On archer range

[Alpha]

How, exactly, is it determined when a range 4 archer unit will fire? I was recently involved in a battle with other range 4 archers. Those units fired, but my unit "moved forward for better shots" My unit fired at range 2.

All units in the same line. Monsters 4 lines away. Battle occurred on a "quite windy day."
-=Mayen's Archers=- (2) fire on Monsters (1), scoring 38 hits.
McFinks (4) fire on Monsters (1), scoring 58 hits.
Fury of Ortedail (3) move closer to get better shots.
Vert Cloaks (7) fire on Monsters (1), scoring 125 hits.

[Indirik]

Well, first you disembowel a chicken and spill its entrails on the ground in front of you. Then...

[Alpha]

Well, first you disembowel a chicken and spill its entrails on the ground in front of you. Then...

All out of chickens, are crow entrails as accurate?

[Foundation]

Well, since it's quite windy, it's normal to assume that your range 4 archers were actually, as it states, "moving closer to get better shots". :)  That doesn't mean they cannot shoot at range 4 on a good day.  You can't expect all units to perform equally in every battle, right? ;)

[songqu88@gmail.com]

And sometimes they seem to think they're awesome masters of the sword.

[Foundation]

And sometimes they seem to think they're awesome masters of the sword.

Exactly, that's why the infantry has to keep the other line from reaching the archers, right? :)

[songqu88@gmail.com]

Depends on how strapped for gold you are.

[fodder]

... I got me a slightly different question.

let's assume you have 2 identical archery units with the only exception being range. let's say 3 and 4.

how does that affect their damage output? ignoring the fact that one can shoot further and thus one can shoot certain enemies that the other can't.

let's say they are both 2 squares away from an enemy. will the 4 range do more damage than the 3? (on average anyway)

[Foundation]

... I got me a slightly different question.

let's assume you have 2 identical archery units with the only exception being range. let's say 3 and 4.

how does that affect their damage output? ignoring the fact that one can shoot further and thus one can shoot certain enemies that the other can't.

let's say they are both 2 squares away from an enemy. will the 4 range do more damage than the 3? (on average anyway)

No, they will do the same damage.  Range is just that, the maximum distance at which they can engage enemies.

[songqu88@gmail.com]

If range is the only difference, then sometimes R4 would get an extra round of shots due to the extra range. That depends on a great many other factors as well though, as I've sometimes had an R5 unit advance when they were deployed in the middle against a front deployed enemy.

[De-Legro]

I've noticed Archers getting more hits as the enemy gets closer though. Could just be the random accuracy factor, but if it is a significant trend it is likely R4 archers will do more damage at range 3 then R3 archers.

[Foundation]

I've noticed Archers getting more hits as the enemy gets closer though. Could just be the random accuracy factor, but if it is a significant trend it is likely R4 archers will do more damage at range 3 then R3 archers.

Again, I reiterate.  Archer range is just that, range.  All things held equal, R3 and R4 archers will do the same damage to enemies equidistant from them.

[Zakilevo]

Is there any wind direction factor which might influence which side's archer will get an advantage?

Like if the wind is blowing behind attackers, they might gain a range while defenders will suffer losing a range (a column)

[songqu88@gmail.com]

At this time, no battles observed have shown any preference for either side.

[Velax]

On a related note, in a battle this recent turn my archer unit made a very stupid move. On the first turn, with a range of four and enemies only three lines away, my archers moved closer to "get better shots". My unit were the only archers that moved forward. So not only did they waste a turn, they were then sitting out alone in front of the archer group and was targeted by every enemy archer unit for two turns (814 hits received first turn after the move, 1037 on the second) until my unit resembled a mound of porcupine corpses. I ask you, why did they move forward? That's just about the stupidest move they could possibly have chosen. My line settings were the same as every one else's.