Soldier

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Ezio Auditore fighting several Borgia guards

A soldier is a combatant serving in a military. Their basic duties are to defend their community and conduct warfare against the enemies of their leaders. Prior to the widespread creation of police forces, civilian enforcers of the law, public order in cities were invariably maintained by soldiers, in which capacity they were commonly referred to as guards.

Because they are almost always necessary to the survival of a people, soldiers have been ubiquitous throughout the history of civilization. In service to a state, in which case they constitute the state's military, they are the individuals entrusted with the legitimate use of force by the government. Not limited to national armies, they have also been recruited, trained, and fielded by unconventional groups with military arms, such as rebel factions and most prominently the transnational secret organizations of the Templar Order and the Assassin Brotherhood. It was not unknown for mercenaries, particularly during the Italian Wars, to form themselves into armies as well.

In response to the diverse demands of war, militaries throughout history have typically organized their soldiers into hierarchies with a clear chain of command along with specialized units suited to different combat situations. Aside from the broader categories of infantry and cavalry, common, narrower specializations prior to the advent of firearms included lightly armored skirmishers like the Athenian peltasts, powerful yet sluggish brutes, frontline pikemen, and professionally trained archers and crossbowmen. For the protection of the most vital people, like the state rulers themselves, special elite units of the highest calibre were frequently established, with infamous examples being the Swiss Guards of the Papal States and the Janissaries of the Ottoman Empire.

The Assassins themselves classified enemies into basic archetypes, employing nicknames like "seekers" or "defenders" for polearm-wielding guards, "grunts" for the most mediocre soldiers, and "snitches" for non-combatant personnel likely to flee and call for reinforcements.

Common classifications

While soldiers across human history have varied immensely in their training, equipment, and technology, certain classifications have been employed almost universally. Among these is the division between infantry, cavalry, and artillery, denoting footsoldiers, horsemen, and siege weapons respectively. Infantry, in turn, may take the form of close-ranged combatants, such as pikemen or swordsmen, or long-ranged support, such as archers, crossbowmen, and snipers.

Militaries often categorized their infantry units into light, standard, and heavy infantry, but the Assassin Brotherhood usually identified enemy soldiers as falling into the basic generalities of regulars, brutes, agiles, and seekers.

Regulars

Main article: Regular

Regulars are the standard unit of infantry in militaries. As the backbone of their forces, they constitute the average in their capabilities without any specialization and are serviced with the most standard equipment of their army, be it a sword, spear, musket, etc.

Brutes

Main article: Brute

The aptly-named brutes distinguish themselves with their particularly bulky, sturdy physique. Frequently utilizing heavy weapons like battleaxes or bastard swords, these combatants rely upon their great strength to overpower their enemies at the cost of speed and agility. Brutes are not a uniform type of soldier but constitute a common stereotype of any non-elite, heavy infantry embodying these traits, with units as diverse as Spartan hypatists, Byzantine Almogavars, and British grenadiers falling under this label.

Agiles

Main article: Agile

Lightly armored soldiers serving as scouts or trackers are also known as agiles because they forsake standard military equipment for maximum mobility. In combat situations, they are trained to engage foes with flurries of swift attacks and rely on evasive manoeuvres to compensate for their little to no protection. Their survivability contingent on their nimbleness, agiles were almost always the most athletic of their forces, with some, as was the case among Borgia guards, even being trained in parkour. While the relatively mundane British scout was a typical example of an agile, ancient warriors like the fearsome Cult of Kosmos scions and the Ptolemaic predators also filled this role to an extent.

Seekers

Main article: Seeker

With stealth being a hallmark of Assassin operations, their agents frequently nicknamed enemy soldiers in charge of scouring hiding spots "seekers". Seekers throughout Assassin history shared little commonalities beyond this, varying wildly in their equipment and training. The seekers as classified by the Italian Brotherhood during the Renaissance were armored spearmen while those designated by the Chinese Brotherhood of the Ming dynasty wielded light swords and carried shuriken. The trend continued into the 19th century, where the Parisian Brotherhood recognized experienced fencers equipped with crowd control tools like flash bombs as their enemy seekers. Regardless, seekers have invariably been soldiers of greater martial skill and military authority than regulars, brutes, and agiles.

Ranking

High Middle Ages

Regular

Altaïr fighting regular Saracen guards

Regular guards were the most common, but lightest equipped of the guard ranks. Regular Crusader guards did not have helmets, and only wore padded armor, while Saracen ones wore turbans, and light lamellar armor.

In combat, they were not skilled enough to grab, counterattack, or perform a combo. They could only deflect attacks, with a 25% chance of dodging a light attack.

Sergeant

Two Teutonic sergeants talking

Sergeants were middle-ranked soldiers, and were equipped with helmets and heavier armor. Crusaders wore chainmail, and the Saracens possessed medium lamellar armor.

They could grab targets, and had a 50% chance of breaking a grab attack, as well as a 50% chance of countering or dodging a light attack. They also had a 25% chance of breaking defenses, but could not perform combo attacks.

Captain

A Saracen captain talking with a Templar

Captains were the most powerful guards, with the exception of Templar Knights. Saracens wore Baidah helmets and heavy lamellar armor, while Crusaders wore chainmail, and varying knight helms.

Guards at this rank were also able to grab, and had a 75% chance of breaking a grab attack, as well as countering or dodging a light attack. They also had a 50% chance of breaking defenses. If a successful heavy attack was delivered, they could perform a combo attack.

Renaissance

Militia

Three Militia guards cornering Egidio Troche

Militia were the lowest ranking guards, and wore very little armor. They also had the lowest morale, and were likely to flee a battle if they were losing.

Militia could be found almost everywhere, and wielded a large variety of medium-ranged weapons. They were not especially agile, but could climb up to the rooftops, albeit slowly, in order to pursue a target Assassin.

Of the guard types, Militia were the only ones who could be fooled into picking up coins, should they be thrown as a distraction.

Elite

Ezio restrained by two Elites

Elites were stronger than Militia, and wore a moderate amount of armor. They could withstand more damage, and were capable of dodging enemy attacks.

They were also more courageous than Militia, but could still be forced to retreat, especially if their Leader (or a high-ranking specialized guard) should be killed near them.

Leader

A Leader speaking with an Agile

Leaders were the best fighters, and the most tenacious of all the regular guards. They wore slightly more armor than the Elites, and had distinct, full-faced helmets.

They were resilient, and could withstand several attacks before they could be killed. They were also harder to disarm, as well as resistant to being grabbed.

Captain

Cesare Borgia speaking with his Captains

Captains of the Renaissance were usually found leading contingents of lower-ranked soldiers. They fought similarly to Leaders, but were more heavily and intricately armored, with full feathered helms.

Twelve Borgia captains were particularly distinguished members of this rank, and led troops at each of Rome's twelve Borgia Towers. They were armored identically to other Captains, but wore white capes with the Borgia crest, and had black feathers on their helmets rather than red ones. French captains wear an identical armor except it has a blue color scheme while Vianan had yellowish green and Navarrese had a darker brown color.

Though most were courageous and skilled enough to counter most attacks, some were cowardly, and would flee into their tower should it be attacked, until the next guard patrol was posted.

Types of soldiers

Royal Army

Regulars

Regulars are the basic soldiers seen on the Caribbean. They wear different colored coats, the color of the coat showing off their allegiance. The red coat is worn by soldiers of the Royal Navy, the yellow coat is worn by the soldiers of Spanish Navy, the white coat is worn by the soldiers of French Navy, and the blue coat is worn by the soldiers of Portuguese Navy. Pirate Hunters and Smugglers also fall in the same category but they wear brown shirts instead of coats. They are equipped with a basic sword and a pistol. They mainly engage their enemy with their swords but will draw their pistols if the target is out of reach, such as on rooftop. They are seen on many different places of Caribbean but mostly in cities, smuggler caves and onboard ships. They have high discipline standards and will never run away from battle.

Grenadiers

Grenadiers are the brutes of the Caribbean. They wear huge, long coats and a tricorne. They wield large boarding axes, a pistol and grenades. Grenadiers block attacks easily with their axes, meaning attackers must break their defense before he can kill them in melee. They also deal high damage with their axe swings. Grenadiers will drop grenades occasionally when they are not engaged in combat. Grenades explode and deal damage to anyone in the area, friend or foe; indeed, it is not uncommon for grenadiers to be killed by their own grenades. They use their pistol when the enemy is in a hard to reach place.

Agile

Where agiles lack in strength, they make up for in speed. Agiles wear short coats and powdered wigs, except for hunter agiles, who wear tricornes. They wield a dagger and a pistol in combat. Agiles are the fastest guards in the Caribbean, they can keep up with Edward longer than any class and can free run to an extent. When engaging in combat, they will deliver a chain of blows, one after the other, so that the defender has no time to counterattack, only to parry. They use their pistols when the enemy is out of reach. A pair of agile can be found on large enemy ships, acting as lieutenants.

Gunners

Gunners are often deployed in tactical, elevated positions like guard towers, ships' crow's nests and rooftops. They wear short coats and a tricorn, except for British gunners, who wear bicorns. They are armed with a musket and bayonet, and rarely move from position. When they spot an enemy, they will take aim for a few seconds, then fire. Muskets deal huge damage, taking out three health bars. To counter, defenders can grab enemies and use then as human shields, or just get out of sight. When in melee, they use their bayonets and fight similarly to grenadiers.

Captains

Captains are the most elite members of enemy forces Edward will encounter. Spanish and Portuguese captains wear wide-brimmed hats, shoulder padded coats and boots. British captains wear bicorns, gold trimmed blue coats with a red sash, and hunter captains wear green coats. They have the same armament as regulars, but use their pistols in direct combat. They combine the attacking speed of an agile with the blocking skill of a grenadier. On large ships, one can be found acting as captain.

Ming dynasty

Grunts

The slowest and weakest of all Ming Dynasty soldiers, grunts were very weak and easy to defeat, though they could pose a threat in large numbers.

Wooden Shield Guard

Guards that could unleash a series of quick attacks and could block all attacks on them until their shields were broken or they were rolled over.

Iron Shield Guards

Some of the tougher foot soldiers of the Ming. They could block all attacks, light and heavy, could do more damage than wooden shield wielding guards, and could not be harmed unless they were rolled over.

Pole-Axe Guard

Heavily armored Ming soldiers that carried heavy pole-blade weapons. They were extremely fast and could do large amounts of damage.

18th century

Regulars

Connor and Stephane Chapeau fighting British Regulars

The basic guards within the British and Continental armies were enlisted soldiers who wore regular battle-dresses. They were equipped with muskets that held fixed bayonets and received training in forming firing lines. Regulars were susceptible to counter kills, throws, stuns, disarms and secondary weapon kills.

British Regulars wore a bright red tunic with white leggings and a black tricorn hat, and some took to wearing scarves around their faces. They had the ability to form a firing line quickly and efficiently and didn't run from battle due to the Army's severe discipline standards.

The Continental Army wore a blue battle-dress with a red accent down each lapel, tan leggings and a tan or black tricorn hat. Although they were equally well-trained, they did not have the same discipline as their British counterparts. They would run after a sufficient amount of their comrades fell or when their leader was slain.

Militia

Continental militiamen in Concord

Militia of both the British and Continental armies could be found as guards on rooftops or inside forts, where they were being trained. Loyalist militia wore similar clothing to British Regulars, but instead featured an explorer's cap instead of a tricorn, as well as a backpack and dark spatterdashes. On board ships, they were dressed as Royal Marines.

Patriot militia wore a white shirt and a blue vest, together with an explorer's cap. Militia soldiers were not as well-trained as Regulars, as they could only attack once per a Regular's three times, though despite this, they took on almost identical roles.

French Revolution

Militia

The militia comprised the bulk of the extremist forces. They were dressed in simple striped red and black attire with plumed tricorn hats. They carried sabers and pistols, but were not especially proficient in their use. They struck relatively slowly and would rarely execute combos. Higher level versions were capable of blocking attacks, but would tire and become vulnerable after blocking 1 or 2 attacks.

Enforcers

The most common enemy aside from the Militia were the Enforcers. The extremist version dressed in similar attire to the Militia with the addition of leather longcoats.

National Guard

The Revolutionary National Guardsmen are dressed in dark blue uniforms with black bicorne hats. They carry the basic officer's saber and pistol as weapons.

Victorian London

Blighter

The slowest and least dangerous of all guard types, Blighter thugs wore red coats and black bowler hats. 

Jacob fighting a blighter thug.

They usually combated individuals with small knives. They could be found in every London borough.

Scotland Yard Officer

These law enforcement officers wore the common dark blue uniform and black custodian helmet of the Scotland Yard Police Department. If they heard or spotted violence or conflict on the streets of London, they would first blow their whistles in order to alert nearby officers for help before fighting the suspect. In combat, they wielded batons and would occasionally draw their pistols to fire at enemies.

Scotland Yard Constable

Constables would often wear the exact same attire as Scotland Yard Officers, only with a short blue cape. They were much tougher than regular officers in combat.

Undercover Scotland Yard Officer

These guards behave in combat much like regular Scotland Yard Officers, only they wore grey clothing and grey kepi hats in order to somewhat blend in with the citizens of London.

Templar Official

Templar officials could be found both on street level and on the tops of buildings. They usually wore black suits and top hats, and wore white arm bands bearing the Templar cross. They wielded sword canes in combat and were extremely dangerous at high levels.

World War 1

Foot Soldiers

During World War 1, in the year 1916, London, under threat of German invasion, temporarily replaced their regular police force with soldiers from the British Army until the war was over. These infantry men acted very similar to the police force in Victorian London. They carried a baton, Lee-Enfield rifle, and a Webley revolver. If they heard or spotted trouble, they would hit the suspect with a baton and if they got out of range, shoot them with their rifles or pistols. They wore standard British Army uniforms during World War 1 which included a drab service dress with webbed equipment around it, black boots with olive drab puttees covering most of their ankles, a brodie helmet, and drab trousers.

Officers

Officers of the British Army in 1916 could often be seen leading a squad while patrolling. They wore similar uniforms to the standard infantry, but with a peaked cap instead of a brodie helmet and no webbed equipment around their uniform. They were slightly tougher than regular infantry in combat and would use a baton against the suspect and a revolver when they got out of range. The Foot Soldiers and Officers was loyal to the King George V, grandson of the Queen Victoria.

Ranged types

As most standard guards only had medium or short-ranged weapons, they were often supplemented by ranged guard types, who could attack from a distance. More types were added over time, with the advancement of weapon technology.

Renaissance

Archers

Main article: Archers

Borgia archers in the Apennine Mountains

Archers were guards armed with longbows, who patrolled rooftops and watched for possible enemies below. Outside of cities, they were posted on elevated watchtowers.

Crusader Archers wore the same uniforms as the standard guards of their faction, though they also had white hoods. In the Renaissance, Archers were usually of the Militia rank, and wore the same uniform as their standard counterparts.

Once provoked due to an enemy approaching within a meter or so, an archer would cease firing arrows, and draw his medium-ranged weapon, such as a sword or mace. Though accurate and deadly from a distance, Archers did not pose a serious threat in close combat.

Crossbowmen

Main article: Crossbowmen

A Borgia crossbowman

Similarly to archers, crossbowmen defended the rooftops or areas of interest, though the crossbows they wielded could be fired more quickly, and caused more damage. However, they did not completely replace Archers, as longbows were more accurate if used by a skilled guard.

Unlike archers, crossbowmen had no melee weapon, and if their enemy drew too close, they would only back away and keep firing. They were also more vigilant, and possessed some freerunning ability, which permitted them to more closely investigate intruders.

In Rome, crossbowmen could be distinguished by their striped berets and light armor.

Arquebusiers

Main article: Arquebusiers

A line of arquebusiers

The arquebusiers, also called Gunmen or Riflemen, were firearm-wielding soldiers who patrolled rooftops, protected high-value locations, and guarded important individuals.

Though arquebusiers did not have as great a range as Crossbowmen, what they lacked in distance, they made up for in power. Their shots dealt significant damage to both targets and enemy armor. In the Renaissance, they wore heavy armor and full helmets, as well as belts of gunpowder and ammunition.

Bombmen

Ezio facing an Ottoman Bombman

In Constantinople, bombmen wielded thunder bombs and short blades, and commonly guarded the rooftops in high traffic areas, such as the docks, arsenal, and harbor. They would also participate in the protection of Templar dens, and would attack from the safety of reinforced sentry boxes.

Byzantine bombmen wore uniforms similar to Almogavars, though with longer red capes.

18th century Caribbean

Snipers

Main article: Snipers

Snipers were specially trained gunmen during the Golden Age of Piracy who were armed with muskets and would guard the rooftops. Snipers could also assault intruders with bayonets equipped with their muskets. They often watched over sugar plantations, and would fire at intruders or run to an alarm bell to call reinforcements.

Ming dynasty

Crossbowmen

File:ACCC DB Crossbowman.jpg

A Chinese crossbowman

Crossbowmen during the Ming dynasty, as the name implies, were equipped with crossbows and usually guarded walls in restricted areas. These guards also have the ability to use the crossbow to damage a close range opponent as a melee attack. They would take short time in aiming their weapon, giving the opponent time to dodge the bolts.

Heavy crossbowmen

Unlike ordinary crossbowmen, these guards are heavily armored tend to stay routed to a particular spot. They also had the ability to send a flurry of crossbow bolts to an intruder, damaging the opponent in a bigger rate than the former.

Handcannon guard

File:ACCC DB Ming Dynasty Muskets.jpg

An aiming Handcannon Guard

This guard handles a flint-activated hand cannon that could be used as a melee weapon and ranged weapon. The cannon could deal heavy damage but takes time to reload.

French Revolution

Snipers

Snipers were mainly used during the French Revolution for guarding important locations such as The Temple or The Palais du Luxembourg. They carried muskets, which were lethally effective if a shot could be landed on a target. They could also spot Arno from much further away than other guards. However, they were less durable than other guards and were not very capable in melee.

Extremist snipers were dressed in dark grey clothing with a small cap, while city guard snipers had similar clothing to regular city guards, with the addition of white crossbelts over their coats and occasionally backpacks.

Victorian London

Blighter aharpshooters

Blighter Sharpshooters were usually stationed on the tops of buildings or on balconies. They carried rifles and were usually females.

Specialized units

Certain high-ranking guards possessed unique qualities, usually granting them an advantage in combat through added speed, strength, or defensive skills. They would often act as leaders for patrols of standard guards, and possessed uncommon weapons or armor.

Renaissance

Agiles

Main article: Agile guards

An Agile fleeing from Ezio

Agiles were lightly-armored, quick moving guards. They were one of the types capable of outrunning Assassins, and were also skilled free-runners. They more commonly fled to alert nearby guards, rather than face an enemy directly.

During pursuits alongside other guards, Agiles would usually catch up to a target first and injure them with the short blades they wielded. In battle, they were very light on their feet and could dodge nearly all attacks. Agiles wore the least armor of any guard, with only a light leather chest guard, and metal helmet and spaulders. Due to their increased vulnerability, they were also the most cowardly of the specialized types.

Brutes

Main article: Brutes

A Pazzi Brute blocking Ezio's path

Brutes were the most heavily-armored guards during the Renaissance. They moved slowly due to the two-handed weapons they wielded, but compensated through resilience and power.

They were not very vigilant, and could not normally distinguish Assassins from anyone else in a crowd. In guard patrols, they often acted as the leader, as they had the highest morale of any guard type, fleeing only if they were disarmed and could not obtain another weapon. Brutes could be easily seen from their large, reinforced armor and closed helms. Brutes in Rome had more intricate armor than those in other cities, with designs worked into the metal.

Seekers

Main article: Seekers

Seekers arresting a merchant

Seekers were guards who, as their name suggested, would search through hiding places, on the suspicion that an Assassin had taken refuge within one. They always wielded polearms, such as spears and halberds.

Similarly to Brutes, they would lead patrols of guards, often halting the group to search any hiding spots they passed. In battle, they had the second highest morale to Brutes, and were skilled enough to resist most attacks and counters. They were slightly more heavily-armored than a standard guard, though less so than Brutes, wearing a combination of chainmail and plate armor, as well as distinctive feathered helms.

Horsemen

Main article: Horsemen

Ezio fighting a horseman

Horsemen were mounted guards that possessed the ability to use a variety of weapons while on horseback. Their steeds allowed them to easily pursue targets, and strike preemptively.

Though they were vulnerable to long-ranged weapons such as throwing knivess and crossbows, they could be easily dealt with after being knocked from the saddle, either by tripping their horse, or striking them from horseback.

Horsemen were equipped with both medium and long-ranged weapons, though none could wield polearms. They were armored similarly to Borgia Captains, albeit without the cape.

Almogavars

Main article: Almogavars

Ezio throwing a bomb at an Almogavar

Almogavars were heavily-armored Byzantine guards, who wielded two-handed axes. They were stationed in Byzantine-controlled districts of Constantinople, as well as in Derinkuyu during the Renaissance.

Comparable to Brutes, they fought with heavy weapons, and were slower than all other enemies. Due to their thick armor, they were very resilient, and could not be killed with a single bullet or crossbow bolt. However, they possessed a profound weakness to the effects of datura bombs.

They wore golden lamellar cuirasses with a Templar cross engraved into each lamella, their armour was notably decorated with fur and was topped by particularly large metal pauldrons. They also wielded unique axes, with a pair of crescent-shaped blades.

Varangians

Main article: Varangians

A Varangian speaking to two Militiamen

Varangians were the Byzantine equivalent of Seekers, and were stationed in both Constantinople and Derinkuyu. They were very skilled in battle, and could deflect nearly all strikes and counterattacks.

They wore the same golden lamellar as the Almogavars with short grey capes, as well as intricate winged helmets. They fought with halberds or spears, as well as short pistols.

18th century Caribbean

Agiles

Similar to the Agiles of the Renaissance, these guards fought with short knives, and were capable of chasing down Assassins, both on the ground and on rooftops, and would tackle their target upon catching them. Like most guard types, they were vulnerable to a disarming attack, but they would quickly retrieve their weapons if such an attack occurred. However, it was possible to disarm them and quickly throw the knife at them, killing them.

On larger naval ships, such as frigates and Men O' War, two agiles occasionally acted as officers, and were necessary to kill in order to board the vessel.

Brutes

Often seen guarding restricted areas, brutes were large, powerfully-built men who wielded boarding axes and were capable of blocking most attacks. However, they were vulnerable to an attack that would break their defense and leave them open to a killing blow.

On smaller naval ships, such as gunboats and schooners, brutes could be seen steering the vessel, and were the most skilled fighters on board.

Captains

Although occasionally seen on land, captains were more often found on ships, commanding brigs, frigates, and Men O' War. Equipped with both a sword and pistol, captains used both weapons in combat, and could block most attacks with ease. However, successfully countering an attack from a captain would leave them open for a damaging string of blows.

Sharpshooters

Found patrolling and guarding rooftops and walkways, sharpshooters carried long-range muskets capable of hitting their target from a considerable distance; however, their rate of fire was moderately slow, and required time to reload and aim. When directly confronted by an enemy, the gunmen tended to back up and create enough space between themselves and their target to properly aim and shoot them. In close range, the sharpshooters were no more skilled than normal guards, and could be easily dispatched with a counter-attack.

Ming dynasty

Seekers

These Ming Dynasty guardsmen were also historically known as the "Black Watch", as they often patrolled the grounds of Imperial Residences at night without the use of lanterns, hoping to catch intruders or Assassins off guard. They were surrounded by an area of influence in which they could hear an Assassin behind, above, or alongside them, and could immediately move to confront them.

Seven Years' War

Gang scouts

Similar to Agiles during the Renaissance and the Golden Age of Piracy, Gang Scouts fought with short knives and were able to chase down Shay Cormac on the ground and on rooftops. Similar to Brutes and Grenadiers, Scouts are able to throw bombs; specifically, smoke bombs.

Stalkers

Stalkers were gang members trained by the Assassins. They are predominantly found in gang-occupied territories. Similar to the Stalkers in the Ottoman Empire, Stalkers were dressed like normal civilians and can blend in by sitting on benches or even blend in with a group of civilians. However, they are able to hide in hiding spots such as sheds or even bushes, akin to Guardians who protected the Observatory. When they notice Shay, they will attempt to assassinate him by either running towards him or attempt to air assassinate him.

Interestingly enough, most Stalkers that Shay encounters in New York are women, in the River Valley, they are Native Americans, and in the North Atlantic, they are men who wear a similar uniform worn by Spanish captains during the Golden Age of Piracy.

Grenadiers

Main article: Grenadiers

A Loyalist and a Grenadier blocking Connor's path

Grenadiers were specialized units in the British and Continental armies during the American Revolutionary War. They were roughly comparable to the Italian Brutes and Byzantine Almogavars, being slower than other soldiers, and fighting with heavy weapons and muskets.

Grenadiers were recognizable by their miter caps, which were designed not to obstruct the throwing of grenades. British Grenadiers wore green kilts, a dress top and sapper's gloves, while Continental Grenadiers wore a khaki battle dress with black boots.

Officers

Main article: Officers

Connor hiding from a British Officer

Officers in both armies led groups of other guards on patrols and were equipped with a sword and pistol. Whilst wielding their sword, they parried all of Connor's regular attacks, forcing him to either break their defense or disarm them first. They could also counter Connor's counter-kills even if disarmed, but were susceptible to throws, stuns, disarms and secondary weapon kills.

If any horses were nearby, Officers would mount them and attempt to attack Connor on horseback, either by charging or firing their pistol. Officers could see through disguises and would search hiding spots. When patrolling alone, they would be accompanied by guard dogs, who would give away Connor's location if they got close enough.

Scouts

A British Scout and two Loyalists provoking Haytham Kenway

Akin to the Agiles that served throughout the Renaissance, Scouts were fast-moving adversaries capable of free-running that wielded short blades and muskets. They would pursue any attackers that fled from battle, and could not be disarmed or have their defense broken.

They were, however, susceptible to all other forms of counter-attacks. In combat, they would attempt to flip over Connor's back and attack him from behind, similar to the "hook and run" maneuver used by the Ottoman Assassins.

Snitches

Main article: Snitches

Connor passing by a British Snitch

Snitches were usually seen in large guard patrols carrying military drums. They never fought with an attacker, choosing to instead flee the scene and bring reinforcements. If they could not flee, they would brandish a dagger or cower.

The British drummers were usually seen wearing ceremonial bearskin hats and red coats, whereas the Continental Army equivalent were seen wearing yellow coats and similar headgear to British drummers.

French Revolution

Halberd Carriers

Similar in combat to the Seekers of the Renaissance, Extremist Halberd carriers carried deadly polearms and pistols, and were capable of blocking attacks. They could utilize a low sweep to knock down an opponent, though this could be dodged. They were also immune to defense breaks, automatically pushing away any attempt at doing so. They wore large tricorne hats and long coats.

Axe carriers

Axe carriers were akin to the Brutes of the Renaissance. They wore striped red and black clothing combined with satin-like yellow attire and wore red phrygian caps. They carried large axes, could use an unblockable heavy attack, and their regular attacks cannot be perfect parried. However, they could not block or parry attacks at all, and their attacks can easily be dodged.

Victorian London

Blighter Brutes

Blighter Brutes were much faster and stronger than Blighter Thugs, and could recover quickly from attacks if they were at high levels. They wore red trousers with black suspenders over plain white shirts. They were usually bald.

Elite units

Expert guards were only of the very highest rank in armed enemies; as they were the most skilled and well-equipped of their time. They often possessed several of the qualities of specialized guards, and were limited in number.

High Middle Ages

Templar Knights

Altaïr standing next to a Templar Knight

Templar Knights were particularly skilled Crusaders, and were stationed throughout the Kingdom and its cities. They were the elite soldiers of the Crusades and would often position themselves with a wall or cliff to their back, to prevent them from being attacked from behind.

They were particularly vigilant, and could identify an Assassin from a crowd almost immediately, subsequently attacking them. Other guards held the knights in high regard, and would always stand back should the Templar Knight engage in battle with an Assassin. They were similar to the Crusader Captains, but with unique armor. They wore chainmail and white surcoats with red crosses, as well as red lacquered great helms.

Renaissance

Papal Guards

Main article: Papal Guard

A Papal Guard holding Ezio at gunpoint

The Papal Guard were elite soldiers throughout the Renaissance and were commanded by the Papacy, to serve and protect the pontiff during his tenure. They combined the best qualities of all the other specialized guards, being very powerful in battle, as well as quick on their feet.

They wore intricate black and gold armor, as well as long dark capes, metal face masks and plumed helmets. They also wore crests painted on their chest guards, either displaying the crossed keys of the Papacy, or (in the 16th century) the red bull of the Borgia. Papal guards could use a wide variety of weapons, including long or heavy ones, though they most commonly dual-wielded a pistol alongside a medium weapon.

Janissaries

Main article: Janissaries

A pair of Janissaries harassing a merchant

Janissaries were highly-trained soldiers, and the elite of the Ottoman Empire, serving as the private guards to the Sultan. Similarly to the Papal Guard, they encompassed all the skills of the specialized guards.

Their uniforms consisted of colorful robes with embroidered patterns, as well as black headdresses and metal face masks. They all wielded unique kijils, as well as short pistols for long-ranged attacks.

Enlightenment Age

Gang leaders

Gang leaders were leaders of gangs that were trained by the Assassins. Similar to the stalkers, gang leaders can hide in hiding spots and even assassinate Shay if they notice him. They are also able to use smoke bombs to attempt to stun Shay when they flee, and shoot at him as he chases them. In open combat, they fight like captains. Otherwise, they can be assassinated with melee weapons, and can be killed by all ranged weapons in the all of the same ways as grenadiers can, as it takes two musket/pistol shots to kill them if not aiming for their heads.

Jägers

Main article: Jägers

A Jäger searching for Connor

Jägers, also colloquially referred to as Hessians, were a detachment of German troops that were contracted by the British to fight in the American Revolutionary War. However, they operated independently of most British protocols.

Jägers specialized in deep forest and wilderness combat, tactics and reconnaissance, as well as unconventional warfare. As such, they were regarded as an elite scouting unit, used for surveying an area ahead of a body of troops or leading the way on the front lines.

Elite soldiers in their time, the Jägers gained a fierce reputation as fearsome warriors and reliable, disciplined troops, and they were well respected within the ranks of the British Army. Like the other expert archetypes, Jägers combined the aspects of the basic archetypes. They patrolled in search of Connor, wielded a sword and pistol, and could fight on horseback, like Officers.

Being mainly skirmisher type troops, Jägers were rarely seen inside cities. However, due to their elite status and very honed tracking abilities, they were called into populated areas when Connor became a persistent danger to British and Patriot troops.

In combat, they were immune to direct attacks and would occasionally throw grenades, similar to the Grenadiers. While in pursuit, they could easily catch up to Connor, being one of the only archetypes to do so barring Scouts.

There were two types of Jäger located in Colonial America during the American Revolutionary War; Loyalist Jägers were found within the British Army and Patriot Jägers were found within the Continental Army.

• Loyalist Jägers wore dark green coats with red trim, black boots, and tricorne hats with a red feather.
• Patriot Jägers wore light green coats with gold trim, black boots, and Tarletons with black horse hair trim.

Ming dynasty

Jinyiwei

These elite soldiers were the personal bodyguard to the Emperors of the Ming Dynasty. They were master martial artists and swordsmen, with skills on par with those of Master Assassins. They also served as the secret police for the Ming Court when the need arose.

French Revolution

Swiss Guards

These elite fighters tended to serve as squad leaders and were armed with one-handed swords, pistols and stun bombs. The extremist elite fencers wore long-sleeved black coats with ruffles and plumed top hats. The Swiss Guards wore similar attire to other city guards with the addition of metal cuirasses and helmets with white horsehair crests.

The Swiss Guards were regiments of Swiss mercenaries hired to protect the French Sovereign and his places of residence. These Swiss regiments were highly sought after in Europe since the Swiss cantons were reputed to produce good, obedient and ferocious soldiers. By the end of the 15th century, the Swiss Hundred Guard ("Cent Suisses") was created and regularly stationed in Paris. By the middle of the 18th century, the protection of the Champs-Élysées was entrusted to a detachment of ten or so soldiers tasked with maintaining order and arresting lawbreakers.

They were capable of rapidly executing sword combos, and the window to perfectly parry their strikes was small. They would block every regular attack directed at them and could occasionally parry, causing damage to their attacker. In addition to this, they could easily duck under or roll away from gun shots, and were quite capable at using their own pistols. They would also hang back and throw stun bombs if Arno was locked in combat with other guards, which would detonate after a delay and disrupted Arno's vision if he was in the blast radius. However, they became vulnerable if they were worn out by repeated strikes or their defense was broken, and they could not block or dodge heavy attacks.

Victorian London

Royal Guards

The Royal Guards were the elite foot guards of the British Monarchy in the Victorian Era. Being members of the British Army, they are loyal to Queen Victoria. They could be found only in Westminster, where they stood guard over the many government and administrative buildings there such as the Buckingham Palace. They carried rifles, pistols, and batons. They are originally trained for warfare, and some of them may possibly be veterans of wars involving Great Britain. Because of this, only the highest level individuals stood a chance against these guards, as they did devastating damage with their baton barrage attacks, and could recover incredibly fast. They were easily identifiable due to the conspicuous uniforms that they wore. They wore a bright red British military tunic along with black trousers with a red stripe on either side and a tall black bearskin cap.

Trivia

• The taunts Ezio said to Brutes were different from those he said to the other guards, mainly insulting them about their weight, as they were bulkier in stature.
• In the memory "Clothes Make the Man," Ugo told Ezio that the thieves were to impersonate the archers. Yet in the next memory, "Everything Must Go", after Ezio killed the archers on the rooftops, the thieves wore the armor of captain guards instead of archer armor.
• In the memory "Infrequent Flier", a Brute and a Seeker could be seen stationed on a rooftop, despite being the only guards who could not climb or free-run.
• In the memory "Play Along", Ezio assassinated an Agile so he could disguise himself as a guard, but instead of having an Agile's outfit, he wore the outfit of a Leader guard.
• Several other guard types were present only in Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines and Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles, such as Shield Guards, Duelists, and Moloch's zealots.
• In the memory "French Kiss", Ezio killed twenty French guards of different archetypes to acquire their armor. However, in the following memories, Bartolomeo's mercenaries were equipped with only Leader armor, while Ezio wore armor similar to a Borgia Captain's.
  • Additionally, though Ezio's Captain armor during the memory was in French colors, no such French guard could ever be encountered.
• In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Assassin's Creed: Revelations, an extremely rare glitch could occur with a group of four guards. They would stand still and would not pay any attention to Ezio, even if he killed someone nearby. He was still free to attack them, in which case an execution would be performed, but it would not kill them, leaving them to simply stand up again.
• On PlayStation Home, the design of a Seeker can be purchased for an avatar. Similarly, on Xbox Live, it is possible to purchase the outfit of an Agile guard.
• In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, even after the completion of Sequence 8 and the liberation of all Borgia Towers, all of the guards in Rome would still wear the colors of the Borgia family as well as their coat of arms.
• In Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China, guards could sometimes be heard whistling the "Ezio's Family" theme from Assassin's Creed II.
• In Assassin's Creed III, Patriot guards can be seen playing checkers. One of the guards will point at something, making the other guard look, and then moving pieces on the board.
• In Assassin's Creed: Rogue, French and British captains had striking similarities with the Jagers in Assassin's Creed III and fought at the same manner but they function only as officers.
• In Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India, guards could be heard talking about the events of Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China.

Appearances

Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines Assassin's Creed: Lineage Assassin's Creed II Assassin's Creed II: Discovery Assassin's Creed: Renaissance Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy Assassin's Creed: The Fall Assassin's Creed: Ascendance Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood novel Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade Assassin's Creed: Embers Assassin's Creed: Revelations Assassin's Creed: Revelations novel Assassin's Creed: Recollection Assassin's Creed: The Chain Assassin's Creed III The Tyranny of King Washington Assassin's Creed III: Liberation Assassin's Creed: Forsaken Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Freedom Cry Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Assassin's Creed: Brahman Assassin's Creed: Pirates Assassin's Creed: Memories Assassin's Creed: Rogue Assassin's Creed: Unity Assassin's Creed: Unity novel Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China Assassin's Creed: Syndicate Assassin's Creed: Underworld Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia Assassin's Creed: Identity (non-canonical appearance) Assassin's Creed: Assassins – Volume 1: Trial by Fire Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Locus Assassin's Creed: Assassins – Volume 2: Setting Sun Assassin's Creed: Templars – Volume 1: Black Cross Assassin's Creed: Heresy Assassin's Creed: The Movie Assassin's Creed: The Official Movie Novelization Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Tomb of the Khan Assassin's Creed: Templars – Volume 2: Cross of War Assassin's Creed: Assassins – Volume 3: Homecoming Assassin's Creed: Uprising Assassin's Creed: Desert Oath Assassin's Creed: Origins The Hidden Ones The Curse of the Pharaohs Assassin's Creed: Origins comic Assassin's Creed: Odyssey Legacy of the First Blade The Fate of Atlantis Assassin's Creed: Odyssey novel Assassin's Creed: Rebellion

References

An image gallery is available for Guards