The Hidden Blade Assassin's Creed in Depth

Let's do this one in total stealth fashion like we did Abu'l Nuqoud. Get in, assassinate Sibrand, and get out of the docks area, all without ever becoming Exposed (flashing yellow or red icon). I'll throw in a mini air to assassinate because I can't help myself.

INVESTIGATION

It's possible to obtain three high quality maps of Acre's docks area. If you only do three investigations, make them count by doing both Informer Memory Strands (near flags #7 and #17 on this map) and the Pickpocket by flag #20. One map details the locations of the Trouble Makers who could shove Altaïr into the water. The other two show where Sibrand's guard patrols are and aren't, respectively. It seems like one map would have been sufficient there.

Below are all three maps unedited except to correct the route of one guard patrol and delete another. There are probably other errors as well. I didn't confirm the locations of all the Trouble Makers.

PREPARATION

Acre's docks are a dangerous place. If the guards don't get you the water will. This section contains basic information about Free-stepping through water and why some guards will attack Altaïr on sight. This may be review material for you but some players finish the game without understanding these things.

Some people are really good at Free-stepping across mooring posts in the harbor. I am not one of them. Here's the way I have to do it:

1. Use the Right Tumbstick to rotate your view so that the next post is at 12 o'clock, straight above Altaïr on your screen.
2. Push the Left Thumbstick straight up and hold it there. Don't try to do it by feel. Actually look at your controller and make sure it's at 12 o'clock also.
3. Pull and hold the Right Trigger (R1 on PlayStation 3). If you're standing on a post, this won't do anything (such as cause you to fall in the water). However, if you're on a pier it will cause you to Drop and Grasp the edge. Climb back up and do this step simultaneously with the next one.
4. Press the A button (or X on PS3) and release it. If you jump to the next post, congratulations, you've found the sweet spot! Keep the Left Thumbstick exactly where it is now and continue holding the Right Trigger. Now you can skip steps 2 and 3 when jumping to the next one.

At one time or another you've heard the Animus' Vocal Advice say, "When the Animus shows you are being watched by an Informed guard, you should Blend immediately. Even the slightest disturbance will attract his attention." Did you ever wonder what an "Informed" guard was and what "slightest disturbance" meant?

Guards have three different levels of awareness. You can identify a guard's awareness level by looking at his right hand.

• Unaware: Empty hands.
• Suspicious: Hand on sheathed sword.
• Informed: Sword drawn.

Sometimes an Unaware or Suspicious guard becomes Informed, such as when he finds a dead body. Other guards are Informed to begin with. After you reveal yourself to a main target (or assassinate him) bells ring and City Alert goes into effect. At this point, every guard and archer in town becomes Informed.

Informed guards are a bitch because every little thing they witness sets them off. That includes you Free-stepping, Walling, Sprinting, or bumping into a civilian. What really bites is you can't even get too close to them (2 meters in front or 0.5 meters behind) without Blending, even if you're standing still and they walk up to you!

It's not entirely true that you must "Blend immediately" whenever your witness indicator chirps red. That just means there's a line of sight between Altaïr and one or more Informed guards. As long as you're aware of where the Informed guards are and have a clear path, it's okay to walk normally or even run (but not Sprint). You can even get away with Walling, etc. when all the Informed guards are far enough away or have their backs turned.

The reason I bring all of this up now is that the guard patrols in the Sibrand mission are Informed. All other guards/archers start off as just Suspicious or Unaware. The same goes for the Jubair Al Hakim and Robert de Sable missions, but you're more likely to run into an Informed guard patrol on the docks than anywhere else.

Go ahead and practice your skills now. Climb the lighthouse at the eastern mouth of the harbor. See if you can sneak past some guard patrols on your way out and back. Then head back to the Assassin's Bureau for your mission briefing.

APPROACH

There are three ways into the docks area but only two ways out. That's because one of the entrances is the Leap of Faith behind the Saxon Cross by the Domed Chapel.

The two main entry/exit points are Saint John's Gate North and Saint John's Gate South. These two gates are near each other and so similar looking that you may have thought they were one and the same. The easiest way to distinguish them is that the South Gate has a three man guard post whereas the North Gate has none.

Saint John's Gate North is easy to find on your map because there's a Save Citizen/Vigilante icon right there. It's a good idea to save this citizen just to reduce the number of guards you'll have to sneak past on your escape.

Proceed down the steps to the center pier. After the cutscene, Sibrand boards a row boat that takes him out to his ship. That's kind of interesting to watch.

HUNT

There is no "wrong" way to reach Sibrand's ship. Every route has its share of hazards but none are impassible or lead to a dead end. If you're afraid of the water, you can even choose a "dry route" along the south wall (just don't expect to sneak up on Sibrand by walking down his gangplank).

Two of the maps obtained in the Investigations recommend a northern route. If you decide to take the route along the broken north wall, that first jump is a doozy! You can't make it from the main footpath. Instead, get up on the crenelation on the north side of the wall and drop down where the wall is broken away. From a fragment of the crenelation you can make the jump to the archer's platform.

The "total stealth" goal of this walkthrough dictates that we must assassinate Sibrand on the quarterdeck of his ship (where there will be no witnesses) and exit through Saint John's Gate North (which is loosely guarded). What clever, stealthy route best suits these needs? :idea: Straight up the center pier! I know this sounds like a brute force approach but it's not so bad. You just have to get around a three man guard post and a five man guard patrol. At least there aren't any Trouble Makers on this pier.

There are two ways to deal with the guard post. Sometimes there happens to be a solo guard strolling by on the docks. You can stealth assassinate him to create a dead body distraction. If you time it correctly, you might even be able to draw the guard patrol off the pier to investigate. The other option is to move around to the right side of the guard post (your right, their left) and jump onto the first little boat moored there. The guard post won't object. Do this only when the guard patrol isn't watching.

As for the guard patrol, there are at least three ways to get past them. The first is to stand clear of them until they pass. I prefer to wait on one of the little side docks to give them a wide berth. Another option is to Drop and Grasp the side of the pier so that you're below their vision when they pass. You can even "crab walk" to continue making progress while waiting for them. Your third option is to Blend while walking past them. Just remember not to do anything stupid like jumping or climbing while they're watching you.

Make your way to the end of the pier. Straight ahead is an archer on a platform. Free-step across the mooring posts and jump onto the side of the platform. If the archer gives you a verbal warning while you're on a post, you have 10 seconds to reach the side of his platform (where he can't see you). Sneak up on top and stealth assassinate the archer. (Tip: If you prefer to use a Throwing Knife, you can get a clear shot from that large boat to the northeast of his platform.)

Sibrand should be making some noise by now. He's just crazy with the paranoia! Wait on the dead archer's platform until Sibrand goes away. Then Free-step across the posts onto the back of his ship.

ASSASSINATION

You should now be clinging to the stern of Sibrand's ship. Move up but not so high that Altaïr's head peeks over the rail. Wait here until Sibrand returns and then make one final adjustment to your position. Altaïr should be slightly to the right of Sibrand but not so far that the barrels on the ship's deck will get in the way.

Sibrand will say a few words and then fire three arrows at nobody in particular. The first arrow goes straight abaft (over Altaïr's head). Then Sibrand turns 90 degrees to his right and fires the second arrow over the port side of his ship. That's your first opportunity to strike. If you miss it, wait until after he fires the third arrow and turns his back to walk away. In either case, you have to work quickly.

Climb up onto the back rail of the ship and release the Left Thumbstick. Then hold the Right Trigger and press X (R1 + Square on PS3) for the mini air to assassinate. I usually target him first but it shouldn't matter. He's right there and nobody else is around to get assassinated by mistake.

ESCAPE

You come back from the Memory Corridor still Anonymous. I just love it when that happens.

Retrace your footsteps to leave the same way you came in. Carefully line up a post and jump off the back of Sibrand's ship, across the posts, and onto the archer's platform. (Tip: You can shimmy around the side instead of going over the top this time.) Watch the main pier for the guard patrol. When the coast is clear, Free-step across the posts and onto the pier.

Use one of the techniques describe in HUNT to get past the guard patrol. You won't be able to dead body distract the guard post from this side (unless you kill a civilian) so Free-step across that little boat to the left and back onto dry land.

Carefully continue up the stairs to your left and exit through Saint John's Gate North. Remember to Blend whenever a guard approaches. They're all Informed now.

CHASE

If something goes horribly wrong and you have to chase Sibrand, at least try to head him off at the ship's starboard gangplank. Otherwise he heads up the south wall, through one of Saint John's Gates and to his guard tower. These are the only two known routes he may take: