Horseman

File:Horseman.png

A horseman.

Horsemen are a guard archetype first introduced Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Like Ezio Auditore, they possess the ability to use a variety of weapons while on horseback.

Equipment

Horsemen are mounted on one of two varieties of horse, either the common horse or the warhorse.

They are equipped with both short-ranged weapons, such as long swords or maces, and long-ranged weapons, like throwing knives (for those mounted on the common horse) and crossbows (for those mounted on warhorses).

Combat

Ezio fighting a horseman.

If a horseman becomes hostile while Ezio is on foot, the horseman will either charge at him with his short-ranged weapon ready (if Ezio remains still) or will try to hit him with his long-ranged weapon (if Ezio flees or free runs).

Ezio may unsaddle a horseman by stabbing him off with a spear, or by slashing his charging horse, and causing it to trip. However, after this attack, both horse and rider will eventually get up from the floor, seeming completely unharmed, and challenge Ezio on the ground.

Ezio may also kill still-mounted horsemen by shooting them down with the crossbow or pistol, or by throwing spears into them. Ezio can also assassinate guards with the hidden blade while they are on their horses, and steal their mounts.

Trivia

• Sometimes, a normal guard on foot will mount a nearby horse when he becomes hostile towards Ezio. If no free horse is availible, he will hijack one from a passing civilian.
• Horsemen cannot be killed with poison on horseback, and must be unsaddled first, althought you can use a poison dart and they will fall of and start walking.
• Horsemen cannot be lured by thieves, attacked by mercenaries, or distracted by courtesans (however, completing Courtesan Guild Challenges will enable courtesans to distract horsemen and make them dismount).
• Certain mounted Hermeticists share the abilities of horsemen.
• In the in-game help page horsemen are called leader

Gallery

• Concept art of a horseman.
  Concept art of a horseman.
• 
  Ezio about to throw a spear at a horseman.
• Ezio assassinating a horseman with his hidden blade.
  Ezio assassinating a horseman with his hidden blade.
• 
  Ezio impaling a horseman with a spear.
• A horseman in Rome.
  A horseman in Rome.