Arquebusier

The arquebusiers were firearm-wielding soldiers who served and protected the pontiff during their tenure. They function similarly to archers and crossbowmen, patrolling rooftops and protecting important targets such as Borgia Tower captains, and Octavian de Valois.

File:400px-Y a54e7b2e.jpg

Arquebusier

Though the range of an arquebus is not quite as long as a crossbow, every shot is more powerful, and will inflict more damage on the armor Ezio is currently wearing. Additionally, similarly to crossbowmen, arquebusiers do not possess melee weapons, and will merely back away and continue to fire their rifles if engaged in a close-range fight.

Like all other guards, the colors of their uniform indicate their allegiances, with red marking them as soldiers of the Borgia, and blue as of the French, and yellowish-green marking them as Viana soldiers. Similarly to Papal guards, they are more often encountered during story missions.

They feature notably during the assault on Monteriggioni, where armored arquebusiers under the command of Cesare Borgia, were able to wound Ezio Auditore da Firenze in the shoulder and the abdomen.

Locations

• Pantheon - Aside from storyline missions the rooftops surrounding the Pantheon is the only location where arquebusiers appear in the Centro district, and will patrol instead of guarding.
• Antico district - In the Antico district arquebusiers sometimes patrol on foot, with commonly two patrolling a small settlement together.
• Campagna district - In the Campagna district arquebusiers will also patrol on foot, with two commonly patrolling the area together, however they feature in the district notably at Octavian de Valois French camp, with arquebusiers patrolling most of the rooftops and the Baron's personal barracks.

Trivia

Concept Art of the Arquebusier

• If the player kills an arquebusier after he has turned hostile and thusly drawn his weapon, the gunman will drop his rifle upon death. However, there is no way to actually attain the relinquished gun, and - similarly to enemy crossbows - the weapon will disappear shortly after moving out of the camera's view.
• Some Borgia Tower captains behave exactly like arquebusiers.
• All arquebusiers carry several bags across their belts, these bags likely contains lead projectiles for their rifle, in case of having to reload in the heat of battle.

Gallery

• Arquebusiers during the Siege of Monteriggioni.
  Arquebusiers during the Siege of Monteriggioni.
• A Papal arquebusier.
  A Papal arquebusier.
• An armored arquebusier in Rome.
  An armored arquebusier in Rome.