Quick overview
| Type | Defensive, Ranged |
|---|---|
| Source | Barracks level 2 |
| Cost | 135 |
| Recommendation | Situationally |
rating
The Archer Veteran is a defensive unit for the walls. An attack of 18 is so low that you don't send him out on expeditions; behind the walls he's worth it, though—a defense against archers of 132 is his main number and he also has 65 against melee. You don't get him right away; you have to research him first in the Research Tower, where he's listed as Archer Veteran. The research replaces the regular archer with this stronger version, just keep in mind that the veteran costs more gold and needs more food. He's a unit for the early game.
How to use it
He belongs in the back row of walls, where archers naturally go, protected by front-line infantry and spearmen who take the melee combat while he holds his 132 against enemy archery from safety. That 65 against melee is just insurance in case your front line falls, not his main job. Deploy him especially where you expect the attacker to go heavy on archers—against archer superiority he's your cheapest answer in the early game.
What to combine it with
An archer alone won't hold the back row; in front of him goes infantry or spearmen who cover melee while the veteran handles ranged defense. If the attacker brings only melee units and you have only archers in the front row, they'll walk through without resistance and your 132 against archers is useless. So always combine a tough front block with this veteran archery in back—that covers both attack types and leaves no row empty.
Weaknesses and what to avoid
Outside castle defense he makes no sense; don't take him for gathering outside or into an attack army—with an attack of 18 he just eats population and would fall first in an offensive wave. Second, don't build an entire wall from just these veterans. If the attacker comes with infantry and you have only archers in the front row, there's no one to hold the infantry and the archery in back won't save you. And don't drag him into late game—there are stronger units for that; the veteran is a solution for the start.
Related units
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