Rince, correct me if I'm wrong. If you attack Ashwing in the city and don't touch his archers (so that the Dark Dragons don't come out), his archers will primarily target the snipers, as they have higher priority in the targeting table (archers, low HP and defense, high damage)...
That's correct; the point is to thin out his black dragons before they come out. This tactic is more suitable for battles where the enemy is MUCH larger, and you can't defeat them with brute force.