Units
Archer
The Archer is the ranged infantry unlocked by Archery, the harp branch's first node: it strikes without closing the distance.
Strikes from range, exposed when adjacent
Its range is 2 — it can also hit a non-adjacent target, the only condition being that the target is visible (Combat, "Ranged attack"; Fog of war). When it strikes a non-adjacent target, the Archer does not advance into the tile of a target it kills, and the defender strikes back only if it can reach the Archer with its own range — a unit that fights adjacent cannot, another Archer or a city can. But when it attacks an adjacent target, the rule reverts to ordinary melee: the defender strikes back, and the Archer advances into the tile if it kills the target (Combat, "Ranged attack"). The price is that it remains an undefended piece of infantry outside its range.
In the type triangle
It defends more strongly against Spearman — full table in
| Defender | Attacker | Defense multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Spearman | Raider | ×2 |
| Spearman | Sipahi | ×2 |
| Raider | Archer | ×2 |
| Janissary | Archer | ×2 |
| Archer | Spearman | ×2 |
| Sipahi | Pioneer | ×2 |
| Sipahi | Siege | ×2 |
| Sipahi | Archer | ×2 |
A fragile body
Its defense is 1 and its HP 8 — the most fragile of the infantry. Its attack vs. city value is 1: breaking a city is not its job, that job stays with Siege and Artillery.
No prerequisite
It carries no resource prerequisite — any player who knows Archery can build it. This sets it apart from Raider and Siege, which are tied to Horse or Iron.
Counts as infantry
If its city carries a Barracks, it is raised with starting experience just like Spearman and Janissary — this share is independent of unit type, every unit born in a city with a Barracks gets it (Barracks). In a game where the player knows Household Troops, only the types that count as infantry earn a further share of experience on top of that (Experience and promotion, "Starting experience"). Sipahi, Artillery and Forlorn Hope do not count as infantry, they only miss out on this extra share — they still get the Barracks' own share.
When to build it
Behind a Spearman line, when you want to add damage without carrying the line. While the Spearman on the line takes the adjacent attack, the Archer strikes from the tile behind it, without being adjacent; if the target is a unit that fights adjacent, it takes no counter — the line's total output grows, not the number of units at risk. An opposing Archer or a city does answer a ranged hit (Combat, "Ranged attack").
The numbers on this page are read from the game’s balance tables.