Arquebusier

Arquebusiers were firearm-wielding soldiers. Similar to archers and crossbowmen, they patrolled rooftops, protected high-profile locations, and guarded noteworthy targets.

Though arquebusiers did not have as great a range as crossbowmen, what they lacked in distance they made up in power. Their shots dealt significant damage to targets and enemy armor.

Characteristics

Like crossbowmen, arquebusiers did not carry melee weapons to supplement their long-ranged attacks. Instead, they would only back away and resume shooting if engaged at close quarters.

Aside from their rifles, arquebusiers carried several bags across their belts, likely containing gunpowder and lead projectiles to serve as ammunition.

Like all other guards, the color of their uniform indicated their allegiances; with red signifying them as soldiers of the Borgia, blue of French, and yellowish-green for those of Viana.

History

Arquebusiers during the Siege of Monteriggioni.

By 1500, arquebusiers served the Papacy, and supported Cesare Borgia's forces during the siege of Monteriggioni. A contingent of them were able to seriously wound Ezio Auditore da Firenze in the shoulder and abdomen, tipping the attack in their favor.

Throughout Rome in the 16th century, arquebusiers could be found guarding Borgia towers, as well as rooftops around the Pantheon and Castra Praetoria. They could also be seen patrolling the streets of the Antico or Campagna districts in pairs.

Around 1503, Baltasar de Silva organized a division of arquebusiers as an ambush. He lured the traitor Fiora Cavazza into a warehouse, in which the arquebusiers were hidden; however, a team of Assassins were able to shoot down the enemies and rescue her.

Arquebusiers firing on the Assassins.

Later that year, a number of French arquebusiers under Charles de la Motte were key factors in a trap set by Charles and Cesare Borgia for the Assassins of Rome. Though the Assassin apprentice team of Francesco Vecellio was able to kill several arquebusiers with bows, this broke their cover, and led to them being overwhelmed by the combined Templar forces.

Though the Assassin team escaped to the roof of an inn, another contingent of arquebusiers surrounded and fired upon them from nearby buildings; wiping virtually all of them out.

Trivia

• Similarly to enemy Crossbows, it is impossible to pick up the dropped weapon of an arquebusier. The weapon will also disappear shortly after moving out of the camera's view.
• Some of the Borgia tower Captains behave exactly like arquebusiers.
• If the player kills an arquebusier from behind, and the body falls less than one story, he survives. If he lands on a building from two stories, he will catch himself, but he will be frozen. You can search him for items, but when you go to pick him up, he will be shown to be dead.
• Similar to Papal Guards and Brutes, arquebusiers are more often encountered during story missions.
• In the mission ...And Three's a Crowd the assassination targets are three arqubusiers.

Gallery

• Concept art of the Arquebusier.
  Concept art of the Arquebusier.
• A Papal arquebusier.
  A Papal arquebusier.
• An armored arquebusier in Rome.
  An armored arquebusier in Rome.