concerned that there may be too many potential solutions. Are you sure that the wording is specific enough that the intended answer is the best answer? $\endgroup$
    – Bulldogg6404
    Sep 23, 2016 at 16:04
  • $\begingroup$ @Bulldogg6404 Uh, maybe it is about some kind of gun? $\endgroup$
    – Shane Hsu
    Sep 23, 2016 at 16:34
  • $\begingroup$ Well, I'm not the best riddler by any stretch, but my rule of thumb is to choose lines that not only describe the answer but also serve to eliminate possible answers that the other lines might bring to the table. If the answer is a kind of gun, the lines ought to help the solver narrow it down to one type of gun. Or, maybe they do, and I'm just not well-enough educated to see it. I'm being subjective. $\endgroup$
    – Bulldogg6404
    Sep 23, 2016 at 16:59

11 Answers 11

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Just shooting the breeze now, it is:

Matilda II Infantry Tank

My shield is the heaviest, slowly when I moving.

Explanation from OP:

Matilda's armor was the heaviest among the medium tanks of its era, and made it too heavy to move swiftly. (14 to 26 km per hour)

Tank hull armor comparison:
(according to Wikipedia, along with armor scheme from various reference)

Matilda II (1939 to 1942) - 78mm (3.1 in) at minimum 10 degree
Matilda II armor scheme
(Image reference here)

Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. J (1941/42) - 50mm (1.97 in) at 22 degree
Panzer III armor scheme
(Image reference here)

Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. F1 (1941/42) - 50mm (1.97 in) at 14 degree
Panzer IV armor scheme
(Image reference here)

M4A2 Sherman (1942 to 1944) - 50mm (1.97 in) at 58 degree
M4A2 armor scheme
(Image reference here)

T-34/76 1941 model (along with T-34-85) - 45mm (1.77 in) at 60 degree
T-34 1941 model armor scheme
(Image reference here)

Poor at bombing, yet good at piercing.

Explanation from OP:

It refers to Matilda II's QF 2-pounder (40mm) tank gun (the key line to distinguish the solution from the Matilda I), which is effective in armor penetration at the early time of war, yet it was not able to blast enemy position, due to the lack of high explosive (HE) shells.

Even though Matilda tank equipped with HE shells later, its firepower was not heavy enough, compared with Sherman's 75mm tank gun.

For some I am a support, for others I am a trouble.

Explanation from OP:

Apparently, Matilda tanks was for infantry support to the British, and a nasty trouble to the German - especially in the early phase of World War 2.

Even the shells poured, the defense still stable.

During the battle of France, Matildas proved to be resistant to German 37mm anti-tank guns (but not their 88s). This is also their first meeting with The Fennec (though he wasn't called that back then)

In honor of my protection, I even got coronated.

Explanation from OP:

According to Wikipedia,
"... for a time in 1940–1941, the Matilda earned the nickname "Queen of the Desert"."
The reference was not point out how the nickname came from, but I think it refers to Operation Compass, a battle which the British troops defeated the Italian forces in Egypt and Libya.

Until a pole turned downward, then my shield got penetrated.

That line is about the 88s. Having been repelled by these slow by seemingly invulnerable machines, The Fennec ordered a group of support Artillery cannons (105mm howitzers, and the legendary 8.8cm FLAKs) to try and shoot at them instead. That worked.

Hint 1:

For futher information of "troubleshooting", the "fox" found a way to it.


"The Fennec" "shot" this "touble" in Africa. A lot.

Explanation from OP (additional):

Both "The Fox" and "The Fennec" refers to Erwin Rommel who is well known as the Desert Fox.

Hint 2:

God Save the Queen, yet this "queen" can't be saved all the time in World War 2.


This "queen" can't be saved all the time? Not from The Fennec, apparently.

Explanation from OP (additional):

The Matilda II tanks had met their Nemesis twice during the war:
First, in the Battle of Arras, then being foiled again in Operation Battleaxe.

As the Second Battle of El Alamein begun, the Matilda tanks had became the scavanger in the Devil's gardens.

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  • $\begingroup$ Correct! For the explanation, maybe I could have a hand in it? Or, I suggest to complete the explanation and clear some of them which were my attempt to hit around the bushes. $\endgroup$
    – Shane Hsu
    Oct 4, 2016 at 5:17
  • $\begingroup$ alright, let's see. queen/saint Matilda: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilda_of_Ringelheim for the "coronated/canonized" clue $\endgroup$
    – mr23ceec
    Oct 4, 2016 at 7:58
  • $\begingroup$ "Poor at bombing, yet good at piercing." Actually, I have no idea about this one- Matilda carried only anti-personnel weapons, meaning it was good at neither. Unless you mean "piercing humans", which basically any weapon can do. $\endgroup$
    – mr23ceec
    Oct 4, 2016 at 8:04
  • $\begingroup$ "Even the shells poured, the defense still stable. " During the battle of France, Matildas proved to be resistant to German 37mm cannons (but not their 88s) This is also their first meeting with The Fennec (though he wasn't called that back then) $\endgroup$
    – mr23ceec
    Oct 4, 2016 at 8:05
  • $\begingroup$ "Until a pole turned downward, then my shield got penetrated." damn, I'm stupid: that line is about the 88s. Having been repelled by these slow by seemingly invulnerable machines, The Fennec ordered a group of support Artillery cannons (105mm howitzers, and the legendary 8.8cm FLAKs) to try and shoot at them instead. That worked. $\endgroup$
    – mr23ceec
    Oct 4, 2016 at 8:09
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I haven't got a full answer but I think it's something to do with

Degaussing, the act of neutralising a ship's magnetic field to protect it from magnetically sensitive mines.

For some I am a support, for others I am a trouble.

The technology gave one side an advantage.

Even the bullets poured, the defense still stable.

In honor of my protection, I even got canonized.

Until a pole turned downward, then my shield got neutralized.

The mines were triggered upon detecting "S-pole down" fields, so "N-pole up" fields were induced in the ships.

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  • $\begingroup$ That sounds reasonable, but I would suggest "the pole" is actually something else. $\endgroup$
    – Shane Hsu
    Sep 23, 2016 at 14:14
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My favored answer is

horses.

For some I am a support, for others I am a trouble

The horse is a support for the rider, but a trouble for the infantry that may get trampled.

Even the bullets poured, the defense still stable.

Okay, the wordplay is what made me think of this answer, considering the double-entendre of "stable". But in literal meaning, I suppose one bullet aimed at the horse is one less bullet aimed at the rider.

In honor of my protection, I even got canonized.

Could be another wordplay using canon/cannon, considering other vehicles. Again, looking at the literal, horseback combat became canon as a very common appearance in wartime fiction.

Until a pole turned downward, then my shield got neutralized.

This is the big clue. The pole being mentioned here may be the pike stick, which was used as a very effective countermeasure against trampling horses.

My secondary answer is

Jeep.
Founded in 1941, Jeep became the trademark vehicle for 4-wheeled infantry transport vehicles during World War 2. They were support for their passengers, a trouble for anyone standing in their way, a stable defense against gunfire, canonized as mentioned above, and were neutralized defensively by tank rounds.

My tertiary answer is

war dogs.
While not exactly World War 2 specific, the combat dog matches the first three lines much in the same manner as the other answers I gave above, but now that we are provided a hint to "ask the fox", it may refer to the nature of hunting dogs being used to catch foxes. Then, the last line of the riddle would mean to point the gun downward at the dog, rather than at the soldier.

My fourth answer is

the foxhole defensive battlement.
enter image description here
Also called a slit trench, it was used as a defensive position for a soldier to avoid gunfire by being underneath the fray. That is, of course, until someone pointed their gun down into the hole.

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  • $\begingroup$ Nice try, kinda close. Well, I am not really expertised in wordplay but some WW2 history. I would suggest thinking about the Polish cavalry, and something gave rise to the end of their era. $\endgroup$
    – Shane Hsu
    Sep 23, 2016 at 14:26
  • $\begingroup$ Hard to say what exactly you mean. My research shows that cavalry simply became outdated after tanks became more commonplace. I was honestly considering tanks to be my second-choice answer after horses, considering their massive armor, but no "pole" has ever been canonically effective against tanks before, as far as I'm aware. $\endgroup$
    – Bulldogg6404
    Sep 23, 2016 at 15:08
  • $\begingroup$ Oh, hey. Maybe when you say "poles turn downward" you mean the pike turned into the trench? $\endgroup$
    – Bulldogg6404
    Sep 23, 2016 at 15:11
  • $\begingroup$ Not really. Maybe a simple edit will be more clear. Hold on a sec. $\endgroup$
    – Shane Hsu
    Sep 23, 2016 at 15:46
  • $\begingroup$ Perhaps the pole is the canon/gun at the front of the tank? $\endgroup$
    – yitzih
    Sep 23, 2016 at 16:52
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Probably not correct, but here goes.

Is it a...

Tank?

For some I am a support, for others I am a trouble.

Tanks were originally designed for infantry support, and they were hard to destroy without adequate firepower

Even the shells poured, the defense still stable.

Their armor offers protection against enemy fire

In honor of my protection, I even got canonized.

The original tanks were revered for their roles in WWI

Until a pole turned downward, then my shield got neutralized.

Firing on a tank from above has proven very effective as a tank's armor is usually thinner on the top of the hull and turret

And about WWII...

Tanks were first deployed in WWI, but became much more common in WWII.

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  • $\begingroup$ Here comes another hero who is on the brink of solving the riddle! The answer is on the right track - even closer - but still too broad, maybe the hint will give you a hand. $\endgroup$
    – Shane Hsu
    Sep 24, 2016 at 1:48
  • $\begingroup$ The zngvyqn version of your answer may fit the clues from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanks_in_the_British_Army#World_War_II $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Oct 3, 2016 at 8:44
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Is the answer

Land mines

For some I am a support, for others I am a trouble

Land mines are a support for the people who placed them and trouble for anyone who sets them off

Even the bullets poured, the defense still stable

Land mines are underground, therefore very difficult to shoot with a gun

In honor of my protection, I even got canonized

Possibly a reference to land mines becoming commonly used after seeing the effectiveness of them

Until a barrel turned downward, then my shield got neutralized

Shooting the ground above a land mine should set it off, at least in theory

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  • $\begingroup$ Welcome to Puzzling!! Very good first answer.. although landmines were already used even in 1st world war.. $\endgroup$
    – Sid
    Sep 23, 2016 at 16:25
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I think it is a

Kevlar vest

For some I am a support, for others I am a trouble.

it is a trouble for enemies, of course

Even the bullets poured, the defense still stable.

Against bullet is very effective

In honor of my protection, I even got canonized.

From soldiers? See this link

Until a barrel turned downward, then my shield got neutralized.

Usually a kevlar vest does not protect legs nor feet

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  • $\begingroup$ Good shot, I have expected that, yet it is not really came from World War 2. $\endgroup$
    – Shane Hsu
    Sep 23, 2016 at 17:36
  • $\begingroup$ Haha good shot? $\endgroup$
    – bleh
    Sep 24, 2016 at 18:58
  • $\begingroup$ @bleh well, that means the riddle also have a "Kevlar" to it. $\endgroup$
    – Shane Hsu
    Sep 25, 2016 at 4:19
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Here's my next attempt.

Is it...

Erwin Rommel?

My shield is the heaviest, slowly when I moving.

Rommel was commander of the Afrika Korps, which consisted mainly of tanks

Poor at bombing, yet good at piercing.

The Afrika Korps had very little aircraft (if any) and was not able to conduct aerial attacks by itself, but it could fight well against enemy armor

For some I am a support, for others I am a trouble.

Rommel was a very effective commander during World War II and caused the Allies some good trouble in North Africa

Even the shells poured, the defense still stable.

Rommel was able to hold his ground in North Africa for a long time before his troops had to evacuate

In honor of my protection, I even got canonized.

Rommel received numerous awards for his role in the war

Until a pole turned downward, then my shield got neutralized.

For futher information of "troubleshooting", the "fox" found a way to it

Rommel was given the nickname "the Desert Fox."

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  • $\begingroup$ I'm glad you found the"fox", but it is not my intention to take "him" as the solution. The "fox" is a wedge to last line of the riddle. $\endgroup$
    – Shane Hsu
    Sep 26, 2016 at 16:35
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it's

the Tiger Tank.

I refer you to EnragedTanker's answer for details, as this was 90% his idea. (and honestly, if I'm right, you should have just asked him to be more specific.)

specific addenda: Even the shells poured, the defense still stable.

Tigers were (in)famous for being able to shrug off most anti-tank rounds.

My shield is the heaviest, slowly I move.

Tigers were the heaviest tanks of the war, not counting prototypes. Although, to be fair, in perfect conditions (level highway) they could achieve speeds of up to 45 km/s, beating out contemporary Shermans (later in the war Shermans got slightly faster, and Tiger IIs got 10% slower)

In honor of my protection, I even got coronated.

Tiger II suffers from a mis-translation error, where it's called King Tiger. (In reality it's "Bengal tiger". Much like the oft mentioned Rommel, whose nickname translates to "fennec" (a desert animal in the Vulpes ("foxes") genus) rather than him being some sort of "Reynard of the Desert".)

For futher information of "troubleshooting", the "fox" found a way to it.

Speak of the Fennec and he doth appear. ;) Rommel commanded the 501st Heavy Panzer Battalion, which was composed entirely of Tigers.

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  • $\begingroup$ No, I think you had gone to the wrong camp, I suggest to find a "pole" that penetrate the "shield". Also, EnrangedTanker's answer is actually came from WWI. So I would prefer to accept someone who give the true answer, even though the comment I had left - and there are two almost reach the solution. $\endgroup$
    – Shane Hsu
    Sep 30, 2016 at 1:59
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I think it's

A high altitude bomber. Like B-17, but presumably German. Do 317, maybe?

My shield is the heaviest, slowly when I moving.

they had pretty thick armor, and weren't particularly fast.

Poor at bombing, yet good at piercing.

you can't hit much from that altitude, but you can pierce bunkers just through gravity.

For some I am a support, for others I am a trouble.

If I'm allowed to mix my metaphors, air support is a double edge sword.

Even the shells poured, the defense still stable.

between the thicker armor and the major loss of momentum by the time AAA reached them, they tended to be safe.

In honor of my protection, I even got canonized.

No idea. Presumably named after a saint?

Until a pole turned downward, then my shield got neutralized.

famously shot down by a Polish ace? (quite a feat, that, considering those things tended to have more firepower on board than any fighter plane)

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  • $\begingroup$ The answer was not the true one, and it seem to contradict second line of the riddle, even though I don't really get your second explanation. Interestingly, there is an example for the bomber which armor piercing shell: Imperal Japanese Navy bomber "Kate", used to carry a 800-kilogram type 99 armor piercing shell which originally came from a 41-centimeter caliber naval gun. $\endgroup$
    – Shane Hsu
    Sep 26, 2016 at 17:11
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For a preface, some info found here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlefield_medicine

Is it a:

Wartime nurse/doctor/pharmacist/aide?

Poor at bombing, yet good at piercing.

The medical staff certainly doesn't drop bombs, but they do cut into wounds and such.

For some I am a support, for others I am a trouble.

Presumably, medical practices back then were not the greatest at being consistent, especially with all the disease-fighting experiments going on there. So if all went right, this would be considered a support to soldiers. If it didn't, however, it would further damage the soldier.

Even the shells poured, the defense still stable.

The makeshift hospitals were some of the hardest stone strongholds during wartime, so their defenses were relatively stable against bullets and such so that their support couldn't be shot dead.

In honor of my protection, I even got canonized.

When a pharmacist protected a soldier during care, (see the case of William D. Halyburton, Jr.) he got a Medal of Honor. Similarly, doctors were definitely honored in the aftermath of the war.

Until a pole turned downward, then my shield got neutralized.

If an enemy unit took a camp down, then they would take down that camp's flag. So, the doctors' shield against the warring would be neutralized for the soldiers they were fighting to protect.

As for the hint, "For futher information of "troubleshooting", the "fox" found a way to it:"

The "fox" could pertain to an enemy spy sneaking into the camp and going to the hospital. The purpose of this would be to find out information on what wounded the soldiers most (hence the "troubleshooting") and relay this information to their comrades, to their advantage.

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    $\begingroup$ That's a nice try, but wrong. The second explanation seems weird. I would suggest that the solution itself is a weapon, and it does bombing, with a frustrating outcome. $\endgroup$
    – Shane Hsu
    Sep 26, 2016 at 17:22
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Is it:

Armoured train? As my knowledge, Poland owned most of armored train.

For references:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danuta_(armoured_train)

My shield is the heaviest, slowly when I moving.

In my opinion, armored train's armor is not to hard with battleship still a strong thing. The wiki stated that "In the first days of the war, Danuta supported various Polish infantry units. On 4 September 1939 the train was BOMBED by the Luftwaffe, but received only MINOR damage." It's speed can be faster than soldier but slower than Jeep, aircrafts.

Poor at bombing, yet good at piercing.

Most of them might not provided bombing (unless the train has mortars), I believed the train's firepower is fully enough for piercing light tank or human.

For some I am a support, for others I am a trouble.

"On the first days of the war (01/09/1939), Danuta supported various Polish infantry units. " Most of armored trains are used for support, being a transport or anti-air. The big trouble is train will be useless while the rail is destroyed by the enemies or the train is being bombed.

Even the shells poured, the defense still stable.

Luckily the armored train is potential for surviving on bombing which is stated as above, it will be stable for taking damage of shells or mortars.

In honor of my protection, I even got coronated.

Those train are coronated in everyone which is Polish, those trains are only destroyed by HUGE amount of enemies.

Until a pole turned downward, then my shield got penetrated.

Once the rail or electronic system is destroyed, the train lost its mobility, just being a isolated component, at war.

Anyway, I will guess the answer is HMS King George V as Hint 2 showed. :)

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  • $\begingroup$ Well, no. Both of the answer and the guess are not the solution. $\endgroup$
    – Shane Hsu
    Sep 30, 2016 at 9:54

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