Assassin

Overview

Assassins are a campaign map unit which have been featured in all of the Total War Games. In Shogun 2 and Medieval 2 the results of missions are shown in short movies depicting the assassin's mission. These range from the comical (an assassin's own snake biting his foot) to the professional (The crossbow and the pope). Assassins gain Valour/Subterfuge through assassinating victims. Sometimes hero Assassins are created (Medieval:Total War only as far as I know) that already have a lot of valour.

Assassins can only be recruited in a settlement which contains the appropriate building. For Rome: Total War it is a forum or greater whereas in Medieval 2 the building is an Inn or greater. Assassins cannot take part in battles, or negotiate with other characters. Their purpose is to:
1. Assassinate other factions land-based units, Faction leaders, family members, diplomats, spies, assassins and in Medieval 2, princesses, priests / imams and merchants.

2. Conduct acts of sabotage in enemy settlements

3. Assassinate your own units if they are likely to rebel

4. Improve the protective security in a settlement or for a family member.

Tactics

1. Assassins should be trained when first recruited. Target captains of armies only when the mission has a greater than 50% probability of success. Continue this until the Assassin's subterfuge level improves at least by 1, then you can start targeting better protected characters such as Princesses, Merchants (for Medieval 2 only), Diplomats, Spies and other Assassins, before trying to assassinate Generals, Faction leaders or even the Pope.

2. Assassins can also be trained through acts of sabotage but always check the mission's probability of success. A lower probability could mean the enemy faction has a spy and/or an assassin in the settlement.

3. Assassins can be used to improve protective security arrangements for your capable Generals, Governors and Faction leader from enemy spies and assassins.

4. Moving to, or keeping an assassin in your own settlements improve the protective security levels in the settlement. When teamed up with an spy in a settlement, there is a higher probability enemy spies and assassins will be caught and executed. The protective security level of a settlement is also dependent on the Xenophobia (hates foreigners) and Xenophilia (welcomes foreigners) trait levels of the governor. The maximum xenophobia level (3) provides +3 public security in contrast the maximum xenophilia level (3) provides -3 public security. If you have a very capable governor who has a high xenophilia level, he will need additional protection by using spies and assassins.

5. It is an effective strategy to use a spy and assassin in tandem. The spy can advise you about a family member's traits (i.e if the family member is Xenophobic or Xenophilic) or the structures that can be sabotaged in a settlement.

Concept of Subterfuge for Assassins

An increase in subterfuge provides a number of advantages:
1. Increased probability of a successful assassination or sabotage mission.

2. Higher subterfuge levels might also increase the assassin's protective security ability in armies and settlements. (I am not certain on this one; it is hard to test)

Rome: Total War Ancillaries

Catamite +1 subterfuge
To obtain a catamite the assassin needs to successfully complete a mission. On completing a mission successfully there is a 15% chance the assassin will be awarded a catamite. If your assassin has a courtesan then it will not get a catamite.
Agent Type - Assassins only
Culture Type - Excludes Barbarian cultures

Courtesan +1 subterfuge
To obtain a courtesan the assassin needs to remain in a settlement with a lyceum for on turn. There is a 4% chance the assassin will be awarded a courtesan. If your assassin has a catamite then it will not get a courtesan
Agent Type - Spy and Assassin
Culture Type - Excludes Barbarian cultures

Dancer +1 subterfuge
To obtain a dancer the assassin needs to remain in a settlement with a lyceum for on turn. There is a 4% chance the assassin will be awarded a dancer.
Agent Type - Spy and Assassin
Culture Type - All cultures

Skilled Courtesan +2 subterfuge
To obtain a skilled courtesan the assassin needs to successfully complete a mission. On completing a mission successfully there is a 15% chance the assassin will be awarded a skilled courtesan.
Agent Type - Spy and Assassin
Culture Type - All cultures

Pet White Cat +2 subterfuge
To obtain a pet white cat your assassin needs to remain in a settlement that has an awesome temple associated with a god of war/battle for one turn. There is a 15% chance the assassin will be awarded a pet white cat. If your assassin has a pet monkey it will not get a pet white cat
Agent Type - Assassin only
Culture Type - Only Egyptian and Parthian cultures

Pet Monkey +2 subterfuge
To obtain a pet monkey you need to remain in a settlement that has a market or better for one turn. There is a 2% chance the spy will be awarded a pet monkey. If your assassin has a pet white cat it will not get a pet monkey
Agent Type - Spy and Assassin
Culture Type - All Cultures

Poisoner +2 subterfuge
When a Roman family member suffers an assassination attempt and that family member has the Paranoia trait level >= 2 and DeceiverVirtue trait >= 1 then an assassin has a 10% chance of be awarded a poisoner.
Agent Type - Assassin only
Culture Type - Only Roman and Egyptian (I need to check this further, the conditions for awarding a poisoner are quite complex)

See Also

• Modding Assassins in Medieval 2