Never produced in great numbers, the Assassin has become even more scarce since the Fourth Succession War.   The centuries of wear and tear have not helped the 'Mech's performance.   Though the Assassin has some design advantages, the MechWarriors inside are often overly cautious because of the lack of spare parts.
         The Holly Short-Range Missile Rack, whose loading mechanism had a tendency to jam, created an even more serious problem and became even more severe with time.   Rather than write off the Assassin entirely, however, many units are using Star League technology to give the 'Mech a slightly different role.
         The balky SRM rack is normally removed to make room for other weapons or equipment.   A common modification is to upgrade the medium laser to a pulse laser, normally the readily available Magna 400P.   In addition, these 'Mechs mount the Artemis IV fire-control system to enhance the value of the Holly long-range missiles.   So configured, the Assassin is once again an asset on some missions.