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The best assassin in the world is the guy who killed someone without anyone else every knowing that the victim was assassinated.

 Asherian Command wrote:


He got lucky by literally the driver taking the wrong route by accident and then the arch duke being literally on the same street as the would be assassin, in fact he failed his first attempt. And then when he saw him he knew what to do and shot the arch duke and his wife.

Don't kid yourselves he is not a great assassin.

Most assassins rely on skill hence why we never hear about them.

An assassins primary concern is the successful elimination of the target. Getting away with it is secondary and most often only the concern of the professional hitman, which do not account for the majority of high-profile assassinations.

The surest way of killing your target is to get up close, if possible.

Look at some of the most famous assassinations:

Lincoln: Handgun
Franz Ferdinand: Handgun
Trotsky: Ice axe
Gandhi: Handgun
Malcolm X: sawn off shotgun and handguns
RFK: Handgun

Close range, little thought given to escape. Political assassinations are often about sending a message. The greatest political assassin is they who sends their message the clearest and captures the most attention. You don't do that by hiding your identity and cause.

Since there is going to be very little information on any professional hitman who hasn't been caught, and that those hitmen don't get caught by knowing which jobs to turn down (such as presidents of the USA) and which to pursue (random businessman who pissed off his rich wife or whatever) we should probably more narrowly define what kind of assassin we're rating here.

 Asherian Command wrote:

He got lucky by literally the driver taking the wrong route by accident and then the arch duke being literally on the same street as the would be assassin, in fact he failed his first attempt. And then when he saw him he knew what to do and shot the arch duke and his wife.

Don't kid yourselves he is not a great assassin.

Most assassins rely on skill hence why we never hear about them.

Sorry buddy, you really need to drop this romantic notion of super-spies and black-clad secret ninja assassins. Assassinations are often unsophisticated, brutal, and messy affairs with even the greatest assassination plots rely purely on being in the right place at the right time... or as we like to call it, luck. The overwhelming majority of assassinations in the modern era have been carried out with firearms, with handguns being the most common type of weapons used. The reason why is that they are effective. The real world is a lot different than video games, movies, and books.

 djones520 wrote:
Exactly. The killing of the Archduke had nothing to do with the plot. The guy walked out of a bar, the Arch Dukes car drove by at that exact moment, it was pure luck. There was no plan involved when the guy was actually killed.

You're right, the Archduke was more or less arbitrarily chosen as the target, but the end goal of destabilizing the Austro-Hungarian Empire is what is important, and in that end it was a success.



What you two can't get past is the character of the man who pulled the trigger. That isn't what makes him a "great" assassin; it was the ramifications of the act of killing the Archduke. You're right, he didn't scale the palace wall in the dead of night cloaked in black with a utility belt of speciaized weapons like some sort of early 1900s Serbian Sam Fisher.

Is Princip going to be the star of the next Assassins Creed video game? Hell no. But doesn't make him any less "great" in the history of assassinations.

Sorry buddy, you really need to drop this romantic notion of super-spies and black-clad secret ninja assassins. Assassinations are often unsophisticated, brutal, and messy affairs with even the greatest assassination plots rely purely on being in the right place at the right time... or as we like to call it, luck. The overwhelming majority of assassinations in the modern era have been carried out with firearms, with handguns being the most common type of weapons used. The reason why is that they are effective. The real world is a lot different than video games, movies, and books.

What romantic drivel about assassinations are never pretty mate XD

Okay let me tell you something.. Most successful assassinations are done with out anyone suspecting it is assassination. The best are so well planned that no one even suspects them.

most aren't well planned.

But Hanzo's assassinations were so well thought out that they didn't even know there was a breach in the security .

There have been a many great assassins. In terms of prolific killers and professional killers there are quite a few. Fred Burke for example being the one to commit the horrible st. valentines massacre. Or hell Abdullah Catli who was never caught by police and actually escaped most of his murders of many political diplomats.

What you two can't get past is the character of the man who pulled the trigger. That isn't what makes him a "great" assassin; it was the ramifications of the act of killing the Archduke. You're right, he didn't scale the palace wall in the dead of night cloaked in black with a utility belt of speciaized weapons like some sort of early 1900s Serbian Sam Fisher.

Ummm. Why would you travel at night clad in black? ninjas wore dark blue. Hollywood was stupid enough to make it black when it was really dark blue as that is the color of the night sky. Most ninja also wore different colors according to the setting they were in.

Infact the guy was just a kid for all terms and purposes and waasn't even that intelligent.

Hanzo killed several generals and political leaders and kept every contract he ever had.

 Grey Templar wrote:
The best assassin in the world is the guy who killed someone without anyone else every knowing that the victim was assassinated.

Indeed. The best assassins would be someone no one has heard of or would expect. They might be on this forum right now. You might be reading their posts and not know it.

 Ahtman wrote:

 Grey Templar wrote:
The best assassin in the world is the guy who killed someone without anyone else every knowing that the victim was assassinated.

Indeed. The best assassins would be someone no one has heard of or would expect. They might be on this forum right now. You might be reading their posts and not know it.

It might be you.... It might be Frazzleds Wiener Dog' Legion.

I nominate this guy:



Because assassinating people via mortar is the mark of a great assassin.

 d-usa wrote:
I nominate this guy:



Because assassinating people via mortar is the mark of a great assassin.

I am pretty sure there have been a great many assassinations that have had some interesting kills such as the 20s and how each week a bunch of cops just ended up dying randomly. By unknown causes....

Or hell during the time of the Great Untouchables (1930s) Where a bunch of members were killed and the hitman was never caught.

I think the answer to this is obvious. It was obviously the person on the grassy knoll.

 dementedwombat wrote:
I think the answer to this is obvious. It was obviously the person on the grassy knoll.

Actually it was the person who killed the person on the grassy knoll.

 A Town Called Malus wrote:

 dementedwombat wrote:
I think the answer to this is obvious. It was obviously the person on the grassy knoll.

Actually it was the person who killed the person on the grassy knoll.

Actually it was the guy who killed the person who killed the person on the grassy knoll.

 Asherian Command wrote:

 A Town Called Malus wrote:

 dementedwombat wrote:
I think the answer to this is obvious. It was obviously the person on the grassy knoll.

Actually it was the person who killed the person on the grassy knoll.

Actually it was the guy who killed the person who killed the person on the grassy knoll.

Who was in turn killed by Nixon and hidden in the Watergate hotel by CREEP.

Ok, actual semi-serious answer here. There was a guy named Ehud described in the Old Testament of the Bible. Without getting into a debate over whether this really happened you have to at least agree it's a pretty awesome story. Plus as someone who is left handed I quite enjoyed it (from the Wikipedia entry):

(See Judges 3:12-30) - Ehud was sent to the Moabite King Eglon on the pretext of delivering the Israelites' annual tribute. He made a double-edged shortsword about eighteen inches long, useful for a stabbing thrust. Being left-handed, he could conceal the sword on his right thigh, where it was not expected. Once they met, Ehud told Eglon he had a secret message for him. Eglon dismissed his attendants and allowed Ehud to meet him in private. Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you", drew his sword, and stabbed the king in his abdomen.

Eglon was eviscerated by the blow, which caused him to leak excrement; he was so overweight that the sword disappeared into the wound and Ehud left it there. He locked the doors to the king's chamber and left. Eglon's assistants returned when too much time had elapsed and found the doors locked. Assuming that he was relieving himself, they waited "to the point of embarrassment" before unlocking the door and finding their king dead.

Ehud escaped to the town of Seraiah in Ephraim. He sounded the shofar and rallied the Israelite tribes, who killed the Moabites, cutting off the fords of the Jordan River, and invaded Moab itself, killing about 10,000 Moabite soldiers.

After the death of Eglon there was peace in the land for 80 years.

 dementedwombat wrote:
Ok, actual semi-serious answer here. There was a guy named Ehud described in the Old Testament of the Bible. Without getting into a debate over whether this really happened you have to at least agree it's a pretty awesome story. Plus as someone who is left handed I quite enjoyed it (from the Wikipedia entry):

(See Judges 3:12-30) - Ehud was sent to the Moabite King Eglon on the pretext of delivering the Israelites' annual tribute. He made a double-edged shortsword about eighteen inches long, useful for a stabbing thrust. Being left-handed, he could conceal the sword on his right thigh, where it was not expected. Once they met, Ehud told Eglon he had a secret message for him. Eglon dismissed his attendants and allowed Ehud to meet him in private. Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you", drew his sword, and stabbed the king in his abdomen.

Eglon was eviscerated by the blow, which caused him to leak excrement; he was so overweight that the sword disappeared into the wound and Ehud left it there. He locked the doors to the king's chamber and left. Eglon's assistants returned when too much time had elapsed and found the doors locked. Assuming that he was relieving himself, they waited "to the point of embarrassment" before unlocking the door and finding their king dead.

Ehud escaped to the town of Seraiah in Ephraim. He sounded the shofar and rallied the Israelite tribes, who killed the Moabites, cutting off the fords of the Jordan River, and invaded Moab itself, killing about 10,000 Moabite soldiers.

After the death of Eglon there was peace in the land for 80 years.

O.o awesome actually.

 Asherian Command wrote:
What romantic drivel about assassinations are never pretty mate XD

Okay let me tell you something.. Most successful assassinations are done with out anyone suspecting it is assassination. The best are so well planned that no one even suspects them.

most aren't well planned.

But Hanzo's assassinations were so well thought out that they didn't even know there was a breach in the security .

There have been a many great assassins. In terms of prolific killers and professional killers there are quite a few. Fred Burke for example being the one to commit the horrible st. valentines massacre. Or hell Abdullah Catli who was never caught by police and actually escaped most of his murders of many political diplomats.

Fred Burke wasn't an assassin, he was was a mobster that killed other mobsters. Abdullah Çatlı was a hitman, which is a lot different than an assassin in the strictest sense.

Like a couple of other people have already said, most of what is "known" about Hanzo is legend and should be taken with a grain of salt. What I am getting at with the romantic view of assassins is idea of an assassin being finely honed tool, shaped by years of training, with an almost supernatural ability to eliminate a target is a borderline myth.

Ummm. Why would you travel at night clad in black? ninjas wore dark blue. Hollywood was stupid enough to make it black when it was really dark blue as that is the color of the night sky. Most ninja also wore different colors according to the setting they were in.

Infact the guy was just a kid for all terms and purposes and waasn't even that intelligent.

Hanzo killed several generals and political leaders and kept every contract he ever had.

First of all, that comment about black-clad ninjas was sarcasm. Second of all, ninjas didn't wear dark blue or black or even have a "ninja suit." What we understand about ninjas today is that they often dressed as civilians in order to perform their most useful role: espionage.

And since you brought it up, the night sky can be various colors depending on the Moon. In a moonless sky, the colors most often detected are green and red, which is the product of airglow. Other sources of color for the night sky on a moonless night are gegenschein (at the anti-solor point) and zodiacal light (seen along the ecliptic), neither of which are blue. At a true dark-sky site, after your eyes have become dark-adapted, a moonless night sky will typically be grayish in appearance. With a full Moon, the sky can appear blue due to Rayleigh scattering (the same thing that makes the sky during the day blue). Keep in mind that in an area or time with no light pollution, the Moon is extremely bright, and any kind of convert action is usually hampered by it.

Bottom line is that on a moonless night, the sky will be in no way blue.

First of all, that comment about black-clad ninjas was sarcasm. Second of all, ninjas didn't wear dark blue or black or even have a "ninja suit." What we understand about ninjas today is that they often dressed as civilians in order to perform their most useful role: espionage.

True. But ninjas did perform terror tactics when instructed to by their contracts such as during sieges to stir up men and make them nervous for combat.

When they had to they did don their suits. The Iga ninja Clan was famous for running entire networks of spies through out japan.

And since you brought it up, the night sky can be various colors depending on the Moon.

Correct.

In a moonless sky, the colors most often detected are green and red, which is the product of airglow. Other sources of color for the night sky on a moonless night are gegenschein (at the anti-solor point) and zodiacal light (seen along the ecliptic), neither of which are blue. At a true dark-sky site, after your eyes have become dark-adapted, a moonless night sky will typically be grayish in appearance. With a full Moon, the sky can appear blue due to Rayleigh scattering (the same thing that makes the sky during the day blue). Keep in mind that in an area or time with no light pollution, the Moon is extremely bright, and any kind of convert action is usually hampered by it.

Now you're just showing off.

Bottom line is that on a moonless night, the sky will be in no way blue.

Nor will it be solid black. The traditional color for ninja is dark blue or midnight blue. (A special color)

In terms of assassinations ninjas often committed them. Though another would be the Assassination of the Oda Clan's Leader (Whats his name)

I think the reason for the dark blue color is because there is very little in nature that is truly black. Shadows are never pure pitch black, in true darkness it wouldn't matter what color you were wearing.

Dark blue blends better into the background.

Of course 99% of the time a Ninja would wear a real disguise and not a dark jumpsuit.

 Grey Templar wrote:
I think the reason for the dark blue color is because there is very little in nature that is truly black. Shadows are never pure pitch black, in true darkness it wouldn't matter what color you were wearing.

Dark blue blends better into the background.

Of course 99% of the time a Ninja would wear a real disguise and not a dark jumpsuit.

Except when they are actually at war and trying to cause terror through an entire army. They do.

Which they did quite often.

Ninjas also were more honorable than Samurai, who were famous for backstabbing their fellows quite often.

The Iga Clan was so loyal to their contract that even when he was facing certain defeat they carried out their contract and terrorized an entire army by his order.

 Grey Templar wrote:
I think the reason for the dark blue color is because there is very little in nature that is truly black.

I do a lot of photography at night, and when I first started out I remember being quite surprised at just how bright it actually is at night. I never realized that even at night you still cast a very visible shadow.

Its probably diminished sensitivity to light due to living near or in an urban environment.

If you go somewhere way the heck away from any cities or towns, the stars themselves cast quite a lot of light.

 d-usa wrote:

 Grey Templar wrote:
I think the reason for the dark blue color is because there is very little in nature that is truly black.

I do a lot of photography at night, and when I first started out I remember being quite surprised at just how bright it actually is at night. I never realized that even at night you still cast a very visible shadow.

Its probably diminished sensitivity to light due to living near or in an urban environment.

If you go somewhere way the heck away from any cities or towns, the stars themselves cast quite a lot of light.

Matters where you are. Like a city haha. You have light pollution that gives off light.

While I was patrolling In New Mexico as a Junior Ranger. It was so dark that I couldn't literally see anything on a cloudy day. But at night when the stars were out it was so bright that I could see a shadow. But man I still didn't want travel out at night. Mountain lions are quite dangerous so dangerous I rarely traveled without a Knife.

The nights got quite dark mattering on the weather, but without the stars it gets really dark. But if the moon wasn't around. Then guess what..... It was as dark as an overcast night.

 Grey Templar wrote:
Its probably diminished sensitivity to light due to living near or in an urban environment.

If you go somewhere way the heck away from any cities or towns, the stars themselves cast quite a lot of light.

Oh yeah. Living in even STL, I always forget how bright the night sky is. When I visit my parents house or go out camping on good nights, I always make it a point to go outside and just soak up the pinpoints in the sky.

 dementedwombat wrote:
I think the answer to this is obvious. It was obviously the person on the grassy knoll.

You beat me to it!

 Asherian Command wrote:

In a moonless sky, the colors most often detected are green and red, which is the product of airglow. Other sources of color for the night sky on a moonless night are gegenschein (at the anti-solor point) and zodiacal light (seen along the ecliptic), neither of which are blue. At a true dark-sky site, after your eyes have become dark-adapted, a moonless night sky will typically be grayish in appearance. With a full Moon, the sky can appear blue due to Rayleigh scattering (the same thing that makes the sky during the day blue). Keep in mind that in an area or time with no light pollution, the Moon is extremely bright, and any kind of convert action is usually hampered by it.

Now you're just showing off.

I'm an amateur astronomer and I take the night sky pretty seriously.

Bottom line is that on a moonless night, the sky will be in no way blue.

Nor will it be solid black. The traditional color for ninja is dark blue or midnight blue. (A special color)

And there is no "traditional color" for ninja garb because there was no such thing as a ninja uniform. They most likely used any variety of dark color clothing for nighttime operations, including blue, red, and green. Still, a majority of the time a ninja wore whatever didn't attract attention.

 Hordini wrote:

 dementedwombat wrote:
I think the answer to this is obvious. It was obviously the person on the grassy knoll.

You beat me to it!

I've heard of that before, but what does that mean?

Whomever's in a guillie suit?

 whembly wrote:

 Hordini wrote:

 dementedwombat wrote:
I think the answer to this is obvious. It was obviously the person on the grassy knoll.

You beat me to it!

I've heard of that before, but what does that mean?

Whomever's in a guillie suit?

Can't tell if sarcasm...

Just in case it isn't, it comes from the conspiracy theory that Oswald didn't kill Kennedy but that it was in fact a second gunman shooting from "the grassy knoll". Then it varies as to whether it was an accomplice of Oswald or whether Oswald was just a distraction to pull attention away from the real masterminds, the Crab People.

 Grey Templar wrote:
Its probably diminished sensitivity to light due to living near or in an urban environment.

If you go somewhere way the heck away from any cities or towns, the stars themselves cast quite a lot of light.

Stars? Not so much. The planets and certain regions of Milky Way? Yes.

Other than the Moon, the Scorpius and Sagittarius regions of the Milky Way as well as the zodiacal light can cast a shadow at a true dark-sky site. Venus, especially at opposition when it is at magnitude -4.6, can cast shadows too. Mars and Jupiter can also cast faint shadows under optimal conditions.

 A Town Called Malus wrote:

 whembly wrote:

 Hordini wrote:

 dementedwombat wrote:
I think the answer to this is obvious. It was obviously the person on the grassy knoll.

You beat me to it!

I've heard of that before, but what does that mean?

Whomever's in a guillie suit?

Can't tell if sarcasm...

Just in case it isn't, it comes from the conspiracy theory that Oswald didn't kill Kennedy but that it was in fact a second gunman shooting from "the grassy knoll". Then it varies as to whether it was an accomplice of Oswald or whether Oswald was just a distraction to pull attention away from the real masterminds, the Crab People.

Wasn't sarcastic.

Thanks... I knew it had to be something like that...

ThatSwellFella wrote:
More of a sniper than an assassin, but i guess that Simo Hayha(white death) is one tough mother

Beat me to it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4

not sure if he counts but Vasily zaytsev?