I HATE Assassins!

**TheLastPrivate** · 12-13-2007, 02:30

Sometimes they die late-50s... but usually 60 seems to be the mean.

**Askthepizzaguy** · 12-13-2007, 08:27

I've found that you can easily get through the game without recruiting a single assassin or merchant. By "get through" I mean conquer all 108 provinces without batting an eye.

IF you feel like doing things the cloak and dagger way, they come in handy.

Personally, I like to assemble the largest fighting force history has ever seen, and steamroll over as many factions simultaneously as possible. This way everyone knows exactly where the threat is coming from, and which emperor to bow down to.

I prefer to be the most feared and powerful despot in all of the world, rather than a man who knows how to train and hire a few blades.

Like Han Solo, I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around.

If I were to train spies and assassins, they would be useful merely for swatting my rivals' agents like flies.

**Philbert** · 12-13-2007, 11:56

And then your new subjects will say, 'sure he slaughtered all of our extended family and plundered our city, but he did give us pizza in return' 'yep, there is that'.

**DVX BELLORVM** · 12-16-2007, 19:10

I've found another reason to hate assassins.

One inquisitor was giving me a hard time, executing my priests and generals all over the place. So I sent an assassin after him. He failed and got caught. As a consequence, the Pope, my long time ally (with military access) canceled the alliance. Now I have to spend some money to regain the old man's favor, and work hard to restore a lost reputation.

**Askthepizzaguy** · 12-17-2007, 01:31

Originally Posted by DVX BELLORVM

I've found another reason to hate assassins.

One inquisitor was giving me a hard time, executing my priests and generals all over the place. So I sent an assassin after him. He failed and got caught. As a consequence, the Pope, my long time ally (with military access) canceled the alliance. Now I have to spend some money to regain the old man's favor, and work hard to restore a lost reputation.

Yeah. That's why I hate the old man.

Even though he can call crusades for me, I'd much rather he not even exist. He is much more trouble than he's worth.

He's a hypocrite. He can slay my generals all he wants with inquisitors, violating "thou shalt not kill" and the Christian code of "turn the other cheek" and the golden rule AND judge not lest ye be judged. He can call crusades against people that have done him no harm. Then he excommunicates me for slaying HIS assassins (inquisitors) and attacking people who HAVE done me wrong (like aggressor catholic natons).

So he's nothing but a big fat hypocrite in a dress and a pointy hat. I hate that man.

Apologies to all real-world catholics, this anger is not meant for you, but for previous popes who really do deserve the hypocrisy award. There's awfully strong evidence that the Pope is not infallible, but that's a whole different, serious debate which would be completely off-topic and reserved to the back room. So again, my apologies to real catholics, but the pope is not the greatest guy in the world. Not in my immodest opinion, anyway.

**Guru** · 12-17-2007, 19:54

Ok, here comes the train driver and steers this topic back on track...
I don't like enemy assassins either. In my current Sicilian campaign, the king, the only male family member, is threatened by frenchy assassins. They are 0-2 points assassins mostly so the king is pretty safe. The big downside is that he's getting loads of new traits from those attempts. Now he's paranoid and introverted and it's getting worse. Naturally he's got huge personal security, food taster and all that.
What is also annoying is to see neutral faction assassins targeting your faction members. There is little you can do but to assassinate the assassins or start a war and wipe the whole faction out. I sometimes fortify the borders of my kingdom using mountains and forts so no foreign troops nor agents get in.
- Guru

**Old Geezer** · 12-18-2007, 18:27

I wonder if assassins are really not just a drain on the economy. If one runs a true blitz campaign assassins are not very necessary. They are very useful for destroying an economy (buildings and merchants), but the cost one spends could be better spent it seems on a few more units to help with looting. I played a Britania campaigns as Scotland and England using one at most (I don't think I had one in the English campaign) and had only a few merchants. The blitz seemed to have even more steam than usual. I also built minimal infratructure except to get necessary buildings to recruit units in strategic places. Recruiting them and using them is a very good way to get your king's dread up to 10 if you are so inclined.