i started to go the musket route but decided bows would be much better, and their kill counts reflected such
if they're hit while reloading a musket, now they have to start all over again, there's too many possible interruptions. With bows, they end up having a much higher rate of fire, and accuracy, which are far more important
good armor, two shields (arm and back), a masterwork longbow, and a large bag of barbed arrows and they're good to go