How do you guys use Archers in Third Age?

**Sisko** · December 04, 2009, 06:42 AM

I'm curious as to how some players use their archers in Third Age

I just played a couple of custom battles and have found the "Longshanks" approach to be rather effective for one. I usually allow my archers to continue firing at the enemy troops while my troops charge home to make contact with their lines.

While it no doubt increases a few losses on my own side, I'm sure the effect it would have on an enemy is much more devastating. Trying to fight, while arrows are raining down on their heads. Alternativley, if I can, I like to try and setup a crossfire. It probably doesn't make a jot of difference if the arrows come from above or from both sides, but it looks cool anyway

Though I'm sure it doesn't make the Commander/King very popular with the men

"Beg your parden sire, won't we hit our own troops?"

"Yes...but we'll hit theirs aswell, we have reserves.....attack!!!"

**Withwnar** · December 04, 2009, 06:52 AM

With extreme prejudice.

I hate hitting my own men, especially in the back. Once my infantry have engaged then I rarely keep firing in the same line, unless my archers are on a hill firing over their heads. I either use flanking/crossfire (more effective anyway) or make them fire over the heads to further-away enemies; archers etc. Or try and set up a gap in my infantry that I can shoot through.

**Sisko** · December 04, 2009, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by Withwnar

With extreme prejudice.

I hate hitting my own men.

Ah well, i'm not adverse to killing a few of my own men with my own archers. They are their to serve the will of their King, and if the King bids the archers to fire and some of his own are killed....then so be it!!!

I wonder how Aragorn would be with a cruel name after him. I'll have to start executing enemy prisoners and massacering towns

**Point Blank** · December 04, 2009, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by Withwnar

With extreme prejudice.

I hate hitting my own men, especially in the back.

Not me, I just like seeing as much carnage on the battlefield as possible, whether its my men or theirs doesn't matter too much

**Myshkin** · December 04, 2009, 06:59 AM

25% of my army is usally composed of archers.

1. Always group them
2. Use fire at will when your troops are not engaged in combat.
3. When your guys engange in close combat (and providing they stand back of your core army) disable "skirmish mode AND fire at will AND pause firing", then use manually aimed shot aiming isolated enemy units (such as archers etc).

HTH

**Chyeaaaa111** · December 05, 2009, 04:08 AM

Originally Posted by Myshkin

25% of my army is usally composed of archers.

1. Always group them
2. Use fire at will when your troops are not engaged in combat.
3. When your guys engange in close combat (and providing they stand back of your core army) disable "skirmish mode AND fire at will AND pause firing", then use manually aimed shot aiming isolated enemy units (such as archers etc).

HTH

Exactly what I do

**gaius valerius** · December 05, 2009, 04:22 AM

Depends on the faction. If I'm playing Elves, it is mostly 16/18 stacks of archers, fire at will and do not engage and 0-2 infantry to block incoming troops (taking lots of casualties) and 2 cavalry to force a rout. Otherwise they are more supportive. Ideally I use them in a second army commanded by the AI.

**Jean=A=Luc** · December 04, 2009, 07:52 AM

How do you guys use Archers in Third Age?

Pretty much the same way as in any other tw game/mod.

Originally Posted by Point Blank

Not me, I just like seeing as much carnage on the battlefield as possible, whether its my men or theirs doesn't matter too much

Don't worry, you'll hit theirs too. Besides, you've got reserves.

**jellebie** · December 04, 2009, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by Jean=A=Luc

Don't worry, you'll hit theirs too. Besides, you've got reserves.

playing as Elves against hordes of orcs , most of the time i haven't got any reserves.

**Point Blank** · December 04, 2009, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by Jean=A=Luc

Pretty much the same way as in any other tw game/mod.

Don't worry, you'll hit theirs too. Besides, you've got reserves.

Right, and I'll shoot them too if they get in the way.

**Jean=A=Luc** · December 04, 2009, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by Point Blank

Right, and I'll shoot them too if they get in the way.

Easy there Longshanks.

**Sisko** · December 04, 2009, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by Jean=A=Luc

Easy there Longshanks.

You gotta admit....it can be an effective tactic....as long as you don't run out of men before your enemy does

Oh, and those Uruk Berserker's.....they're crazy bunch of muppets. I just had a battle and one of them was down to only 5 Berserkers left, but they weren't even wavering at all......nutters :S

**The Mouth of Sauron** · December 04, 2009, 09:59 AM

never liked seeing my men dieing from my men....but i try to hit the men that surround my army with 1 unit of crossbowmen u can kill a whole unit that surround ur lined-up men.

**Vaz** · December 04, 2009, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by Sisko

You gotta admit....it can be an effective tactic....as long as you don't run out of men before your enemy does

Oh, and those Uruk Berserker's.....they're crazy bunch of muppets. I just had a battle and one of them was down to only 5 Berserkers left, but they weren't even wavering at all......nutters :S

They have locked morale. They'll never rout.

**Outlawstar15a2** · December 04, 2009, 08:13 AM

I use archers to bring down a constant hail of arrows on the enemy. I care not for where the blood comes from or whose screaming and as a result I will fire into the messy melee killing both sides equally. The only thing I care about is winning the battle and the constant flow of blood. BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE! SOULS FOR THE SOUL EATER!

**Point Blank** · December 04, 2009, 09:48 AM

He's my hero.

**trueblaze** · December 04, 2009, 10:27 AM

If you fire into melee from the side or from behind the enemy unit you'll take fewer casulties as more arrows are striking the enemy rather than your own units. As when your own units are hit this will allow them use of their shields to reduces potential losses.

Personally for this mod whether I fire into melee depends on the faction. If I'm playing a good faction I usually don't, If I'm playing evil humans sometimes I do sometimes I don't, if evil orc I do after all they don't care about killing their own men.

I just wish we could make a mod that makes it so elf archers will not hit their own men (or at least drastically reduce the odds) when firing into melee. After all I remember in the first movie right at the begining how they placed all their archers in the back and fired between their mens heads as they fought. Plus I can't even count how many times Legolus fired shots right past his allies heads while they were fighting.

**Kawee** · December 04, 2009, 11:05 AM

Not sure how careless one can be when playing Silvan Elves in the RR/RC submod.

But when playing Evil, then everyone except the GB is a potential cannon fodder.

**CBCRonin** · December 04, 2009, 11:21 AM

Dale and the elves do pretty good at avoiding the backs of their own men, as long as you continue to fire at more distant enemies and have a fair distance between themselves and the unit in front of them.

I don't like to group them, as I have noticed that archers tend to ignore orders when grouped.

My use:
Free fire from behind friendly lines, then mass fire on trolls or heavy units (inex. beserkers, cav., pike, etc.) when in range, then target enemy missle and general when lines are engaged. Once the enemy breaks, I target heavy units that are fleeing in the middle as I run down the flanks with cav..