Depending on the individual, players will find themselves either engaging in combat a lot or a little. The basis for all combat is based on high profile or low profile actions against enemies. Note that the new gameplay feature to AC III allows a player to run straight up to an enemy, perform an assassination, and continue running.
Assassinations
High Profile assassinations have a much larger range of actions then low profile assassinations, but also put the player in a position to be seen and engaged in open conflict. This should only be used if there are no other targets around or the player doesn't mind engaging in combat.
| Types of Assassinations | |
|---|---|
| Standard | performed on the same level as the target |
| Double | performed on the same level as two targets in close proximity |
| Air | performed from above the target |
| Ledge | performed while hanging from a ledge below the target |
| Hiding | performed while in a hiding place, such as a hay cart |
| Corner | performed from a cover position on a flat-wall corner |
| Stalking Zone | performed while hiding in a stalking zone |
Non-Lethal Combat
Aside from assassinations, the player can perform a multitude of non-lethal attacks using the same combination of locations. In addition, the player can tackle couriers or escaping targets by holding R1/RT and pressing O/B while in range.
Open Conflict
If the player is engaged in open conflict they can choose to run, by holding R1/RT to disable combat mode, or engage in battle. For combat controls, see the Controls section above for all available commands in battle. What the game fails to highlight is Kill Streaks, countering grabs, and using the environment to take out an opponent.
Kill Streaks
Kill streaks are a combat technique that result in chaining enemy deaths together from one to another, allowing the player to get instant kills without having to fight every soldier individually. In order to start a kill streak the player must succeed in defeating an enemy via a combo attack or counter kill. During the animation of the soldiers death, hold the L stick in the direction of the next soldier you'd like to kill and press Square/X again. This can be done until there are no targets left or a players chain is broken by an enemy immune to counter kills or they are hit with an attack.
Escaping Enemy Grabs
Once in a while an enemy behind the player will grab the character and hold them up while the other enemies attack. If you quickly press Square/X you can counter and toss the enemy, but if you fail you'll need to repeatedly press the button to wrestle free.
Environment Kills
If the player or the enemy finds themselves in a position near an environmental structure, such as a wall or ledge, the character can use the environment to dispatch an enemy faster than straight attacks.
Firing Lines
Introduced in the game briefly, the general idea is that enemies with muskets may stand in the back and fire at the player. When a yellow arrow appears over a target they are prepped for attack. In order to use a human shield, walk or run up to an enemy and press X/A to hide behind them. This is great for instantly killing enemies that are immune to counter kills.
