What is the obsession with archers?

[craziii]

my main complain is that in 1.1, alot of the archers in the east only carry like 15-20 arrows. I am not talking about the elite archers.

[hoom]

Well, I'm having no particular complaints with the strength of archers in my Baktria campaign.

I have even defeated two units of Argyraspide Seleukid mail veil guys primarily with the archers (2/3 casualties).

Not shooting from dead on in front of the enemy is a big thing.
Get in behind or round the side & you can do some big damage quickly.

Against those plentiful eastern unarmoured units its almost like the good old days of Shogun:TW with Samurai Archers slaughtering rank on rank of Ashigaru

Edit: I think the effectiveness or otherwise of archers has a lot to do with unit size too.
4 units of 160 soldiers all shooting arrows is vastly more arrows than 4 units of 80 + similarly more targets, so there is more percentage chance of getting a hit & with more hits per volley, higher chance of kills.