Posts from Evaluating archers.

The most useful units in the early game are High Elves, especially when combined with Dryads, which can defeat almost any melee unit (in reasonable numbers).

Why Dryads? They make the hero move slowly. Centaurs are perfectly sufficient for these purposes, and Dryads can wait for a serious battle ;)

Elves, like many other ranged units, are effective until enemies get close. However, Mages and Monks can provide a decent response even in close combat. Since Monks usually arrive later (level 5, and you need to survive until then), Mages are the most suitable units for the early game. They are not easy to obtain, but by the second week, they become quite accessible. Here are the advantages of Mages (not Archmages – building them is a real hassle) in the early stages of the game:
1) They shoot, and they shoot well (level 4, after all).
2) They have no penalty in close combat (very convenient; you can use them alone).
3) They reduce magic costs (this is very useful in the early game).

But mages and monks can give a decent response even in close combat.

Also, there are excellent units among the archers that don't have a penalty in close combat. ;)

And since monks usually arrive not very early (level 5, you have to survive until then), mages are the most suitable units for the early game. It's true that they are not easy to obtain, but by the 2nd week, it's quite possible. So, the advantages of mages (not archmages - building them is a real pain).

In general, monks are easier to build...:), and archmages are not that difficult to build, once you have already built the basic mages...:)

It's not particularly difficult to build storm elementals, plus they are good ranged attackers, and sometimes you can even manage to build ice elementals.

I like Liches more than any other archers. They don't deal much damage, but they attack all enemies without harming allies. In my opinion, this is a very useful ability.
Among the worst archers, I would mention Magog (it's just awful) and the Lizardmen.
I won't say anything about the green devils in blue pajamas. With such weak arrows, it's even difficult to play at the beginning of the game.

It's not particularly difficult to build Storm elementals, plus they are good archers, and sometimes you can even build Ice elementals.

Storm elementals are not only strong archers, but also the strongest unit of the 2nd level...;

It's just a pity that the authors of this game didn't create a hero specializing in them...:(

There are still plenty of ranged units that don’t suffer penalties in melee combat ;)


In general, it’s easier to build monks...:), but archmages aren’t that difficult to build, especially if you’ve already built their unupgraded versions...:)

Archmages require a library, which consumes a lot of resources. This always slows down the process.

You can also specify ranged units that don’t suffer penalties in melee combat (excluding Titans).

Archmages need a library, and that requires a lot of resources. This always slows down the process.

Yeah... And do you remember what mages need...?

And you can also assign ranged units without a penalty to melee attack (except for Titans).

Eyes, Medusas... anything else? :)

I won't comment on the green imps in blue pajamas. With such crimson-colored arrows, it's hard to play even at the beginning.

But still, this is the first level, and you get a lot of archers for free! Where else can you find that? On the first day, you can get up to a hundred, and that's still a tank! For the start... :)

well, if we evaluate based on their growth and their performance in the game, then the best archers are definitely the Gloomwings and the Lizards!

eyes, jellyfish... anything else?
Oh yes. I completely forgot about the Dungeon. I haven't played it in a while.

I like the archers of my "native" Faction, Dungeon, the most. In my opinion, if you evaluate the "firepower" of basic units, then Dungeon will not be in last place (I won't make an exact comparison with numbers for now). As for the gremlins, I think they don't do very well with their task. For example, if you take even 100 "blue" gremlins (and a normal basic unit is only 16), then their damage, assuming the enemy is at the other end of the map, will be only 50-100 units (without taking into account that their Attack skill is very small, and at least 6, or even 10 percent should be subtracted from these figures). This turns out to be very little, especially considering that the unit has tiny health, and even a simple Magic Arrow (an average of 30 damage) will kill as many as 7 of them - the damage will drop by another 3-7 units. The problem here is that all the other archers in the Tower are difficult to obtain and do not really help the Gremlins in the early stages of the game. This cannot be said about Dungeon or Castle. Naturally, the Gremlins will be quickly destroyed, forcing them to attack in melee, which (especially for golems) is a long way across the field under a hail of enemy arrows. And the Lizards, by the way, are not that bad, although, in my opinion, you shouldn't linger on the ordinary ones, but upgrade them as soon as possible. They are good, firstly, because of their large amount of health (they are not inferior to Elves and are superior to humans), secondly, because of their high Defense parameter (well, it's understandable, they live in the Swamp), and thirdly, the Lizard Warriors have a higher upper damage limit - (5). Given that this is a level 2 unit with a significant number of units, they can achieve a certain success.

Titans are definitely stronger (and more expensive).
Then come cyclops (they are very useful when you are attacking a castle).
And then elves and mages (both are killed too quickly).

As for the Gremlins, I think they don't handle their task very well.

The assessment is correct. However, I would like to note that Gremlins are excellent for one role – they are indispensable at the beginning for clearing out non-shooting neutral creatures, clearing the territory, and gaining control over nearby mines... Naturally, capturing a city and fighting against an enemy hero is beyond their capabilities... They will fall first – that's how the AI's combat mechanism works. At most, they can play the role of bait, saving a couple of hundred health points for other, more important units, but even that is significant... Usually, by the end of the second week, the Gremlins retire... :)

I posted here once before, and now I've come across it again and decided to go over the cities.
Castle. Archers are good because there are many of them, they deal decent damage, they appear early, and they help you get started. Monks and Fanatics are also very good; after they appear, they can easily take over the tasks of the Archers, leaving the latter to absorb enemy fire.
Rampart. Grand Elves have the same advantages as Archers, only they remain relevant until the end of the game, due to the lack of stronger ranged units in the city.
Tower. There are many Goblins, and until level 6 units appear, they perform well, but after that, they are just cannon fodder. The ability of mages to reduce the cost of spells would be more useful in the Dungeon than in the Tower, where Wisdom is the main stat for heroes, and mana doesn't run out anyway; they are only needed against the Rampart, with its Pegasi and Unicorns (I don't remember which of them does what, but they mess up the enemy's magic). And Titans are unmatched among archers.
Inferno. The only archers are Gogs/Magogs; they appear early, are relatively strong, and have a lot of health, but it's better not to upgrade them, just in case, at least until the Ifrits appear.
Necropolis. And again, there is only one archer in the city, but what an archer! The Lich's only drawback is that it appears late, but otherwise, it's great.
Dungeon. Eyes look good; they have no penalty in melee, a lot of health, and no particular drawbacks. The downside of Medusas is the small number of shots (4 for unupgraded, 8 for upgraded); petrification is not a panacea in this case, because even though Medusas have no penalty in melee, they still fight weaker than other level 4 units.
Stronghold. Cyclops are good; they break down walls, are quite strong, but they appear late due to their cost. Orcs are relatively tough, but their damage is poor, and they are generally some kind of clumsy axe-throwers, and they also have a penalty in melee (if my memory serves me right).
Fortress. I don't like Lizards because, although they are difficult to kill, they also kill poorly, and they cope with the role of the only archer in the city worse than everyone else, in my opinion.
Conflux. Storm Elemental - no comment; strong, fast, tough, no penalty in melee. Ice Elemental, in my opinion, is a little worse than the Storm Elemental, although it is also very good; the same 30 health points save it, and the damage is also good.
The two worst spells for archers are Air Shield and Forgetfulness. And while there is no way to protect against Air Shield, Forgetfulness does not affect Titans, Liches, and maybe others - I don't remember.
In general, my top now is:
1. Fanatics.
2. Storm Elementals.
3. Grand Elves.