UPDATE: When I was getting this model in-game, I had problems exporting to NIF format and it was complaining about a global error and looked like it had something to do with vertex colors. To get it to work, I deleted every color associated to each piece of the mesh, saved it and then re-added the textures and was able to export.
It turns out that the process of deleting the materials and then re-adding them fixed the render issue. I didn’t even bother to check the render anymore until Cire sent an email to have a look at the mesh. Good news!
So if anyone is having problems with renders looking like garbage, try removing all your materials, save to a new file, open the new file and try again.
LHammonds: The only thing that seems to have been wrong with the first file (Shield020.blend) was that the Map Input was set to Orco. Once I changed it to UV, the render looked fine. There was no need to ‘reset’ the materials . . . though when you did for the second file, you must have fixed the problem by setting the correct mapping coordinates.