Etymologically, the word ‘assassin’ derives from the Arabic ‘hashshashin’ which referred to a group of militant Islamic killers in the medieval Middle East. In these older times, the ‘assassin’ would go alone and commonly kill by gouging victims, including bodyguards with a sword or short blade before vanishing into the crowd. As they are by most today, the first assassins were feared by society as a result of their ‘hidden in plain sight’ way of life.

The advent of new advanced and highly effective long-range weapons and firearms means that in modern times, it can be difficult to prevent a determined hired killer. Indeed, being able to shoot at targets from farther away definitely increases the assassins’ potential survival rate.

So, we start to paint a picture of the modern derivative of the medieval hashshashin as an expert killer, loner and user of firearms. Yet, there is much more to being an assassin than wielding a gun. Today’s hired gun also has to think about escape routes, discretion and personal safety.   
When discussing getaway routes, most modern assassins will not enter a building without scouting the location first to find the most effective exfiltration strategies. Without a doubt, it can pay to be handy at reading maps and blueprints.

When it comes to discretion, some hitmen prefer to go for bold sniper tactics which allow them concealment and most likely an easy getaway. Some choose a more personal approach which may involve poisoning or suffocation, however, as being a sniper requires hours of tuition. Still some popular techniques waive discretion and attract a great deal more public attention, particularly the use of explosives.

Recently, in 2006, a wave of allegations were made against the Russian authorities who were thought to have administered a lethal dose of radioactive polonium-210 to Alexander Litvinenko. This toxin was apparently passed to him in aerosol and sprayed directly onto his food. After citing persecution in Russia, Litvinenko, a former KGB agent had been given asylum in the UK six years earlier. He gave a statement accusing contemporary President of Russia Vladimir Putin of involvement in the poisoning. This shows that poisoning does not always equal discretion.

For all assassins, personal safety is a massive issue as they can not accept work or may be caught by police if they themselves are injured. Good techniques for avoiding self damage include regular PT, choosing good exit lines and strategies and wearing protective body armour.