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The Archer is a ranged unit unlocked by the Archery technology. Archers have both a ranged attack and the Dash skill (which allows Archers to attack after moving). Compared to Catapults, Archers are more mobile and flexible since they have the Dash skill, and Archers are less vulnerable to attacks since they have 1 defence point (compared to 0 for Catapults). But this does not mean that they are the best.

The Hoodrick tribe starts the game with an Archer. The Polaris tribe has Ice Archers in place of Archers (Ice Archers freeze the enemies that they hit).

Strengths and Weaknesses[]

Archers are good for:

  • Back-end army support. The archer can be used to weaken enemy units while a melee unit comes in for the kill. This works great against warriors, and to a lesser extent, knights, riders, defenders, and swordsman.
  • Killing catapults. Catapults that are protected by Giants, Defenders, and/or Swordsmen are usually very troublesome. However, the Archer takes care of that. Its long range and the dash ability means as long as you can pinpoint where the enemy Catapult is, the Archer can easily kill it, completely ignoring any units that could protect it.
  • Killing a Giant. Archers can repeatedly move backwards and snipe Giants from a tile away and the Giant, lacking dash, will be helpless to the onslaught.
  • Attacking masses of Defenders and Mind Benders. Those units do not have the Dash skill.
  • Being used alongside other units like Giants or Swordsmen that can stay on the front line and push forward, protecting Archers that stay behind so they can hit enemy units with their ranged attack.

Archers aren't good for:

  • Unsupported combat. They are fragile units, and are easily defeated by high-mobility units such as Knights or other units with dash.
  • Naval units. Archers are a terrible troop to put in Rafts, Scouts, Rammers and Bombers as they have the same health, a lower defence, and cost 1 more star than a default warrior. This means that putting a warrior in a Bomber is in every way better than an archer in a Bomber.
  • Capturing cities. They have low HP and defence and will likely not survive a turn capturing a city. They are better used defending a city from a counterattack while a stronger unit takes the brunt of the damage.

Trivia[]

  • Archers have wooden bows and arrows, while Ice Archers have frost-colored bows and arrows made of ice.

Gallery[]

Tribe Skins[]

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