archers useless?

[Sagittarius]

I like playing VH/VH too. I did not notice that it would destroy balance very badly. Armies about the same size and quality are 50/50 to win or loose versus AI , so it is ok to me, adds more fun to the game, high losses even if you win also make you to think about reserves. And good for those who are bored of easy victories over enemy. Playing so far as romany - very easy to play nation as you can spam tons of cheap armies and relatively cheap auxiliaries ;) 209 BC and conquered whole italy, carthage, spain, galia, illyria, greece, germany (80 settlements under control). Planning invasions on british isles and dacia. War with egypt is total stalemate. Around 250 battles won, 40 lost. Result seems pretty balanced to me. AI stupidity is compensated by morale boost and slightly better fighting troops.
Now about the use of archers and slingers - if I can maneuver - I usually shoot enemy heavy infantry from behind - missile troops in this way kill everyone, and score a lot of kills. If you stand defensive on bridge - slingers are VERY useful. You are right, you cannot place them behind your units. But you can place them on the side on the bank of the river ;) So.. no units of yours are getting in the way of their rocks ;) This way on VH slinger do score 150-200 kills even without chevrons, just make sure you allow enemy to pack densily on the bridge ;) By the way - I use archers also from the sides while defending bridge. No need to make them shoot all at once - one missile troop shoots from left flank, the other - from right flank. When they are out of ammo - they are being replaced by new missile troops.

[Subotan]

I treat Archers like snipers, slingers like armour-piercing shells, and skirmishers like shotguns.
If you stik to that analogy, you should be fine.

[Indomenos]

i've actually never found that placing slingers behind your infantry does any damage to them whatsoever unless you forget to tell them to stop once they get into hand-to-hand melee. in fact, in EB MP the placement of massed slingers behind of thin wall of pikemen is a decisively effective tactic and doesn't cause casualties to your own forces. admittedly, you may lose one or two of your own men every so often, but i find those are reasonable casualty rates in the long term if it allows you to protect your slingers behind your infantry and gives them a chance at uninterrupted fire.

[Prussian to the Iron]

you're not using them in bulk. usually i try to have a general, a heavyt cavalry, a light cavalry, 10-11 infantry units(heavy), and the rest archers/skirmishers. (skirmishers becaus it'shard to egt archers)