Back on the grid (somewhat?)

[gollum]

The ashi xbows are ahistorical, and like all flattrajectory/high reload time units usually poorly used by the AI. I would take them out altogether, however if you must have them, increasing the range will give them more time to shoot, which is essentially the same workaround you did from another end. My worry with decreased reload times is that the player will get again the better of it.

The problem is that the player can use xbows to deliver coordinated volleys(all units fire at once) and this can rout AI units all at once when used properly. The AI can't do the same. Making faster reloads will increase the effectiveness of volleys perhaps quite a lot.

Another weakness of Ai flat trajecory units is that they are hampered by the autoskirmish especially when of short range. A common tactic is to scatter them using fast horses on the flanks - they will autoskirmish away - and then engage the enemy melee troops with your own and flank them with the cavalry. Soon they will all be in a huge rout without the xbows having fired a single shot or otherwise participated in any way.

I don't remember what range ashi-xbows are in SWs, but try leaving the reload as was and increase the range and see how the AI performs with that, or try a middle ground between the two. The AI units, automatically are aware of the range their missile weapon has and you need not update anything else, or so at least i have found. In any case hoewver, the AI uses bows much better, especially bows that can melee somewhat. This is because they can fire overhead and so useful while pretected by their melee troops, they have a decent range and if they can melee can be used by the AI for the occasional flank/reinforcement to win the melee engagement. Ashi xbows are too weak in melee and making them stringer would require making them more expensive and that would be again historically unplausible - these guys aren;t samurai or regulars like say the tough Genoese pavise xbows in the medieval period.