Archer

The Archer, the most basic archer unit in Age of Empires II.

"The bow remained an important military weapon after the fall of Rome, although less so in areas of Europe covered by dense forests." - Excerpt from the Archer description

Archers and all other non-siege weapon or Artillery ballistic units fall under this category. These units are the most cost-efficient ranged units throughout the Age of Empires series games. Their ranged attacks easily massacre infantry, though their low armor and Hit Points make them vulnerable to fast Infantry, such as Eagle Warriors and Woad Raiders. Another major weakness of archers are cavalry units, which can take out multiple archers, due to their fast speed and high average attack. Archers are also ineffective against siege engines due to their short range, low amount of hit points and the decent pierce armor present on said siege engines.

Age of Empires

Age of Empires II

Main article: Archer Units (Age of Empires II)

Age of Empires III

In Age of Empires III, Archers are barely used by European civilizations, being replaced by Gunpowder Units. Few archer-type units exist, and are primarily Native American. They function as light infantry and are effective against heavy infantry. The remaining units available from the Barracks are either firearm-wielding infantry or melee infantry.