What is the Brotherhood?

[PZ]

When the game first came out, I thought that the title referred to the fact that the game is targeted toward multi-player.  While MP is a facet, the game is a huge SP success for me -even  much better than AC2.  The term "brotherhood" refers to your assassin's guild - the one you create and into which you recruit members.  For each Borgia tower you capture, you are entitled to an additional recruit - up to 12 total.  Send these recruits on missions and their experience will rise.  Use them to fight in the streets and their experience also rises.  The missions you can send them on are sometimes very difficult, but carry large rewards in the form of game items, florins, and experience.  Sometimes the missions are too difficult for a single recruit, so you can send up to five.  A significant part of the game is advancing your recruits through 9 levels until they reach the pinnacle - the assasino.

[Art Blade]

if they die off ;D , can you replace them? How do you find volunteers?

[PZ]

When you defeat a tower (ignite it), new markers appear on the map which indicate an area where the Borgia are pestering a citizen.  Assist the citizen in defeating the guards, and they volunteer to join you.

I'm unsure of what happens when a recruit dies - has not happened yet.  ;)

[spaceboy]

I've heard the recruits are not replaceable.  The die, they're gone.

Haven't got any of my own yet, I only just complete the first missions to unlock the thieves, courtesans, and mercenaries missions.

Man I wanted to just hang out in that bar that is the thieves headquarters!

[PZ]

That is a cool bar  :-X 

[Art Blade]

cheers, space and PZ :)

[JRD]

It sounds like "What is the Matrix"?!?!  8) :-()

Good to know it`s also SP oriented!  :-X

[PZ]

I'd like to get online and see if I can make it w@&k, but am not too hopeful because of my past experiences - soon, though.  I've finished the main missions and am now knocking off the side missions wearing my Brutus armor and using his dagger (can throw up to three at a time, each at different targets).

I'm also actively searching out the feathers, Borgia flags, and other treasures, unlike in other games where I never had the patience.  It is interesting how Ubisoft leverages the user to actually want to complete these collections - they offer cheats, new armors, weapons, poisons, etc.  Although I doubt that I'll actually complete them all, it is a bit more interesting because of the challenges to get to some of these items.  For instance, there was a flag high on a marble column, and what appeared to be lots of ways up - but nothing worked.  Here is the solution:

Spoiler

Climb to the top of a tower and use the wood/linen parachute (that you get from Leonardo as a final gift), and drift down.

I was checking the stats on all the games that I've played on the console, and my most completed game is AC2 at 82%.  Even my beloved FC2 was only completed to 58% because I could not get myself to find the diamonds.

I know that I'll go back in to relive some of the memories and get them to 100% synch, and because some of them are just plain fun.  One of the Leonardo missions has many guards to take out, and it was great fun to find a way to stealthily take out each one without being detected - many different techniques used, and many different weapons.  You also get to find your way through the fort they are guarding, which makes it even more fun.

[spaceboy]

don't expect a high percentage on AC:B due to trophies for online mixed in.  Probably why FC2 was so low as well.  AC2 was my first Platinum (100% trophies).  My second was Just Cause 2.  ;D  I don't have a third.  ::)

online in AC:B is worth a try PZ, it's very unique and is definitely an extenstion of single player. 

[PZ]

Very good to hear, space.  While I'm packed with chores for this weekend, are you going to be online next weekend?

[spaceboy]

that is surely my intentions  :)

[PZ]

Cool - maybe we can get together - I'm trying to iron out my duty schedule to see when I have the maximum free time.  In the mean time, I'll try to get online to see if it is even possible - my usual routine on the console is to see my login time out, or for the game server to be "unavailable at this time"

[spaceboy]

on the mission to break in and save Catarina did you get in stealth and 100% sync?  I got across the water, snuck into the hay stack and successfully pulled the guard in to his demise.  do I have to wait for those other guards to come to the hay stack?  It seems there's no cover for me once I exit.

The only thing I didn't try is scaling the outside of that wall to get closer to them or maybe using throwing knives. 

[PZ]

I don't recall if I did, but one way to achieve stealth when it looks like there is no cover is to throw a smoke bomb before they fully see you - they start choking and you can do them in before you're discovered.

[Art Blade]

hehe, you do sound like a professional assassin ;D

[PZ]

lol, I just fortuitously stumble my way through the game mostly!  :-()

[Art Blade]

as I said  ;D