Firearm

2012-11-05T18:25:48Z

90.212.35.141: Factual correction

{{Era|AC2|ACB|PL|ACR|AC3|AC3L|TF|ACE}}
{{WP-REAL|Firearm}}
[[File:Ott Flintlock.png|thumb|300px|The Ottoman flintlock rifle.]]
'''Firearms''' are a class of long-ranged [[weapons]] that launch projectiles at a high velocity through the confined burning of propellants. They were used as early as the late Middle Ages.

==History==
===High Middle Ages===
{{Quote|The knowledge of projectile combat is not new to us, having been observed amongst our Eastern neighbors. But their weapons were much larger – and insufficient for our needs.|Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad's Codex, page 28.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Zw-codex-28.png|thumb|200px|left|Altaïr's design for the Hidden Gun.]]
Though he knew of firearms that were being used in ancient [[China]], the [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] took little interest in them; realizing that the weapons were of no use to his Order in their current size.

As such, upon obtaining the [[Apple of Eden 2|Apple of Eden]], he successfully used the knowledge it held to miniaturize the design, ''"embedding their fiery weapon into a form that can be worn on the wrist."''

Along with the formulation of a combustible powder that could be made from common ingredients, Altaïr kept the schematics for the [[Hidden Gun]] a secret, available to only the Brotherhood's most trusted allies.

Sometime afterwards, he recorded all details of these in [[Codex|his personal journal]].<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>

===Renaissance===
In [[Italy]] during the [[Renaissance]], another Assassin, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], came into possession of Altaïr's Codex, and showed the pages to [[Leonardo da Vinci]]. Leonardo deciphered the instructions, and was able to construct the Hidden Gun for Ezio's use.<ref name="AC2"/>

[[File:Vilified 11 v.png|thumb|250px|Papal arquebusiers.]]
Though firearms were uncommon until the early 16th century, after [[Cesare Borgia]] forcibly recruited Leonardo into his employ around 1499, the engineer was made to design a wheel-lock firearm for use by the [[House of Borgia|Borgia]] armies.

Cesare's ally, the [[France|French]] baron [[Octavian de Valois]], received a personalized, golden wheel-lock firearm from Leonardo, and kept it with him at all times. During the [[Fall of Monteriggioni]], Cesare used this pistol to kill [[Mario Auditore]].

A variety of firearms began to circulate among common [[guards]] as well, with [[arquebusiers]] wielding long rifles or arquebuses, and with several [[horsemen]] and [[Papal Guard]]s using shorter pistols.<ref name="Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>

In later years, upon Ezio's travels to [[Constantinople]], he encountered [[Ottoman Empire|Turkish]] soldiers using Ottoman flintlock rifles, as well as [[Janissaries]] who used short pistols. The Assassins of the [[Turkish Assassins|local guild]] also made use of firearms to guard [[Assassin Dens|nearby dens]], ranging from simple rifles to [[Mounted cannons|cannons]].

Meanwhile, the [[Byzantines]] forces had designed an early version of a flamethrower, which they used to deliver [[Greek Fire]]. They also had a form of a machine gun,<ref name="Revelations">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref> which was similar in construct to Leonardo da Vinci's [[War Machines|prototype]].<ref name="Brotherhood"/> Both of these were then later adapted by the Assassins, in order to aid them in [[Den Defense|defending their dens]].<ref name="Revelations"/>

===American Revolution===
[[File:ACIII-Flintlock Musket.png|left|thumb|220px|The Flintlock Musket.]]
By the time of the [[American Revolutionary War]], firearms had become standard equipment for armies. Soldiers of both sides used muskets, often accompanied by [[bayonets]].

The [[American Assassins|American Assassin]] [[Ratonhnhaké:ton]] was able to wield a musket as well as two flintlock pistols;<ref>GameInformer April 2012 issue: ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''</ref> however, he only fired each of them once in battle, and could only reload them when the fight had finished.<ref>[http://www.officialplaystationmagazine.co.uk/2012/04/07/assassins-creed-3-ps3-screens-show-off-thousand-strong-battles-and-more/3/#gallery-top Official Playstation Magazine: ''Assassin's Creed 3 PS3 screens show off...'']</ref>

===Russian Revolution===
[[File:Fall-Orelovrifle.png|thumb|250px|Nikolai with his rifle.]]
During the late 19th and early 20th century, in the [[Russian Revolution]], the [[Russia]]n [[Russian Assassins|Assassin]] [[Nikolai Orelov]] wielded a modern bolt-action {{Wiki|Berdan rifle}}, alongside the usual weaponry of his time.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]''</ref>

===Modern times===
In 2012, Assassins continued to wield firearms in combat, and once used them on a direct assault on [[Abstergo Industries]], in an attempt to rescue [[Desmond Miles]].

Though Desmond overheard the exchanged gunshots through the facility's intercom, Dr. [[Warren Vidic]] eventually told him that the rescue attempt had failed, and that most of the team had been killed.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>

In ''Assassin's Creed III'', Daniel Cross and Abstergo agents will use silenced pistols in attempts to kill Desmond. It takes several shots to kill, and the guards and Cross usually fire only one shot at a time, switching to their fists or batons after they wound Desmond. The player however, can not pick up or use any firearms during modern-day missions, apart from when Desmond picks up a gun from Cross when he drops it.

==Trivia==
[[File:PL Akimbo.png|right]]
*A number of firearms were available in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]'', including the {{Wiki|Arquebus|arquebus}}, {{Wiki|Lee-Enfield|.303 SMLE}}, and {{Wiki|M1917 revolver}}.
**Owning two M1917 revolvers in ''Project Legacy'' granted the "Akimbo" [[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy achievements|achievement]].
*The Flintlock Musket was awarded in ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'' upon the completion of the memory "[[A Dangerous Secret]]".

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="180" position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center">
Octavian de Valois Gun.jpg|[[Octavian de Valois]]' personal wheel-lock firearm.
ACB_Cesare_Baron.png|Cesare Borgia holding the wheel-lock gun.
Scottish flintlock pistol concept - AC3.jpg|Concept art for a Scottish Flintlock pistol.
Scottish Flintlock ingame.jpg|Scottish Flintlock in-game model.
Musket flintlock pistol concept - AC3.jpg|Concept art for a Flintlock pistol.
Connor Preorder Weapon4.jpg|Connor holding the Flintlock Musket.
Connor Preorder Weapon3.jpg|Connor holding the Scottish Flintlock Musket.
ACIII-GI (5).jpg|Connor carrying a musket.
AC3 SC SP 16 Frontier Pistol&Tomahawk ONLINE.jpg|Connor using a pistol.
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{AC}}
{{AC2}}
{{ACBH}}
{{ACR}}
{{AC3}}
{{AC3L}}
[[Category:Weapons]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II weapons]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood weapons]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Revelations weapons]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed III weapons]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed III: Liberation weapons]]

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Firearm