Archer

Defensive Ranged

A cheap defensive ranged unit for the mid game. For 70 coins and 2 food you get a balanced 53/55 defense against both types of attack, while the attack is only 10, so he does not belong in an attack army. As mass wall filler next to melee defenders he does his job until you unlock the Halberdier and the Longbowman. After that he stays on as a cheap reserve.

10Attack

53Melee defense

55Ranged defense

25Speed

2Food upkeep

The Archer is a defensive ranged unit from Barracks level 3, and it mostly fits into your mid game. Like every ranged unit it attacks from a distance, but its attack is only 10, which is low for a ranged unit. The cheaper Bowman has 24 and the Crossbowman 36, so the Archer does not belong in an attack army, its place is on the walls. Its value lies in defense, where it gives 53 against melee and 55 against ranged, so it holds up against both almost equally. For 70 coins and 2 food it is a cheap way to fill your walls in the mid game.

How to use it

Send it mainly to defend your own castle. Its strength is balance, 53 against infantry and 55 against ranged waves. Because of that, an attacker who shows up with a different type of troops than you expected will not catch you off guard. In practice, build your basic defensive layer out of it and only then add specialized defenders on top, depending on what the attacker hits you with most often. The numbers 53 and 55 are the base level 1 values before bonuses. If you are a new player, treat the Archer as cheap filler that you can pack onto the walls in large numbers until you can afford something better.

What to combine it with

The balance has a downside too, it does not reach the specialists in either direction. The Halberdier from Barracks level 4 has 135 against melee and the Longbowman from level 5 has 125 against ranged. Once you unlock them, keep the Archer as filler and shift the core of your defense to them. Until then, keep him in larger numbers and mix him with melee defenders so a strong infantry wave does not break through. You do not worry about speed 25 in defense, since a unit on the walls stands still anyway.

Weaknesses and what to avoid

Do not throw him into attacks. Attack 10 is far too low for a ranged unit, the Bowman at half the price has 24, and with speed 25 he also drags slowly toward the target. In an attack wave he only takes up a spot that belongs to a real attacker. The second mistake is relying on Archers alone in defense, 53 against melee is decent filler, but a strong infantry wave will break such a wall. And do not expect miracles from him in the late game, he is a mid game unit.

Related units

Veteran bowmanLongbowmanVeteran longbowmanScout of the KingsguardShapeshifter sharpshooterDragon fire

Back to Units.