In this video I’m finally getting my first real introduction to SWAG equipment with the soon-to-be-released Swag Assassin, and I’m gonna say it up front: all that “SWAG don’t hook” and “SWAG don’t hit” talk is flat out lies. I’m throwing the Assassin on our house at AMS Stardust Lanes, starting where I usually live—around 21/22 with my feet and 10/11 at the arrows—just to see what the ball wants to do. Out of the box it’s a very chalky 1500 surface, and with my go-to symmetrical layout (65 x 4 1/2 x 40) it gave me exactly what I expect: early roll, smooth motion, and that continuous shape that keeps me in play. I also talk a bit about the new AP26 coverstock tech (more traction in oil and better response to friction), and you can see it when I miss a touch right—it doesn’t just jackknife, it rolls off the friction in a controlled way. I hit it with polish just to test the change, and while it got cleaner, I personally liked it better out of the box on this condition. My takeaway: if you’re a higher-rev/two-hander looking for control, or you’re trying to stay more up the boards when your big stuff burns up, the Assassin is a legit option. Based on what I’m seeing so far, it’s coming to the States with me.