Beat Down

Were you looking for the medal called Beat Down in Halo 3?''

The Beat Down medal (Assassin in Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo 3: ODST) is awarded for killing an enemy with a melee from behind. In Halo: Reach and Halo 4 the medal is awarded for killing an enemy with a melee from behind that does not result in an assassination. This is achieved by tapping rather than holding down the melee button.

The medal is awarded in multiplayer in all five games. It is also awarded in Firefight and Spartan Ops, and in campaign in Halo 3, ODST and Reach.

In Halo 2 through Halo: Reach the medal is represented by a ninja on a silver eight-pointed star. In Halo 4 it is a silver ninja on a blue circle on a grey four-pointed star.

Trivia

 * Starting in Halo: Reach and in subsequent games, what was a "beat down" in Halo 3 is now a "pummel." What was an assassination (or a melee in the back) is now a "beat down," and an "assassination" is now holding the melee button and going into third person for an intricate death.
 * Performing seven assassinations in a row without being spotted on any level of Halo 2 Vista unlocks the Silent But Deadly achievement.
 * Performing an assassination against an opponent in a Halo 2 Vista multiplayer match unlocks the Assassin achievement.
 * Performing five assassinations in a Halo 2 Vista multiplayer match unlocks the Ninja achievement.
 * If a player assassinates three players on a Legendary Map Pack map in Halo 3(at either Avalanche, Ghost Town, or Blackout), the achievement "Came...From...Behind" will be unlocked for 50 Gamerscore. Similarly, the achievement can be earned on a Mythic Map Pack map (either Assembly, Orbital, Sandbox, Citadel, Heretic, or Longshore).
 * Earning a Beat Down while jetpacking in a Halo: Reach multiplayer matchmaking game on an Anniverary map unlocks the Dive Bomber achievement.