Execution is Everything: Full Sync and Assassination
The two people you're tailing in Sequence 3.2 are George Washington (in blue) and John Fraser. Historical note: On the final evening of the Braddock expedition, the Indians requested a conference. Braddock sent Washington and Fraser. The Indians suggested a cease fire to allow the French to peacefully withdraw from Fort Duquesne. Washington and Fraser recommended this truce but Braddock pressed ahead with his plan to attack Fort Duquesne the next day. That's what George and John are talking about when you eavesdrop.
Full Sync
The requirements for 100% Synchronization are:
1. Do not kill any guards.
2. Sabotage cannon - 2/2
You also must avoid detection until you steal the map. After that it's okay to enter Open Conflict (as long as you don't take down Washington or Fraser). You just have to become anonymous before talking to Kaniehtí:io again.
I went in with Fists and Horse Whistle equipped. My goals were to show interesting ways of doing things while minimizing time, body count, and detection.
Fraser often turns around and looks back, making it difficult to follow him on the ground. I jump over his head and get out in front of them, patiently hidden in the bushes - sort of.
You're not supposed to kill guards but non-lethal take downs are okay. I take down the guard at the command tent while George and John are finishing their conversation (any earlier and Fraser will come over to inspect the body). Other options here are to distract the guard with a whistle or to slip into the tent while his back is turned. If you choose the latter, grab the map quickly because you will likely be detected soon. Being detected before stealing the map results in desynchronization.
Between sabotaging the two cannons, I choose the "off road" route outside the wall of the fort. For my escape, I whistle for a horse and simply ride out the front door. One of the guards notices me but does not attack. Up until that point, this was a ghost run (no SSI indicators).
Washington Assassination
Since this is Washington's first appearance in the game, it's our first opportunity to assassinate him! The mission is designed so that if Washington or Fraser die for any reason (even if it's not your fault), you desynchronize and start over. The developers did a pretty good job of protecting George but forgot about that well. 
Where is Fraser?
Usually John Fraser is positioned next to George Washington and responds to your whistle, etc. I wanted him out of the way for the Washington assassination so I imprisoned him. There's a short wall below each cannon. The NPC's will never cross these walls willingly. So I aggravated Fraser, led him to the lower cannon and threw him over the wall. Then I became anonymous and Washington went back to his post while Fraser stayed outside the fort wall near the cannon.
You can imprison Washington out there too. I experimented with Smoke Bombing him and Gentle Pushing him off the cliff but that too results in desynchronization.
Gotta love the bitch slap into the well. Classic. Well done, Stabguy. I liked the "hiding" spot as well. Also wish I had known about the disarm before watching the video, that would've made things a little simpler.
For the eavesdrop at the beginning, I like your route. I always waited for the patrolling guard to pass the well, then go to the bushes to start the eavesdrop. This makes the targets and that guard cross paths pretty much right at the well again, then you can slip between them and simply follow the targets up the stairs to finish the eavesdrop.
Alternatively, you could just take to the rooftop to start the eavesdrop and hand out up there for most of it... at least until they come up the stairs, then they'll see you if you're not on the right side of the roof, etc. But I think you can get into the hay cart before that's an issue.
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
Cheese, I did some preliminary research on possibly killing George Washington again in Sequence 3.3:
- Before his cutscene (on horseback), I could not find George pre-staged anywhere.
- Immediately after his cutscene I could not leave the camp area (where you're supposed to kill 2 guys before triggering a fight) without desynchronizing.
- Once on horseback I found him! Continue up the road past Braddock's position and you'll find Washington, also on horseback, near a cannon at the front of the column. This is probably your best chance to kill him although I wasn't able to dismount or draw a weapon at this point.
- At the end of the memory when you're supposed to chase after your target, Washington is lying nearby on the ground next to a tree. I couldn't target him for attack but you have a moment here to teabag him.
Fantastic.
I am still trying to compile a list of George Washington memories where we might be able to kill him:
- 3.2 - Execution is Everything - done
- 3.3 - The Braddock Expedition - looking into
- After 7.2 - is he upstairs, or is that someone else?
- Sequence 8 - I know there's the assassination attempt on him... wouldn't it be grand if we could find a way to break this scene and actually kill him before the attempted execution on Connor... haha
- Sequence 9 and 10 - This is where I am in the story, but I think you meet up with him in free roam in Valley Forge... maybe there's a well near by?
- beyond this, I don't know... because I haven't gotten there yet
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
Fantastic.I am still trying to compile a list of George Washington memories where we might be able to kill him:
Spoiler: Highlight to view
- 3.2 - Execution is Everything - done
- 3.3 - The Braddock Expedition - looking into
- After 7.2 - is he upstairs, or is that someone else?
- Sequence 8 - I know there's the assassination attempt on him... wouldn't it be grand if we could find a way to break this scene and actually kill him before the attempted execution on Connor... haha
- Sequence 9 and 10 - This is where I am in the story, but I think you meet up with him in free roam in Valley Forge... maybe there's a well near by?
- beyond this, I don't know... because I haven't gotten there yet
Don't forget I got him in sequence ten. As for sequence eight...
Double McStab with Cheese wrote:
Fantastic.I am still trying to compile a list of George Washington memories where we might be able to kill him:
Spoiler: Highlight to view
- 3.2 - Execution is Everything - done
- 3.3 - The Braddock Expedition - looking into
- After 7.2 - is he upstairs, or is that someone else?
- Sequence 8 - I know there's the assassination attempt on him... wouldn't it be grand if we could find a way to break this scene and actually kill him before the attempted execution on Connor... haha
- Sequence 9 and 10 - This is where I am in the story, but I think you meet up with him in free roam in Valley Forge... maybe there's a well near by?
- beyond this, I don't know... because I haven't gotten there yet
Don't forget I got him in sequence ten. As for sequence eight...
Spoiler: Highlight to viewWhen you go after the target at the end, is he fighting George Washington himself, or just some bodyguards?
I'm at the beginning of sequence 10... so maybe that's why I forgot it.
As for sequence 8:
I think just body guards at the end during the assassination attempt. Who knows... maybe he runs away real fast and we just can't see. However, when you are waltzing up to the stage, he is there with the body guards. So if there's a way to break the scene early and get to him... that would be the time. I have no ideas about how to accomplish this though.
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
So I went back to the part where I kill George Washington. It's actually sequence nine. And things went differently than when I first did this.
Another time Washington appears.
Enjoyable vid, Stab.
Thanks, Phi. I broke my own rule and spent a while making this video instead of progressing in the game. I'm still on Sequence 5. Time to catch up!
Thanks, Phi. I broke my own rule and spent a while making this video instead of progressing in the game. I'm still on Sequence 5. Time to catch up!
If you haven't done the homestead missions yet, can you record what items get unlocked at which level of your artisans? Farmers, lumberers, etc... and pass the info on to me.
As per this post >> http://thehiddenblade.com/looking-someone-who-has-completed-ac3
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
I only realized that was Washington after playing the game and replaying it for my speedrun research. Didn't think of killing him using the well. Well done, mentor.
Damn. I never did try the well. Congrats.
I also liked taking the off road route to go between cannons, so much easier. I think you can actually go out, jump in for the second cannon, go back out and around to the front if you wanted a complete ghost run... or the fact that there's only one guard (I think) at the side door... maybe you could whistle him over from the bushes, then sneak out behind him (when the patrolling guard is down by the cannon). At least I think there was a side door to this mission.
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
Yes, there is a side door to the fort with only one guard. So you can distract him or do a non-lethal takedown (if going for a ghost run).
I know of three places to infiltrate the fort undetected:
- The front door. Normally you would be inside the wagon but for an added challenge you can hang from the back of the wagon and then climb up on top of it, etc.
- The side door. One way I've managed to do this undetected is to climb up the snow bank before reaching the side door and takedown the guard while his back is turned. After that there's a fence running parallel to the fort wall with a guard patrolling the strip in between. Hide in the bushes to evade him. Then you can slip into the side door behind the guard stationed there.
- Around back. As shown in a Ubisoft demo, go to the left of the fort and climb the rocky cliff in back. It comes out at the lower cannon.
[*]Around back. As shown in a Ubisoft demo, go to the left of the fort and climb the rocky cliff in back. It comes out at the lower cannon.
I actually had to do this on one run through because I accidentally left the fort without the map... oops.
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
That's not the only time an important character is introduced early without it being made obvious. When replaying an early memory I was shocked to see that Charles Lee is the first one to greet John Haytham after he gets off the ship.
Also, is George Washington invincible to attacks when you fight him, or will it desynch if you kill him in combat? And if moving him into water desynchs you, why doesn't it when you throw him into the well? 
That's not the only time an important character is introduced early without it being made obvious. When replaying an early memory I was shocked to see that Charles Lee is the first one to greet John Haytham after he gets off the ship.Also, is George Washington invincible to attacks when you fight him, or will it desynch if you kill him in combat? And if moving him into water desynchs you, why doesn't it when you throw him into the well?
I thought it was very obvious that it was George Washington AND Charles Lee.
I mean, at the meeting in England before you leave, you are given a list of names. You are to go to the New World and meet with Charles Lee who will put you in touch with the others.
And they mention the name George in conversation, with an instantaneous database entry for George Washington in that mission. Besides, how many other famous Georges are there in a position of power in the military?
If you kill him even with a hidden blade, it desyncs you. "Desynchronizd: George Washington Died"
Maybe Washington doesn't actually die in the well... his SSI is still grey at the end,... not gone.
EDIT: nvm... no SSI... must have been seeing things
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
Stab... Sadly, I don't think this counts as an assassination.
When watching again today, you CAN see Washington's SSI near the bottom of the screen grayed out once he's in the well. This implies he is alive, looking for you, but can't see you.
I really want there to be a way to kill Washington. This might be the closest we can get though...
Still a fun video to watch! haha
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
There were assassinations in AC2, from Dante Moro (after setting off the fireworks) to Aurel's latest Uberto Alberti non-story assassination, where the SSI remained visible as the target sank into deep water. Nobody suggested that these were somehow lesser assassinations because of it.
I had tried to Smoke Bomb and throw Dante down a well on Birds of a Feather. Unlike other NPC's, he would bounce off the well instead of going over the edge. So I was surprised to see George go down a well.
Sorry for saying that it didn't "count." I wasn't trying to start anything. As still a newish member, I was unclear on the precedent on the site. I was unclear on how rigorous these things were looked at. Thank you for pointing out past precedent.
When you throw a character in a well, or in water, they die.
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
Sorry for saying that it didn't "count." I wasn't trying to start anything. As still a newish member, I was unclear on the precedent on the site. I was unclear on how rigorous these things were looked at. Thank you for pointing out past precedent.When you throw a character in a well, or in water, they die.
Your opinion is perfectly valid. It's a very debatable issue, regardless of the precedent.
I threw Federico into water and TINS'd him away at the beginning of AC2, but I wasn't sure whether to call those early deaths. In the end it didn't get counted as early death. So there is some irregularity.
The only time I've been able to get an assassination target into a well in any game was from inside of the well myself. Again, great work. Wish I would have thought of it, haha.
The more I play this game, the more I miss the ability to grab and move NPCs.that and the ability to side jump off a wall when running up it straight on.
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
The only time I've been able to get an assassination target into a well in any game was from inside of the well myself. Again, great work. Wish I would have thought of it, haha.The more I play this game, the more I miss the ability to grab and move NPCs.that and the ability to side jump off a wall when running up it straight on.
You can still side Jump off a wall when running straight up it.
You just have to be more pronounced in your joystick movement and mash the jump button a little harder.
It's to prevent people from doing it all the time by accident.
You can still side Jump off a wall when running straight up it.
You just have to be more pronounced in your joystick movement and mash the jump button a little harder.
It's to prevent people from doing it all the time by accident.
Yeah, the window of opportunity for pressing the button has really changed. Too much so, I'd say. Half the time I can't do it even when I want to.
Personally, I think it's still too easy to run up walls by accident. I'm surprised they changed one but not the other.
DarkAlphabetZoup wrote:
You can still side Jump off a wall when running straight up it.
You just have to be more pronounced in your joystick movement and mash the jump button a little harder.
It's to prevent people from doing it all the time by accident.Yeah, the window of opportunity for pressing the button has really changed. Too much so, I'd say. Half the time I can't do it even when I want to.
Personally, I think it's still too easy to run up walls by accident. I'm surprised they changed one but not the other.
Wait, really? 
I try this ALL THE TIME. It never works. I know you can jump sideways once grasping something. I've yet to be able to run up a wall and sidejump off... 
I agree that it is too easy to run up a wall. They should have done the opposite though, made it harder to run up a wall, but still just as easy to side jump once you do...
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
I believe in AC3 there is no water below the map.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-06PZQGNfw
But it should still reasonably count as an assassination.
Asaic wrote:
DarkAlphabetZoup wrote:
You can still side Jump off a wall when running straight up it.
You just have to be more pronounced in your joystick movement and mash the jump button a little harder.
It's to prevent people from doing it all the time by accident.Yeah, the window of opportunity for pressing the button has really changed. Too much so, I'd say. Half the time I can't do it even when I want to.
Personally, I think it's still too easy to run up walls by accident. I'm surprised they changed one but not the other.
Wait, really?
I try this ALL THE TIME. It never works. I know you can jump sideways once grasping something. I've yet to be able to run up a wall and sidejump off...
I agree that it is too easy to run up a wall. They should have done the opposite though, made it harder to run up a wall, but still just as easy to side jump once you do...
You have to kick off the wall while starting to run up it, or you just fall down. 
Stab... Sadly, I don't think this counts as an assassination.When watching again today, you CAN see Washington's SSI near the bottom of the screen grayed out once he's in the well. This implies he is alive, looking for you, but can't see you.
I really want there to be a way to kill Washington. This might be the closest we can get though...
Still a fun video to watch! haha
Well, the game is programmed to make you desync as soon as George Washington dies, regardless of how it happened. So unfortunately a true assassination isn't possible.
Used to be you could have a lot of fun with these types of things. 
Yeah, but Charles Lee doesn't become important (important enough to be memorable) until you meet him as Connor. And as for George, I guess I wasn't paying much attention, too busy trying to get through the game.
First!
EDIT: Never even realized it was George Washington you were eavesdropping on. Yet another early death (hopefully you assassinate him in the dlc, so that it's officially an early death on a target).
It becomes obvious who he is if you kill him after eavesdropping. A message comes up that reads "Desynchronized: George Washington died." Same with John Frazer. If you kill him before eavesdropping (musket from a distance) you desynchronize with no message at all. A kill during the eavesdropping results in a generic message about "Eavesdropping failed".