Taking over territories with Assassins...

earwicker7 · #1 February 17th, 2011, 06:02 PM

Assassins are fun, but I'm still a bit light on understanding their mechanics. I'm wondering what would happen in the following situation:

1. You have an assassin hiding in enemy territory.
2. The enemy has province defense.
3. The enemy has one commander.
4. You issue an "Assassinate" command.
5. You kill the leader, so there are no commanders left (other than province defense).

Would you automatically take over the province, or would you have to attack it on the next turn?

I'm also wondering if there is a way to tell if there is only province defense (and no commanders)in the province you are in without scrying... if your assassin has the "Assassinate" option, does that mean that there is a commander there (in other words, if there is no commander, will you be unable to issue the order, kind of like how you can't do a blood sacrifice without having blood slaves?) If there is no commander there, would you automatically attack the province defense commander, and, if successful (assuming only one province defense commander), then take over the province?

Soyweiser · #2 February 17th, 2011, 06:20 PM

You do know that this takes about 15 minutes to test right?

13lackGu4rd · #3 February 17th, 2011, 06:30 PM

it's even easier to read some general common knowledge, such as that stealth troops can't conquer territories unless they unstealth. so unless you actually attack(as opposed to assassinate) the province and get rid of the province defense, you won't be able to capture it. also, assassinate has no effect on PD, for obvious reasons. as for the option to assassinate, it isn't dependent upon having legal target(as in commanders to assassinate), all it checks is whether the ability is legal for the province you're in, for assassinate that's basically every enemy province(never tried to assassinate in sieged provinces and stuff, so I don't want to spread any misinformation in that regard). same as with all other abilities...

brxbrx · #4 February 17th, 2011, 06:33 PM

no, assassin will merely stay stealth. in fact, you may repeatedly press assassin and end up facing off against moult generic commanders

earwicker7 · #5 February 17th, 2011, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soyweiser

You do know that this takes about 15 minutes to test right?

Yes, because my life isn't already busy enough. You know it only takes about five seconds to not make a Thread-Nazi post

earwicker7 · #6 February 17th, 2011, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 13lackGu4rd

it's even easier to read some general common knowledge, such as that stealth troops can't conquer territories unless they unstealth

I think this is what was confusing me... I assumed that assassinating someone was unstealthing.

Ironhawk · #7 February 17th, 2011, 06:55 PM

You can assassinate all the leaders of an indie province, of course

P3D · #8 February 17th, 2011, 06:55 PM

It is generally inefficient. Even Abysian assassins can lose to cavalry commanders, and the usual indie provinces has at least 3 commanders total.
Tribal provinces and Barbarians has two commanders. Horse Tribes only one. But there might be bodyguards.
The only time it is useful, is when you have access to assassins that can defeat commanders regularly (prophetized assassins, Abysia, Lanka, Patala), and your expansion troops would have trouble with elephant/heavy cavalry provinces.
Or you try to grab magic items from special indies.

Gandalf Parker · #9 February 17th, 2011, 07:04 PM

Well a steady influx of new people tends to regenerate old questions. Its not like we are SOOooooo busy here.

Having along some cheap scouts to check the zone instead of the more expensive and equipped assassin is a good idea.

Personally, one of my favorite assassins is giving a Black Heart to a Pan (EA or MA Pangaea). The Pans ability to draw Maenads is useful. If the Pan is leading any units then any Maenads that show up join them. But if the Pan is NOT leading any units then the Maenads go to the province. So the Pan can assassinate commanders, and after each one there will appear some maenads to attack the province giving you a clear view of what is left there.

Another option is to give your assassins the ability to cast Charm or Hellbind Heart. Have them try twice and then kill if both tries missed. That way you often get a free commander, with their equipment. And its immediately followed by that commander attacking the province. Its great to see an army flee from their only commander because he switched sides.

Many assassinations seem settled by who gets in the first hit. With any assassin I find it handy to have a luck item, a stop-them item, a reach item, and a summoner. Such as spear, vine shield, luck amulet, and skull amulet.

Soyweiser · #10 February 17th, 2011, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

Many assassinations seem settled by who gets in the first hit. With any assassin I find it handy to have a luck item, a stop-them item, a reach item, and a summoner. Such as spear, vine shield, luck amulet, and skull amulet.

That is a lot of gems. I would rather spend them somewhere else.