The Hidden Blade Assassin's Creed in Depth

So, after beating the game twice I decided to have some fun. I was going around San Gimignano on my second save, meaning to do the side missions I hadn't done while going through the game.

Apparently, there's a bit more to combat than we thought.

Well, after someone posted... I think it was on GameFAQs, my usual haunt, that if you drop a weapon that you took from an enemy fast enough, you can do "quick" kills on enemies, essentially the Combo Kills, since the enemy is stunned for a brief period of time. This works with the hidden blades, the main weapon, dagger... and unarmed. The unarmed Combo Kills are ridiculously awesome, by the way.

Anyway, I'm going around, fighting guards. I get a group of about a dozen or so after me, mostly the regular guards, but a couple of Captains, a Seeker, and a Brute or two. Fast forward through the fight, I've managed to take down about half of the group, when most of the rest leave except a Brute and a Captain.

Well, I had thought previously that the enemy AI was programmed so that if they get disarmed, they either go for the nearest weapon on the ground (as I'd seen a Brute pick up a dagger at one point in a different fight) or if none were to be had, either attack me directly unarmed, or run away if their morale was low enough.

About halfway through the fight I had disarmed this Brute, and he was still hanging around, weaponless, but wasn't attacking me. That's fine, I've got others to take care of. I get in a hit or two on him before most of the rest ran away, so he's hunched over like he's wounded, holding his side, the works. He's not my main concern at this point, as the last remaining Captain is harassing me with his sword. I hold him off pretty easily, but since he was the only currently armed enemy, I was paying attention nearly only to him, only noticing that the Brute is circling behind me. I go to attack the Captain... when the absolutely unexpected happens.

The Brute grabbed me in a bear hug! I was helpless, couldn't get out of it as the Brute simply was that much stronger than me. Seizing the opportunity, the Captain lunges in and stabs me. The Brute lets go of Ezio, and he just kinda wobbles there, unsteady on his feet. Of course, after the shock wore off, I decided enough was enough and mad quick work of the two.