Crossbowman

A crossbowman bearing the Borgia crest and colors

Crossbowmen were guards armed with crossbows. They patrolled and defended the rooftops in a fashion similar to the archers, and were thus able to catch sight of Ezio Auditore da Firenze from a distance. However, unlike archers who drew their swords if Ezio came too close, they used their crossbows for defensive melee combat and would still fire at Ezio, even at close range.

Crossbowmen were a hindrance when encountered in groups, as crossbow bolts moved faster than normal arrows, and could cause Ezio to stumble and fall off a rooftop. Crossbowmen were skilled marksmen, and were capable of damaging armor with their shots.

While investigating a sighting of Ezio, the crossbowmen attempted to follow him, therefore stealth tactics or ranged weapons were recommended to avoid a fight and diminish the chances of being discovered.

Trivia

• The Crossbows used by crossbowmen differed from Ezio's. The wood they were made of was lighter and they did not posses an eagle shaped metal plate on the front.
• While looting the corpses of crossbowmen, occasionally bullets could be found.
• Crossbowmen also appear in Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles and the memory, The Mentor's Keeper despite historical inaccuracies. The ones in Altaïr's Chronicles also carry swords unlike in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.

Gallery

• 
  Concept Art of the Crossbowman
• 
  A Borgia Crossbowman

Reference

• Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood