First let me just say this...I use archers heavily as offensive units. That being said, I absolutely love the fact that when you use the .conan. cheat to play as the rebels your archers are 10x better than even the most upgraded in normal play. Frankly, I think it's a matter of realism. I ride archer heavy (at least 320 archers....at least. But often as many as 6-8 full units of 80 men a piece...you do the math) So I loose between 480 and 640 arrows into a formation of 120 men... you do the math...ten of them die!!! I don't think so. You are going to level that entire formation. I don't care what kind of armour they have on....unless it's mystic elf armour or futuristic force fields, they are going the hell down.
I'm sorry if I seem a little trippy on this point. but it has alway made me a little nuts to fire volley ofter volley into a formation of yari or something and they are going down two at a time, or none at a time.
Plus the fact that rebel armies are absolute crap in hand to hand unless they outnumber their enemy force by about 3 to 1. So in the end it evens out...plus ...it's just plain cool!