Favorite/"Best" Archer?

[Lysimachos]

From those archers the best would be the numidian, i think. Toxotai are really crappy. I don't know how good exactly the numidians are, but perhaps you would be better off with Iaosatae, who make decent slingers.

[Grriffon]

On Sardinia and the other small island beside it you can hire as mercs those Balaeric slingers that are the best I have found anywhere in the world. Merc Cretan archers should also be rarely available, and are worth snatching up. Of the three you mentioned, I would also go with the Numidians, I think they have a really nice missile attack rating, don't they?

[satalexton]

the toxotai can eat their own faces, I'd say you hire mistophoroi toxotai kretekoi.

[Victor1234]

Which archers and slingers have the longest range?

That's really my only criteria for them, since the only times I use missile troops is when I'm on defense, or when I want to draw the enemy into attacking my well prepared line of troops.

[Danest]

The cretans seem like they run out of arrows much faster than everyone else. Is it my imagination?

[Fondor_Yards]

As Obelics found, best range on foot archers is Saka foot archers with 209. Best slinger range is Rhodians, with 224!!!

[russia almighty]

I'm surprised Indian Archers aren't some of the best.


I mean, they can whip a buster sword out on you if you get too close.

[Che Roriniho]

I'm surprised Indian Archers aren't some of the best.


I mean, they can whip a buster sword out on you if you get too close.

Yeh. 2 units of these per opponents siege towrer on your walls, and they will simply not get in. 2 units destroyed an entire army of mine (playing as Baktria)

[QuintusSertorius]

Which archers and slingers have the longest range?

That's really my only criteria for them, since the only times I use missile troops is when I'm on defense, or when I want to draw the enemy into attacking my well prepared line of troops.

Range is largely an irrelevant comparison between slingers and archers. Slingers might have shorter range, but they'll actually kill things at that range. I've watch the AI do stupid things with their archers, such as shooting at the front of my line troops, and exhausting their ammo getting a handful of kills.

Meanwhile my slingers have decimated their skirmishers and light cavalry before the lines even meet.

[Victor1234]

Range is largely an irrelevant comparison between slingers and archers. Slingers might have shorter range, but they'll actually kill things at that range. I've watch the AI do stupid things with their archers, such as shooting at the front of my line troops, and exhausting their ammo getting a handful of kills.

Meanwhile my slingers have decimated their skirmishers and light cavalry before the lines even meet.

Sure, I mostly use slingers too, but the archers with fire arrows are useful as well. The AI has a nasty tendancy to charge straight into your nearest unit, even if they only lose one or two men per volley. So, I always have both archers and slingers. Slingers to do the real damage, archers to mess up their morale (those fire arrows seem to do that alot) and draw them into attacking me.

[mp0925]

what slinger should i use? roman original greek ones celtic one of numidian?

[Woreczko]

Range is largely an irrelevant comparison between slingers and archers. Slingers might have shorter range, but they'll actually kill things at that range. I've watch the AI do stupid things with their archers, such as shooting at the front of my line troops, and exhausting their ammo getting a handful of kills.

Meanwhile my slingers have decimated their skirmishers and light cavalry before the lines even meet.

Personally I like archers more. Slingers due to having AP projectiles are better vs aroured units and seem to be more "solid" killers. However low attack ratings prevent them from doing anything spectacular and "battle-turning" (of course I`m not talking about highly experienced units). Archers are more specialized. They fail miserably against well armoured and shielded targets. However against light troops they are definately more effective. Concentrated fire of 2-3 regiments can decimate light troops before they are able to do anything useful on the battlefield. Aforementioned fire arrows if used in quantity and combined with cavalry charge may break a lot units and start a general rout of enemy battleline.

Of course a lot depends on composition of opposing armies. If you are fighting with greek units vs romans, then slingers would most probably be more useful, as toxotai are crap and won`t be able to do anything vs principes or triarii. On the other hand, when you are in the east, facing many lightly armoured units and having acces to the excellent archers, then bows are the way to go.