Best archer units to have for AS?...also Thorakitai do seem some what vunerable

[antisocialmunky]

Persian Heavy archers are good archers for missile duels(low end of the heavy archers). Caucasian archers are good cheap archers and so are the Saka/Subeshi/Persian ones. I never liked Arcehr-Spearmen but I imagine that they are decent too.

[Unintended BM]

Those Persian Archer-Spearmen are probably my favorite unit out that way. I always make heavy use of them against horse archers. Just about all the archers in the east are really good. Persian archers seem like the most common variant, so I always seem to use those the most, but I think Caucasian archers are slightly better, in my experience. For all I know though, they could have the exact same stats.

[ziegenpeter]

I guess statwise, the caucasians do have the highest attack

[Apázlinemjó]

I guess statwise, the caucasians do have the highest attack

Yeah, though their lack of armour makes them easy targets against heavy archers, like Cretans or Bosphorans.

[WinsingtonIII]

The thing about heavy persian archers is that they're still terrible in melee (unlike bosphorans). Their armor really only helps them out in archer duels because their terrible sidearm hinders them so much in melee. Generally, since you can't put the heavy persians in melee anyways, I just prefer Caucasians, the various steppe archers, or, for versatility, Persian-Archer Spearmen because their spear makes them useful against cavalry.

Bosphorans are always great, but their AOR is just so small...

[Cute Wolf]

The thing about heavy persian archers is that they're still terrible in melee (unlike bosphorans). Their armor really only helps them out in archer duels because their terrible sidearm hinders them so much in melee. Generally, since you can't put the heavy persians in melee anyways, I just prefer Caucasians, the various steppe archers, or, for versatility, Persian-Archer Spearmen because their spear makes them useful against cavalry.

Bosphorans are always great, but their AOR is just so small...

here's a small trick, put lowest tax rate here, and export pantodapoi there to be disbanded and traded with Thureopherantes Toxotai, setting such trip that pump out them almost every turns will take the trick, especially when you got insane riches from conquering All Mikhra Asia (but that trick was better spent on Galatian Nudists, in my opinion)

[WinsingtonIII]

here's a small trick, put lowest tax rate here, and export pantodapoi there to be disbanded and traded with Thureopherantes Toxotai, setting such trip that pump out them almost every turns will take the trick, especially when you got insane riches from conquering All Mikhra Asia (but that trick was better spent on Galatian Nudists, in my opinion)

Not a bad idea, I've done that before to provide enough population to get other AOR restricted units. Still, you do have to transport them quite a way.

Well their lethality is still 0.1, so it is at least a sword. And they have a range of 198m, which is better than standard Persian archers and far more than the Bosphorans sport.
This also means they out-range all HAs except Saka riders (tied), Yuezhi HAs (same IIRC), Saka Early Bodyguard, Saka Early Nobles, and Yuezhi Nobles.

I mean, they are good archers, I was more just letting him know that you can't expect them to be all-purpose wall holding troops like you can with Bosphorans.

[Burebista]

i know you asked about archers , but the Rhodian Slingers might be a good option if you have them . I find them very useful in sniping enemy family members .

For archers , yeah , you are stuck with Kretikoi and Bosphoran . Better yet are those horse archers , i find them godly in combination with catas and phalanxes. They provide much needed mobility , fire support and great chase potential at incredibly cheap price (esp those sarmatian ones as mercs)

[athanaric]

The thing about heavy persian archers is that they're still terrible in melee (unlike bosphorans). Their armor really only helps them out in archer duels because their terrible sidearm hinders them so much in melee.

Well their lethality is still 0.1, so it is at least a sword. And they have a range of 198m, which is better than standard Persian archers and far more than the Bosphorans sport.
This also means they out-range all HAs except Saka riders (tied), Yuezhi HAs (same IIRC), Saka Early Bodyguard, Saka Early Nobles, and Yuezhi Nobles.