Definition[]
👉🏻 In Freeciv, the term "Shields" does not refer to hand-held defensive armor.
Shields are the production points that a city outputs. "Shields" and "Production Points" mean the same. The first term is popular because it's easier to say.
Etymology[]
The term originates from Grassland Resources, which appear on the map as a shield. These give tiles +1 production point. Thus, "1 shield" came to mean "1 production point."