Just ancedotally, long and thin formations don't seem to wrap around shorter lines in melee as well as they used to. Ends seem to dangle a whole lot more.

@the_foz_4

That's right. Individually, archers chances are no better. It just takes longer to kill them all.

As for the "overs and unders," I forgot something very important: A shallow formation helps most when the unit is moving. Since archers can't fire when they move, you are right. The difference between two units firing at each other while standing still is not that significant.