Assassins: Waste of time?

[sbroadbent]

The only places I don't really use them is against Cities (waste of time, you'll not lower the order enough for a rebellion and you won't make that much difference to the income) and Inquisitors (the Pope will hate you when he gets wind of it).

In previous campaigns, I used them quite a bit with cities. Destroying economic buildings might not necessarily reduce the factions income, but it does start to take a toll on the enemy if they need to constantly spend money to repair their buildings. In addition, take out their castle recruitment buildings and you slow down the ability of the AI to recruit/retrain troops.

After waging this economic warfare I managed to bring several factions to a halt where they just were not producing troops or able to repair their buildings. With that said, I've had squads of 4-5 assassins going after several buildings a turn, so a concentrated assault can make a difference.

What it comes down to is playing style.

[snorky]

i always train an army of assassins i keep training until i cant train anymore.
and then i send them to a single faction. Then spreading them trough the provinces killing all family members you meet, destroying buildings killing priests and princesses.

now this doesnt do much with a few a assassins but with up to 30 assassins in one empire it will be devastating. But this tactic works best in the Eastern world because of the long distances between the city's

[anders]

it is dishonourable to consort with hitmen and other people of low carachter, head for the fields of glory instead!

[Ciaran]

I´ve noticed that while in 1.1 assassins indeed need a lot of training in the shape of sabotage missions, their effectiveness in the unofficial 1.2 patch seems to be aproximately at the level of RTW, i.e. they can kill captains and enemy assassins easily, making it easier to get highly skilled assassins in relatively short time.

[Bob the Insane]

their effectiveness in the unofficial 1.2 patch seems to be aproximately at the level of RTW, i.e. they can kill captains and enemy assassins easily, making it easier to get highly skilled assassins in relatively short time.

Totally agree...

[HoreTore]

Another good reason to use assassins, is that you get the VERY amusing regicide mission from a Prince...

[steev]

Well, three separate issues seem to be here. One is why the AI uses so many assassins, when the AI assassins are useless. The other issue is are they cost-effective (looks like not really), and the third issue is are they fun - looks like they are. I'm a great fan of arson and I'd like to get the "kill the king" mission.
In my current campaign I'm Egypt, and now that I've taken over Asia Minor I have time to relax a few turns before the Mongols show up.

[Slug For A Butt]

it is dishonourable to consort with hitmen and other people of low carachter, head for the fields of glory instead!

You calling the Pope dishonourable? Verily a Crusade shall be called on your ass mate.