- For the medal see Assassin Medal
The Assassination is a new gameplay feature in Halo: Reach that allows player to enter a third-person view while elaborately taking an enemy player down with either a Combat Knife, Energy Dagger, or Energy Sword. Note that assassinations are different from beat downs and pummels. Pummels are kills from a normal melee attack; a beat down occurs when Player A melees Player B by simply tapping the melee button while behind them, resulting in the breaking of the target's spine and thus an instant kill. An assassination occurs when Player A presses and holds the melee button when directly behind Player B, resulting in an elaborate kill and will earn the player a special medal. This results in the humiliation of the assassinated player. Assassinations performed in multiplayer matchmaking also count towards the Rear Admiral commendation.
In some rare cases, a player with an Energy Sword can counter-assassinate his would-be assassin. Whether this is a glitch is currently unknown; however, it may have something to do with the sword-wielder slashing while the attacker initiates the assassination. In the Multiplayer Beta, assassinated players would occasionally "reanimate" and continue battle as if nothing happened.
Types of Assassinations
For both Elite and Spartan III players, there are three different basic assassination types that are played according to the situation. There are also different animations that run if assassinating an enemy of the other species, all depending on the situation during which they are performed.
It should be noted that these assassinations are only from the Multiplayer Beta; there are over 30 in the final build.
Spartans
When playing as a Spartan in Halo: Reach matchmaking, you can perform several different assassinations using your combat knife that is located on your left shoulder (Right when wearing the SECURITY shoulder).
Basic Assassination 1: Both players are on the ground
This assassination involves Player A to be standing on the same surface as Player B. Player A will press and hold the melee button which results in Player B's gun dropping and Player A's knife plunged in the back of Player B's.
Basic Assassination 2: Assassin is airborne but victim is not
This assassination involves Player A jumping right behind (Close enough proximity to melee) Player B. Player A will initiate the assassination, which will involve Player A landing on Player B's back (Player B will be on the ground) and breaking Player B's neck.
Basic Assassination 3: Both players are airborne
This assassinations involves Player A and B to be airborne with Player A right behind Player B. A will initiate the assassination, which will cause Player A to knee Player B in the groin and slamming both fists into B's back, breaking his/her back.
Elites
When playing as an Elite warrior, you can use the energy knife that comes out from your wrist to assassinate foes.
Basic Assassination 1: Both players are on the ground
This assassination involves Player A to be standing on the same surface as Player B. Player A will press and hold the melee button which results in Player B getting impaled in the back of the head by Player A and thrashed around. When Player A is an Elite and Player B is a SPARTAN III, Player A will impale Player B in the chest then kick them in the stomach.
Basic Assassination 2: Assassin is airborne but victim is not
This assassination involves Player A jumping right behind (Close enough proximity to melee) Player B. Player A will initiate the assassination, which will cause Player A to kick Player B, thus turning the latter to face the opposite direction, then plunge the energy knife into his/her mouth and subsequently toss the body off Player A's blade.
Basic Assassination 3: Both players are airborne
This assassination involves Player A and B to be airborne with Player A right behind Player B. Player A will initiate the assassination, which will cause Player A to quickly stab his/her energy knife into Player B's spine, killing him/her.
Beat Downs vs. Assassinations
With normal beat downs, one will quickly melee the opponent's back, resulting in an instant kill, but will stay in first person view. This earns them a medal but no credit or commendation increase. With an assassination, the player goes into third person view and performs a special finishing move. During an assassination, you run a risk of getting your kill stolen by a teammate will result in your teammate getting a Yoink medal. You are also able to be damaged and even killed during the animation, which will cause the victim to be saved. This makes assassinations relatively unpopular for fast paced gametypes such as [Oddball] or [Team SWAT].
Assassinations in Campaign
There are a few assassinations you can perform on Covenant warriors in Campaign:
Unggoy
- The player grabs the Grunt and breaks its neck.
- The player grabs the Grunt and stabs its head.
Jiralhanae
- The player pushes the Brute down, and then stabs it in the back.
- The player stabs the Brute between its shoulder blades and throws it to the side in a quick motion.
Kig-Yar/Skirmisher
- The player drags the Jackal/Skirmisher by its feathers and knifes its neck.
Sangheili
- The player jumps on the Elite's back and stabs its neck.
- The player hops on the Elite and breaks its neck.
- The player jumps on the Elite's head, breaking its skull.
- The player slashes the Elite's back, then stabs it in the neck.
- The player stabs the Elite in the head.
- The player tackles the Elite to the ground then stabs it in its face.