Archery is OP. There really isn't any two ways about it.
There are more problems with the fundamental nature of archery in this game, but at this point I would like to move onto the next section of my rant.
This is far from a comprehensive reasoning. I only barely touch on horse archers or how infantry is easily replaced in melee by archers. I just hope this can highlight some of the most glaring issues with archery and hopefully bring about some change, because at the moment there really is no reason not to spam archers. Its easy, its almost always practical, and once you do you'll wonder why infantry is even in the game to start with.
- There is basically no arrow drop. The bows in this game might as well be guns. They are not only incredibly accurate, but they also have so little drop that there is basically no need to aim up unless you're shooting across the desert map. For this reason alone >30-50% of the skill in archery is gone.
- Shields are basically useless against archers. This problem can be extended to throwing weapons too. I understand shadow coverage being annoying, but foot and leg shots seem far to easy to hit. Even with the biggest shields like the Oathsworn and Heather shields being fairly easy to land leg shots on, its frankly ridiculous. This also means that cavalry is especially vulnerable as they often have small shields where their head, legs, and feet are entirely exposed; in couching stance, the entire right side of your body is completely exposed, meaning the only real option is to hold your shield up and cav bump them to death.
- Bows do way to much damage. This problem also highlights the problem with armor values being applied equally across the body. It is way to common to be one shot by bows and crossbows. It is understandable that low armor units are hit harder, but I have seen damage values of 70+ with one shot on heavy infantry units from standard bows with no movement speed variable. Mind you these weren't head shots, but standard body shots. It is completely ridiculous for a heavy infantry unit to lose 1/3 or even 1/2 of its health to an arrow in the body that because of poor shield coverage is unlikely to be blocked. This problem is once again highlighted with cav where the highest armored cav units can be one shot with standard bows.
- Horse Archers. There really isn't anything to be said here. Play the game for more then 20 mins and the problem is self evident. Horse archery is broken. The penalty for full gallop accuracy is way to small, with you being able to fairly reliably hit targets some distance away at full gallop. The problem is multiplied when you consider that the arrow also has the speed damage modifier attached, making it do stupid amounts of damage when it does hit. This problem really wouldn't be all that bad, if it wasn't for the fact that ANY archer unit in the game can mount ANY horse in the game and become a horse archer with 0 accuracy penalties.
- Crossbows. Oh crossbows, with damage output like you have, who needs a gun? Seriously, the arbalest perk is like using an AWP. The crossbow is really a culmination of everything wrong with archery. For starters it is way too strong. The crossbows are supposed to do more damage then regular bows, I get it, but at the moment they the crossbow is easily one of the most powerful things in the game only behind couch lances and pilas. They benefit from all of the strengths already listed (including being able to mount any horse) and make amplify them. Arrow drop is even more reduced, and the ability to instantly shoot them once theyre loaded without any kind of animation to bring it up is amusing at first, but annoying and ridiculously OP.
There are more problems with the fundamental nature of archery in this game, but at this point I would like to move onto the next section of my rant.
Faction | Infantry/Archer Compared | Price Difference | Relevant perks for the Archer | Notes |
Empire | Legionary/Palatine Guard | 140/150 | Improved armor | If the palatine guard chooses to take improved armor, they get the exact same armor value as a base legionary of 41. They also get the exact same sword meaning all they have to do is pick up a shield to become just as melee effective as a legionary. This means you basically get a base legionary with a bow for merely 10 more gold. |
Vlandia | Sergeant/Sharpshooter | Both 140 | Arbalest, Improved armor, Pavise Shield | For the EXACT same amount of gold as the seargent, the sharpshooter has the choice between the most powerful ranged weapon in the game and an armor buff that brings them higher in armor then any infantry unit in the game besides 4. This combined with the best shiled in the game and a good sword makes the easily, in my opinion, the most OP unit in the enitre game. For a mere 140 gold. |
Battania | Oathsword/Fiann | 140/160 | Improved armor, stronger longbow | Despite being very expensive, the Fiann is still too strong for 160 to be a balanced price. Improved armor brings the unit to a staggering 38 armor, making it on par with the base Sargent and Varyag stats. The stronger longbow is also capable of enormous power only being bested by the Arbalest perk. |
Sturgia | Varyag/Hunter | 150/120 | None | In my opinion the only archer in the game that isnt OP, but if anything, is Underpowered. However I do think it is closer to what the archer class needs to be then any of the others. Low armor, bad melee, but a good bow. It just needs some buffs to the bow and some better perks. |
Khuzait | Spear Infantry/Khan's Guard | 120/160 | Small Shield, Mace | In my opinion the most balanced archer class, but only because of a very cheap but effective infantry class. The Khan's Guard would render the Spear Infantry useless if the infantry wasn't so cheap, had a nice big shield, and didn't get access to a good mace. |
Aserai | Tribal Wrrior/Veteran | 120/150 | Stronger Bow, Improved Armor, Small Shield | The Aserai archer could have been on the same balance level as the Khan's Guard, if it wasn't for the aserai infantry being so terrible. Seriously the only reason to ever take aserai infantry over the Veteran is to jav spam, but even then, why jav spam when you can arrow spam with more armor and have the exact same shield and sword. |
This is far from a comprehensive reasoning. I only barely touch on horse archers or how infantry is easily replaced in melee by archers. I just hope this can highlight some of the most glaring issues with archery and hopefully bring about some change, because at the moment there really is no reason not to spam archers. Its easy, its almost always practical, and once you do you'll wonder why infantry is even in the game to start with.
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