Archers...

[aphrochine]

We've all seen the effects of the goat archers, and their effectiveness is largely due to their speed. Otherwise they have nearly the same stats, save HP, of normal archers. I run a few tests, and it looks like archers in groups of 4+ companies without mage support can do tremendous damage. I've mixed in clerics, channelers, rangers and pals so far with fair results.

I havent tested it enough to warrant an argumentative post or try to make a definate point, but I'd like to pose the question to everyone else.

Can micromanaged archers be a serious threat without any substantial screen troops? Can hit and run tactics be seriously used in Kohan with the ZOC rules for combat? What about Rangered Archer companies for flanking?

[dolphinchunks]

But archers are screwed if they get flanked, the goat blowers just run.

[Kalisari]

Micromanaged archers CAN be a serious threat, but they will be killed pretty quickly, which results in archers being less useful.

Once they're engaged, they're bound to lose a few no matter what (magic support).

They're also not fast enough to evade troops to make lone arhcer companies a definite possibility.

Hit and run can be used, but only when you're using fast armies.

Flanking archers is just like flanking with anything else. If you manage it, it's works.

That's actually the main reason windriders are so useful.

They're fast archers, which allows you to flank and kill support. They can chase down any company, and they have some archer resistant as well. They're also extremely hard to kill because they're so fast, so when they rout, they're almost always bound to get out of combat alive.

------------------
Wars are not fought to determine who is right, only who is left.

In this wretched world,
never underestimate the power of an enemy
or the potential treachery of a friend.

[Xadelious]

Perhaps the only Archers that I think are useful in this game are the Windriders. They are fast, strong, can indeed use the hit and run tactic. And most of all they are deadly. Get 4 Companies of Windriders and you got yourself a nice ranged force.

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-Xadelious

"I'm amused by wasted effort when it's not my own."

[Ender]

I think it has alot to do with the 6 company regiment lock formations. For instance alot of people(and not many use the lock ability) do this....

X- inf
0- archer

back line
front line

000
XXX

whereas if this body is moving without cav or engineers or some force coming up from behind to fill in the flanks I prefer

X0X
XXX

another method is to properly turn your companies so the rear guard is turned to the flanks something like this


X 00 X
XX

Regiment formation (6 locked formation companies) depends alot on whether or not it is traveling alone, terrain, and supply. Other formations that are good for traveling alone

X
X0X
X X

All of these allow the archers to be protected from flank attacks yet arrive to battle at the same time as the infantry as opposed to what some like to do in

Reg one

0000

Reg two

XXXX

This becomes more problematic as archers arrive later in the battle than the infantry and become more clumsy to control. Plus they are more in the open and prone to be flanked.

I always recommend bringing up some cav or grens or engineers for anti-flank
G
C E
X00X
XX

Which during a fight turns into something like this

G
C 00 E
XXXX

The grens are slow and are great for protecting archers plus once they arrive your cav and engineers are now free to engage hopefully through a flank manuever or maybe right into the main body if the fight there is going bad. Plus it is never bad to have a reserve force at full strength I have lost a battle and had enough in reserve and had hurt em bad enough that by sending them in last when he was burt enough that they mopped up.

[Chap]

Originally posted by Ender:
The grens are slow and are great for protecting archers plus once they arrive your cav and engineers are now free to engage hopefully through a flank manuever or maybe right into the main body if the fight there is going bad. Plus it is never bad to have a reserve force at full strength I have lost a battle and had enough in reserve and had hurt em bad enough that by sending them in last when he was burt enough that they mopped up.

Something I have been noticing recently when I attack indies is that it seems to be a better idea to put your whole force into it instead of letting some sit and wait (I realize your not talking about indies, but just hear me out) It takes the indie faster and with less harm to everyone else.

I would imagine that the same would be true with a real battle (unless of course your fighting against warlocks which is a bad idea). I agree on holding back to protect form flanking, once the Grens pull up in your scenario I would let them loose destroy everything.

[Terra Khan]

Originally posted by Chap:
Something I have been noticing recently when I attack indies is that it seems to be a better idea to put your whole force into it instead of letting some sit and wait (I realize your not talking about indies, but just hear me out) It takes the indie faster and with less harm to everyone else.

I would imagine that the same would be true with a real battle (unless of course your fighting against warlocks which is a bad idea). I agree on holding back to protect form flanking, once the Grens pull up in your scenario I would let them loose destroy everything.

Personally, I've found that holding something back is much better. In fact, I generally hold an entire wave back, and pull back wave 1 when at about half health. This keeps morale up and if done with proper timing means you'll always have some troops at full health/morale.

Obviously, this depends somewhat on total number of forces on each side. If you are about to hit a very powerful force, then yes, it's probably best to hit with more. If you're going to hit something and are expecting enemy reinforcements, I strongly suggest doing it in waves.

[Chap]

Do troops morale lower when they retreat? It would make sense to me if it did.

[jagermeister]

I have found mixing rangers with your archers helps a lot for keeping them around. For one the ranger is a decent fighter when he gets flanked. 2 the movement bonus is great when you have to retreat. We all know that goats are the best archer company due to mobility. But rangers are a way to increase the mobility/surivive ability of your archer companies.

-jager