UNIT - Creature Balance + Visual Changes

Am I right in understanding that the reason for the nerf is a staged 1-on-1 battle against a stack of dwarven dragons? What other tests were conducted, how many stacks were present on the battlefield, and were the battles played manually for both sides? Was a vote conducted, and does the community find the new "Arabs" appealing after the damage nerf? After all, there is also a subjective factor; what difference does it make how the unit is balanced if no one will use it.

The tests were not only against dragons; any high-level creatures against crossbowmen turned into dust because crossbowmen shoot completely ignoring defense, and now even across half the field. Tier 6-7 units survive only due to a large amount of armor and increased health, which compensates for their modest weekly growth. Now imagine that 6-7 creatures, say, blood-eyed cyclops (3-4 weekly growth), are killed by a hundred crossbowmen with one shot, and with a large excess of damage. Therefore, if a creature has a speed of less than 7-8 cells, it is doomed... But with low-level creatures, the picture is different; they survive mainly due to their quantity in a stack, health, and a little armor, so crossbowmen will not be such a "deadly unit" against them, even with increased damage.

Regarding the vote... previous experiments in this regard have shown the ineffectiveness of the method, since no one really voted, so there is not much point in it. But now, at least, I am starting to learn the opinions of other forum participants.

Unless, before that moment, they are blocked, running out from a corner. Much lower damage and too many "ifs," compared to the alternative.

I cannot but agree with this; there are too many conditions - this is a fact. So far, I have not found a compromise in this situation, but I am constantly working on improving the balance and testing new "ability-characteristic" combinations. As I said, crossbowmen are a very situational unit, and they gain a great advantage with the right approach. The correction of crossbowmen is not yet the final version; I understood that they would still need to be reworked, but for now, they need to be "tested" to fully understand all their strengths and weaknesses, and I hope that those who use my mods will help me with this in order to further bring them to a new, balanced level.

Heh, I thought the crossbowmen had enhanced arrows, but it turns out it's maneuvering! :D Shame on my nearsighted eyes!
I have to agree with comrade Nargott; given their fragility (even considering the increased health), crossbowmen are barely able to survive an enemy attack, let alone respond to it.

Oh, these crossbowmen, they are always being bullied, first by the developers, now by the modders) Perhaps you are both right; I myself perfectly understand that the mechanics of these units leave much to be desired, at least for now. Although now they are not as helpless as they used to be, but still, this is not enough. In the second version, I tried to smooth out the "gap" between crossbowmen and archers and achieved some success in this regard; I received feedback about them, and that is good, which means there is something to work on. I even received some ideas on how this can be implemented, although I do not share them, but I will try. I also had a couple of ideas on how to achieve this in a less radical way.
As I said, I am always open to suggestions.)
He who does nothing makes no mistakes.