Archer

Archer
General Information
Available in	Stronghold games
Type	Ranged unit
Cost	12 gold 1 bow +2 honor (SH2)
Unit Statistics
Health	Low
Damage	Low
Range	High
Speed	Fast

The Archer is a standard ranged unit. It is very cheap and it can be trained from the barracks.

Description

Archers are the player's basic missile unit, requiring very few resources to train. In battle, they are most effective in large groups against unarmored and lightly armored units, as their fire rate allows them to quickly drain their health. They are not particularly durable and deal little damage in close combat, consequently they suffer against heavily armored and other ranged units. They are also quite fast, able to maneuver quickly in the battlefield.

Usage

The Archer has no armor and little health, making them one of the weakest units in the game, easily defeated in both missile and melee combat. They also have to be stationary to fire, making for a distinct disadvantage in the field. They are best used in defense atop a player's walls and towers, or in the offensive behind the main army lines, where their long range can be taken advantage of with less fear of reprisal. Archers can also harass worker lines to disrupt resource flow. In conjunction with cats/mantlets, their lifespan can be prolonged by a lot.

When an archer is positioned near a brazier, they gain the ability to shoot flaming arrows. These arrows can be used to ignite pitch ditches and will also deal slightly more damage to armored units.

Gallery

Archers lighting up some pitch with flaming arrows

Archers trying to hold back the advancing swordsmen

Welsh Longbowmen

Quotes

For the quotes of the archer, see: Quotes:Archer

Trivia

• Archers in all Stronghold iterations speak with a Geordie accent, suggesting that they may have been recruited from Newcastle.
• Judging from their unit responses they are very enthusiastic. For example, they don't complain when asked to march long distances. This is probably due to the fact that they are arguably carrying the lightest equipment out of any infantry unit.
• In Stronghold and Crusader, archers can climb ladders. They need a considerable time to get atop and if their ladderman killed, they fall down and die.