How do you counter on assassins creed 2 PC

When I first started the game, I did not touch any controls settings and assumed it would play like AC... it pretty much did. If you've not played the first game and you keep the control defaults, you counter by holding the right mouse button (which is to block and I believe it is the global profile button on all platforms) followed by tapping the left mouse button (attack) while you keep the profile button pressed. If you time it correctly, you can down a foe instantly with a cool cinematic of the move.

If you are unarmed and do this, you will disarm your enemy and use his weapon. Cool because the heavy axe and spear are not available to purchase or even own. Doing the same counter with your hidden blade, performed with accurate timing will kill any foe instantly and doing several kills in succession with any weapon without getting hit will totally demoralize most of the other attackers. Some of them will look discerned, others may even flee. Taunting them will force them to attack viciously, but only the selected enemy. This is a good way to lure a poised defending attacker with a counter move of his own to attack instead of waiting for you to attack and get countered.

Now, I am not entirely certain of this, but I have a completed AC installed and I noticed that all my moves were present in ACII. It is possible that this is a benefit of having older games installed. I've noticed that with each fight training session at the villa, I already know most of the attacks, except for those exclusive to ACII.

If anybody knows of having to learn all of the moves in ACII without knowing or playing AC, I would like to know because more than the first half of the game, ACII seemed a little too easy. The fights only got hairy when I got to Venice and was beaten to a bloody pulp by a legion of brutes who only know to attack with force... and they don't take turns doing it either, often hitting their own men to get to you.