Soldier

Guards were members of either a local militia, or an organized military force. They were usually assigned to defend or control access to locations of interest, or protect certain individuals.

The colors and styles of their uniforms varied over time, as well as denoted their military rank, allegiance, and combat specialization.

High Middle Ages
During the Third Crusade, soldiers wore the armor and colors of either Saracens or Crusaders, with the latter subdivided into the personal guards of King Richard I of England, or the Knights Templar, Hospitalier, and Teutonic.

Saracens spoke Turkish or Arabic, while Crusaders spoke mostly English, with some Captains and Sergeants speaking French or German. Templar Knights, however, spoke all of the dialects.

Saracens wore, and either or turbans. All Crusaders wore surcoats and chainmail, while some also wore spangenhelms or.

The colors of Crusader surcoats differed with their affiliation, with King Richard's personal guard wearing red and white, Templars wearing white with red crosses, Hospitaliers wearing black with white crosses, and Teutonics wearing white with black crosses.

Guards for several smaller factions or individuals possessed their own uniforms as well, such as the black, gold-striped clothes of Talal's men, or the short white robes and gray-hoods of the guards of Masyaf.

Renaissance
Throughout the Renaissance, multiple factions of guards existed, as they were affiliated to either individual cities or people instead of armies. They bore unique colors, often along with the family or city crest.

Guards for the House of Pazzi wore black caps, red sleeves with gold streaks, and the crest of the Pazzi. They could only be found in Florence and Tuscany, during the height of the family's influence, until the end of the Pazzi Conspiracy.

Guards serving the House of Medici wore dark yellow caps, yellow and white striped sleeves, black armor plates, and the crest of the Medici. They were notably seen during the repression of the Pazzi Conspiracy in Florence, as well as in San Gimignano.

Guards of the House of Borgia wore dark red caps, black sleeves with dark red streaks, and the crest of the Borgia. They often accompanied Rodrigo Borgia, and could also be found in Romagna during the Templar meeting, in the Cannaregio District of Venice, or in Florence during the Bonfire of the Vanities.

Guards of Girolamo Savonarola wore black caps, sleeves, and armor plates. Instead of a coats of arms, they bore a small portrait of Savonarola himself, with three red beams shining down upon him. They were notably seen in Florence during the Bonfire of the Vanities, often repressing the Borgia guards attempting to take the Apple of Eden.

Guards serving the city of Forlì wore dark green caps and sleeves, as well as the crest of Caterina Sforza's family, who ruled Romagna.

The guards who served the city of Venice wore blue caps and sleeves, with gold armor plates bearing the coat of arms of the Italian city. The quality of their armor was significantly better than that of their counterparts in other cities, protecting them from much damage.

Those who served the Vatican wore white caps, red and white sleeves, and the coat of arms of the city of Rome. Similarly to Venetian guards, their armor was more resilient than most.

Guards and soldiers of France wore dark blue and white. They were commonly seen in Rome after the alliance of Cesare Borgia and the French general Octavian de Valois.

At that time, French soldiers were stationed in either the main camp in Castra Praetoria, or in military guard posts throughout the Campagna District of Rome. They remained in the city throughout its liberation, often fighting the mercenaries of the Assassin condottiero, Bartolomeo d'Alviano.

Guards from the town of Viana in Spain wore yellowish-green armor. They notably participated in the Siege of Viana, as they defended Viana Castle from King John III's invading Navarre troops, who wore red uniforms with yellow accents.

Constantinople in the Renaissance was divided into two distinct factions, the ruling Ottomans, and the remnants of the ancient Byzantine Empire.

Though Constantinople was held and controlled by the former, guards of the latter constantly fought for control. The region of Cappadocia, particularly Derinkuyu, remained in Byzantine hands.

Ottoman guards wore green uniforms with red accents, while Byzantines wore small gray capes, and dark red and white uniforms. The Byzantine guards also distinctly wore the black eagle crest of the Byzantine Empire's Palaiologos Dynasty.

Regular
Regular guards were the most common, but lightest equipped of the guard ranks. Regular Crusader guards did not have helmets, and only wore leather armor, while Saracen ones wore turbans, and light lamellar armor.

In combat, they were not skilled enough to grab, counterattack, or perform a combo. They could only deflect attacks, with a 25% chance of dodging a light attack.

Sergeant
Sergeants were middle-ranked soldiers, and were equipped with helmets and heavier armor. Crusaders wore chainmail, and the Saracens possessed medium lamellar armor.

They could grab targets, and had a 50% chance of breaking a grab attack, as well as a 50% chance of countering or dodging a light attack. They also had a 25% chance of breaking defenses, but could not perform combo attacks.

Captain
Captains were the most powerful guards, with the exception of Templar Knights. Saracens wore Baidah helmets and heavy lamellar armor, while Crusaders wore chainmail, and varying knight helms.

Guards at this rank were also able to grab, and had a 75% chance of breaking a grab attack, as well as countering or dodging a light attack. They also had a 50% chance of breaking defenses. If a successful heavy attack was delivered, they could perform a combo attack.

Militia
Militia were the lowest ranking guards, and wore very little armor. They also had the lowest morale, and were likely to flee a battle if they were losing.

Militia could be found almost everywhere, and wielded a large variety of medium-ranged weapons. They were not especially agile, but could climb up to the rooftops, albeit slowly, in order to pursue a target Assassin.

Of the guard types, Militia were the only ones who could be fooled into picking up coins, should they be thrown as a distraction.

Elite
Elites were stronger than Militia, and wore a moderate amount of armor. They could withstand more damage, and were capable of dodging enemy attacks.

They were also more courageous than Militia, but could still be forced to retreat, especially if their Leader (or a high-ranking specialized guard) should be killed near them.

Leader
Leaders were the best fighters, and the most tenacious of all the regular guards. They wore slightly more armor than the Elites, and had distinct, full-faced helmets.

They were resilient, and could withstand several attacks before they could be killed. They were also harder to disarm, as well as resistant to being grabbed.

Captain
Captains of the Renaissance were usually found leading contingents of lower-ranked soldiers. They fought similarly to Leaders, but were more heavily and intricately armored, with full feathered helms.

Twelve Borgia Captains were particularly distinguished members of this rank, and led troops at each of Rome's twelve Borgia Towers. They were armored identically to other Captains, but wore white capes with the Borgia crest.

Though most were courageous and skilled enough to counter most attacks, some were cowardly, and would flee into their tower should it be attacked, until the next guard patrol was posted.

Ranged types
As most standard guards only had medium or short-ranged weapons, they were often supplemented by ranged guard types, who could attack from a distance. More types were added over time, with the advancement of weapon technology.

Archers
Archers were guards armed with longbows, who patrolled rooftops and watched for possible enemies below. Outside of cities, they were posted on elevated watchtowers.

Crusader Archers wore the same uniforms as the standard guards of their faction, though they also had white hoods. In the Renaissance, Archers were usually of the Elite rank, and wore the same uniform as their standard counterparts.

Once provoked due to an enemy approaching within a meter or so, an archer would cease firing arrows, and draw his medium-ranged weapon, such as a sword or mace. Though accurate and deadly from a distance, Archers did not pose a serious threat in close combat.

Crossbowmen
Similarly to Archers, Crossbowmen defended the rooftops or areas of interest, though the Crossbows they wielded could be fired more quickly, and caused more damage. However, they did not completely replace Archers, as longbows were more accurate if used by a skilled guard.

Unlike Archers, Crossbowmen had no melee weapon, and if their enemy drew too close, they would only back away and keep firing. They were also more vigilant, and possessed some free-running ability, which permitted them to more closely investigate intruders.

In Rome, Crossbowmen could be distinguished by their striped berets and light armor.

Arquebusiers
The Arquebusiers (also called Gunmen or Riflemen) were firearm-wielding soldiers who patrolled rooftops, protected high-value locations, and guarded important people.

Though Arquebusiers did not have as great a range as Crossbowmen, what they lacked in distance, they made up for in power. Their shots dealt significant damage to both targets and enemy armor.

In the Renaissance, they wore heavy armor and full helmets, as well as belts of gunpowder and ammunition.

Bombmen
In Constantinople, Bombmen wielded Thunder Bombs and short blades, and commonly guarded the rooftops in high traffic areas, such as the docks, arsenal, and harbor. They would also participate in the protection of Templar dens, and would attack from the safety of reinforced sentry boxes.

Byzantine Bombmen wore uniforms similar to Almogavars, though with longer red capes.

Specialized types
Certain high-ranking guards possessed unique qualities, usually granting them an advantage in combat through added speed, strength, or defense skills. They would often act as leaders for patrols of standard guards, and possessed uncommon weapons or armor.

Agiles
Agiles were lightly-armored, quick moving guards. They were one of the types capable of outrunning Assassins, and were also skilled free-runners. They more commonly fled to alert nearby guards, rather than face an enemy directly.

During pursuits alongside other guards, Agiles would usually catch up to a target first and injure them with the short blades they wielded. In battle, they were very light on their feet and could dodge nearly all attacks.

Agiles wore the least armor of any guard, with only a light leather chest guard, and metal helmet and spaulders. Due to their increased vulnerability, they were also the most cowardly of the specialized types.

Brutes
Brutes were the most heavily-armored guards during the Renaissance. They moved slowly due to the two-handed weapons they wielded, but compensated through resilience and power.

They were not very vigilant, and could not normally distinguish Assassins from anyone else in a crowd. In guard patrols, they often acted as the leader, as they had the highest morale of any guard type, fleeing only if they were disarmed and could not obtain another weapon.

Brutes could be easily seen from their large, reinforced armor and closed helms. Brutes in Rome had more intricate armor than those in other cities, with designs worked into the metal.

Seekers
Seekers were guards who, as their name suggested, would search through hiding places, on the suspicion that an Assassin had taken refuge within one. They always wielded polearms, such as spears and halberds.

Similarly to Brutes, they would lead patrols of guards, often halting the group to search any hiding spots they passed. In battle, they had the second highest morale to Brutes, and were skilled enough to resist most attacks and counters.

They were slightly more heavily-armored than a standard guard, though less so than Brutes, wearing a combination of chainmail and plate armor, as well as distinctive feathered helms.

Horsemen
Horsemen were mounted guards that possessed the ability to use a variety of weapons while on horseback. Their steeds allowed them to easily pursue targets, and strike pre-emptively.

Though they were vulnerable to long-ranged weapons such as throwing knives and crossbows, they could be easily dealt with after being knocked from the saddle, either by tripping their horse, or striking them from horseback.

Horsemen were equipped with both medium and long-ranged weapons, though none could wield polearms. They were armored similarly to Borgia Captains, albeit without the cape.

Almogavars
Almogavars were heavily-armored Byzantine guards, who wielded two-handed axes. They were stationed in Byzantine-controlled districts of Constantinople, as well as in Derinkuyu during the Renaissance.

Comparable to Brutes, they fought with heavy weapons, and were slower than all other enemies. Due to their thick armor, they were very resilient, and could not be killed with a single bullet or crossbow bolt. However, they possessed a profound weakness to the effects of Datura Bombs.

Their armor was scaled, with fur and particularly large metal spaders. They also wielded unique axes, with a pair of crescent-shaped blades.

Varangians
Varangians were the Byzantine equivalent of Seekers, and were stationed in both Constantinople and Derinkuyu. They were very skilled in battle, and could deflect nearly all strikes and counterattacks.

They wore heavy armor with short capes, as well as intricate winged helmets. They fought with halberds or spears, as well as short pistols.

Expert types
Expert guards were high-ranking guards, who were the most skilled and well-equipped of their time. They often possessed several of the qualities of specialized guards, and were limited in number.

Templar Knights
Templar Knights were particularly skilled Crusaders, and were stationed throughout the Kingdom and its cities. They would often position themselves with a wall or cliff to their back, to prevent them from being attacked from behind.

They were particularly vigilant, and could identify an Assassin from a crowd almost immediately, subsequently attacking them. Other guards held the knights in high regard, and would always stand back should the Templar Knight engage in battle with an Assassin.

They were similar to the Crusader Captains, but with unique armor. They wore chainmail and white surcoats with red crosses, as well as red lacquered great helms.

Papal Guards
The Papal Guard were elite soldiers commanded by the Papacy, to serve and protect the pontiff during his tenure. They combined the best qualities of all the other specialized guards, being very powerful in battle, as well as quick on their feet.

They wore intricate black and gold armor, as well as long dark capes, metal face masks and plumed helmets. They also wore crests painted on their chest guards, either displaying the crossed keys of the Papacy, or (in the 16th century) the red bull of the Borgia.

Papal guards could use a wide variety of weapons, including long or heavy ones, though they most commonly dual-wielded a pistol alongside a medium weapon.

Janissaries
Janissaries were highly-trained soldiers, and the elite of the Ottoman Empire, serving as the private guards to the Sultan. Similarly to the Papal Guard, they encompassed all the skills of the specialized guards.

Their uniforms consisted of colorful robes with embroidered patterns, as well as black headdresses and metal face masks. They all wielded unique kijils, as well as short pistols for long-ranged attacks.

Trivia

 * Assassin's Creed II
 * In Assassin's Creed II, the taunts Ezio said to Brutes were different from those he said to the other guards, mainly insulting them about their weight, as they were bulkier in stature.
 * In the memory "Clothes Make the Man", Ugo told Ezio that the thieves were to impersonate the archers. Yet in the next memory, "Everything Must Go", after Ezio killed the archers on the rooftops, the thieves wore the armor of Leader guards instead of archer armor.
 * In the memory "Infrequent Flier", a Brute and a Seeker could be seen stationed on a rooftop, despite being the only guards who could not climb or free-run.
 * In the memory "Play Along", Ezio assassinated an Agile so he could disguise himself as a guard, but instead of having an Agile's outfit, he wore the outfit of a Leader guard.


 * Others
 * Several other guard types were present only in Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines and Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles, such as Shield Guards, Duelists, and unnamed robed guards wielding maces.
 * In the memory "French Kiss", Ezio killed twenty French guards of different archetypes to acquire their armor. However, in the following memories, Bartolomeo's mercenaries were equipped with only Leader armor, while Ezio wore armor similar to a Borgia Captain's.
 * Additionally, though Ezio's Captain armor during the memory was in French colors, no such French guard could ever be encountered.
 * In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Assassin's Creed: Revelations, an extremely rare glitch could occur with a group of four guards. They would stand in place and would not pay any attention to Ezio, even if he killed someone nearby. He was free to attack them, in which case an execution would be performed, but it would not kill them, leaving them to simply stand up again.
 * In PlayStation Home, the design of a Seeker could be purchased for an avatar, which also came with a spear. Similarly, on Xbox Live, it was possible to purchase the outfit of an Agile guard.