Cyborg Assassin (System Shock Remake)

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“	There are many of their kind on board Citadel Station...but few as stealthy, more cunning and more deadly.	”
	~ System Shock Kickstarter

For the enemy in the Original Game, see Cyborg Assassin (System Shock). For the enemy in System Shock 2, see Cyborg Assassin (System Shock 2).

Cyborg Assassin
Enemy Statistics
First Encounter	Level 1 - Medical
Primary Attack	MARK III Assault Rifle (Ranged)
Secondary Attack	Melee Proximity Mine (Explosive)
Damage (per Hit)	35 (Strong Ranged) 12 (Weak Ranged) 14 (Strong Melee) 180 (Explosive)
Energy Points	0
Hit Points	70
Armor Value	20
Shield Value	0
Voiced By	Jared Martzell (Enemy Matthew Curtis (Intro)

The Cyborg Assassin is an enemy encountered in System Shock (Remake).

Overview

These humanoid assassins lurk around the dark corners of Citidel Station, lying in wait for possible intruders. They wield a MARK IIII Assault Rifle as their primary weapon, and also carry Proximity Mines to create deathtraps when they spot the Hacker. They are made up of the former security forces aboard the station.

Strategy

Tactical Analysis

More of a sniper/designated marksman than an ordinary rifleman, Cyborg Assassins don't possess the brute firepower or large heath pool other cyborgs have. Instead, they rely on concealment and surprise attacks to ruin the Hacker's day. Their dark uniforms make them extremely hard to spot from a distance, and they don't stomp around like their heavier comrades do, allowing them to surprise an unsuspecting player. Fortunately, Cyborg Assassins are not totally immune to detection---their visors glow red when they try to aim for a distant target, and they constantly speak out their current objective (scanning an area, searching for an intruder, etc), allowing players nearby to acknowledge their presence and monitor their status to some extent.

Their primary way of attack is a three-round burst from their rifles. They are highly skilled marksmen, able to hit the Hacker even from far away positions. Although their firepower is not that strong, they can quickly eat way a significant portion of players' health if left unchecked. What's worse, their MARK III Assault Rifles are somehow silenced, making it difficult to hear the firing sound or observe muzzle flash. This can be extremely annoying on Level - 8 Security, where players are usually occupied with dealing Mutated Cyborgs and Flier-Bots and can easily overlook the Cyborg Assassins stationed high on the platforms of the central shaft.

Alternatively, one may choose to close in for the kill with a DG-45 Laser Rapier. However, this must be exercised with caution, as Cyborg Assassins have the nasty habit of deploying Proximity Mines when they see the Hacker, and rushing blindly in enclosed spaces may spell doom for a careless player. Even if the player is not trying to close the distance Assassins will often throw proximity mines like grenades to try and control the combat space. Listen carefully for the sound of a deployed mine, and don't let your guard down even after killing an assassin.

Cyborg Assassins are not immune to their own explosives, and might be caught in the blast of a carelessly thrown mine. An agile player may even trigger the detonation by running in and out of range of the explosive quickly. That being said, the Assassins are immune to triggering their own proximity mine. Interestingly, the same is not true between Elite and standard versions, meaning that a mine thrown by one assassin can and will be triggered by a different one. Overall, mines make the assassins one of the best sources of friendly fire damage in the game, assuming the player can bait other enemies within the vicinity of the mines.

Overall Strategy

These enemies are the perfect example of a glass cannon, having an extremely low health pool, yet delivering solid, accurate damage over just about any distance. They're often positioned somewhat out of the player's way and tend to play a supporting role when working in conjunction with other enemies.

Lightly armored, these enemies go down quickly when attacked with just about any weapon. 9mm Standard rounds fired out of the minipistol or skorpion will destroy these hostiles with just a couple headshots. MARK III Assault Rifle's precision and firepower means one can quickly take down these ambushers with ease, the SparqBeam or a RW-45 Ion Pulse Rifle will also do. The Magnum 2100 might be a bit overkill, but considering that they may drop Magnesium-Tip Rounds and/or Osmium-core rounds, this is a still an acceptable tactic.

Be sure to grab their damaged MARK III Assault Rifles after their death. Although can't be used by the Hacker, they are worth 5 credits each and are guaranteed to drop unlike other loots, providing small economic boosts.

Gallery