For the Medieval II: Total War version of this unit, see Armenian Archers (Medieval II: Total War).
Armenian Archers are a type of skirmisher in Empire: Total War.
Description
Seemingly archaic in an age of gunpowder and revolutionary fervour, these bow-armed skirmishers are still a dangerous force.
They are capable of covering ground quickly and of using the land and cover to best advantage:hiding behind a blade of grass or a pebble if needs must! While their bows might seem outdated, their skills give them a good rate of fire and are accurate an enemy killed by an arrow is as dead as one shot by a musket ball. Armenian archers carry knives to be used in hand-to-hand combat, but they should not be committed to melee without good reason. They are also vulnerable to cavalry attack and can suffer excessive casualties when facing riflemen or specialised musketeers.
Historically, Ottoman subjects could, and did, declare that they were soldiers by arming themselves and joining an army in the field. They could leave the service without penalty just as easily. What looked like lack of organisation was useful: good leaders attracted followers and kept them. However, provincial troops were not always as loyal to the Sultan in Istanbul as they were to their locality or commander, and there was a regrettable tenancy for private, rather than state, armies to flourish.
General Information
Available from the very beginning of the Grand Campaign, Armenian Archers are a rather unique part of the Ottoman roster. Thanks to the arced trajectory of their bows, Armenian Archers can be placed behind other regiments without fear of friendly fire. At maximum range, damage per volley is very low; however, this is made up for by the very rapid "reload" rate of the bows, allowing the archers to keep up constant, low key harassment. In addition, Armenian Archers become deadlier the closer they are to their opponents, making them a good counter against melee troops provided that they don't actually engage in hand to hand combat.
Like other archers, Armenian Archers are remarkable in that their rate of friendly fire is extremely low. They are excellent support for troops in a melee because almost all of their arrows inflict damage on enemy units rather than friendly ones. This also means that keeping 2 units of Armenian Archers close together allows 1 to move into melee whilst the other provides supporting fire (if melee is unavoidable).
Armenian archers can skirmish, making them particularly effective in tying down melee units. Due to their unremarkable range, however, such a tactic does not work nearly as well against Line Infantry and their equivalents. Armenian archers can also deploy stakes, making them a useful safeguard against cavalry. When immobile on the world map for two or more turns, they can deploy wooden barricades, further improving their anti-cavalry role.
Gallery
