Melee combat | Fighting AC: Syndicate Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
If you will be detected by an enemy he or she will sound the alarm and the enemies will attack you. All you may do is to run away or face them in open fight. Both assassins have the same set of battle moves: basic attack, breaking the guard or counterattacking. You may also use some special attacks such as the knife throw during the attack sequence.
Basic attack
If you will make a couple of basic attacks in a quick time they will be transformed into an attack sequence. Attacking an enemy who is hidden behind a guard will not have an effect but instead will make you vulnerable to his quick and strong counterattack. The First Strike skill will significantly increase your damage output by attacking the enemy before the main combat. If a couple of enemies will be stunned (which happens when they are almost dead) the one basic attack will allow you to execute two, three or four enemies at once.
Breaking the guard
This strike will help you break down the enemy guard. Enemies with the crossed arms are basically invulnerable to your basic attacks so if one of them will try to block your attacks change your target or use this breaking strike which will allow you to hit your enemy a couple of times as well.
Counterattacking
Every enemy signalizes his attack with a swipe as well as the yellow bar shown above him or her. Attack signalized this way may be blocked and counterattacked. Successful maneuver will help you dodge this attack and strike the enemy instead. The higher your level, the more damage you are going to deal. Counterattacking an enemy with a low health bar may kill him or her in a result.
You need to learn how to take advantages of the opportunities like that, especially when you fight a group of enemies. You can't just rely on spamming your basic attacks. Fight smart and try to predict the enemy hits since they have patterns of actions. Most of them will try to hit you after tanking few of your hits. In this case just stop your series and block this attack, to punch them some more.
Using the tools
During the attack sequence you may use your tools to damage your enemies with firearms or darts. Voltaic bombs are a good way of stunning a group of enemies while the smoke grenade will allow you to escape if the situation will be unfortunate. Hallucinogenic darts work better when you are undetected, since your target will try to attack whoever is in its sight, including yourself, so it's better to keep your distance. From time to time you will see the "reload icon" during the fight. It means that an enemy tries to shoot you with a handgun. Try to get close to him to strike him or use a right key to avoid a bullet and "counterfire" at him.
Healing
The health bar doesn't regenerate during the fight by itself unless you unlock the Combat Stamina which heals you when you make multikills. Beside that you have to rely on medicines which may be bought from merchants or be looted from your enemies.
Double, triple and quadra kills
To make a killing series you have to put a group of enemies in a nearby-death stance, when they have lost almost their entire health bar. They will start to lean and drop their arms. If there is a couple of enemies standing close to each other in this state any basic attack will execute all of them at once.
It is difficult to stun multiple opponents at the same time. Try to use the Slayer and First Strike skills which will help you to damage the enemies. Try to stun 4 or even 5 enemies since it may happen that some of them will be too far away to allow you to finish all of them at the same time. Focus on fighting your enemies separately. Initiate the final blow when you will take the entire group low on health.
Fighting on carriages
During the chase you may jump between the roofs of the carriages. If you will be detected your enemies may do the same as well as try to face you. Duels like this have no special rules and you don't have to be afraid of falling, however often you are not going to be able to escape.