Best/Favourite Missile Unit

[Tollheit]

I'm partial to:
Subeshi Archers-unarmored, awesome range, limited AoR
Syrian Archers-armored, good attack, limited but centrally located AoR
Cretan Archers-armored, good attack, decent melee, very limited AoR
Indian Archers- unarmored, decent attack, decent range, AP melee weapon, limited AoR on the fringe

Of these four foot archers you mentioned here, it is not the Subeshi, but the Cretan who has the best range value with 201.6, while Indians have the worst range with a lousy 170.

While Kretans have better stats, these are my favorite and the best imho. 2nd best range of archers, good attack and a cool skin. But what makes them the best for me is that the Saka can recruit them in any and all provinces. That's to put it mildly quite handy. Yes I'm a big Saka fan, what can I say?

Second best range? Pray tell, what archer unit does have better range than Saka Foot Archers? I don't know one.

[QuintusSertorius]

I'm less impressed with Rhodians, for all that they have armour, they still seem to suffer badly under missile fire from other slingers. I don't know if they fight in a tighter formation than other slingers, which might make them more vulnerable, but after a few battles with them losing a lot of men, I went back to Sphendenotai and Iaosatae.

I do agree Balearics are the best, though. Great for annihilating enemy skirmishers/missile troops and then turning their focus on enemy FMs.

I don't rate any archers, simply because lacking the AP attribute that slingers have makes them useless against anyone with armour. I've watched the AI expend all it's ammo and kill a handful of my main strength. I tend to focus my missiles on lightly- or unarmoured troops anyway, but it's nice to be able to get my slingers behind the enemy's line infantry and decimate them with my remaining ammo.

Only reason I use archers is for variety and historicity in my Pergamon game; all-slinger would make it too easy.

[NickTheGreek]

Well my top 3 archers would have to be,
Kretan Archers
Skythian Foot Archers
Caucasian Archers (absolutely indepensible in a Hayasdan capaign)

[satalexton]

toxotai kretikoi/syriakoi. I use them as my skirmish/light inf troops. Great for killing all those pesky skirmishers and can double as capable light infantry for flanking. Multi purpose units like them are good for saving unitslots for other units.

[schlappi]

Depends on how you use the missile unit. For my playing style, the Balearic Slinger is not appropriate due to low range and - even more important - low ammunition. I prefer celtic slingers by far, missile 2 or 4 does not matter much for armour penetration imo.

[Aemilius Paulus]

Depends on how you use the missile unit. For my playing style, the Balearic Slinger is not appropriate due to low range and - even more important - low ammunition. I prefer celtic slingers by far, missile 2 or 4 does not matter much for armour penetration imo.

You're right in most respects. I have checked the stats and it is true that Iaosatae have more range and ammunition (190 and 30 respectively) versus the Balearic 165 and 20. Iaosatae are also cheaper, have less upkeep and are available in almost all of Europe with the exception of Southern Balkans, Iberia and the far Eastern Europe.

However, I do not share your view on the missile attacks of the two units, if that was what you were trying to say. Balearics have 4 missile attack, while Iaosatae have the usual two. Balearic Slingers are two times more deadly. This is not just some silly stats. I have a legion that contains Accensi, Iaosatae and Balearics all together. Accensi are dirt cheap (504 mnai) have probably the lowest upkeep of any Romani units (126) but their ammunition (25) and range (160) is inferior to the Iaosatae. Accensi also have lower attack (EDU says they have 1 attack; it takes two chevrons to raise their attack to 3 at the first time [after this the Accensi level up normally]).

These stats have a direct effect on the performance of the units. Balearics always kill the most enemy soldiers, despite their lower ammo (they usually kill twice more soldiers than Iaosatae). Iaosatae follow up and the Accensi usually claim the lowest amount of kills. Rhodian slingers are actually better than Balearics in terms of ammunition (25) as well as armour, but have slightly lower range (162) and are recruitable only in Rhodes, while Balearics are available as mercenaries all over the Mediterranean shores of Spain as well as at the Balearic Islands themselves, where they can also be trained.

[Tollheit]

Aemilius, your stats are wrong. Check the EDU file for correct stats.

[Fondor_Yards]

Second best range? Pray tell, what archer unit does have better range than Saka Foot Archers? I don't know one.

Ah my bad, they do have the best range of archers.

[teh1337tim]

cretan archers!!!
true it has limited AOR
BUT the MERC units u can recruit basically anywhere in greece, roma area
(around rome, ariminum taras)
what i also found is that
merc cretan archers have better armor and attack +1 to the regular one,
hell u should c me in my roman campaign
all cretans w/ gold chhevrons , barbarian horde w/out armor ftw :D