Greetings!
As you are no doubt aware of, Rangers are what a lot of people are clamoring for a nerf. I hate nerfs, they take the fun out of a game in some respects, as well as they tend to go too far in the nerfing aspect to the point of making whatever was OP useless. That said, let us go on to the basics!
Know your archersThe first thing to know about countering archers in general, is to know how much damage they do. The only things that archers Significantly damage by themselves with no help or upgrades whatsoever is Swordsmen and pikes. Pikes take 150% damage from pierce damage (The damage archers inflict, base amount of damage taken is 100%), and Swordsmen take 125% damage from pierce. that said, you need to now how much damage the archers actually do.
Below is a guide I have prepared from my experience to help defend against those overpowered archers.
Mirkwood ArchersBase Damage: 90 Pierce
Base Health: 200
Upgraded Damage: 175 Pierce/Magic/Flame
Max Health: 280
Description:Mirkwood archers have been significantly improved in 1.05. Now at 700 Resources and a level 2 Barracks, you will see more of these mighty archers on the battlefield.
How To Counter:In order to counter the noble archers of Mirkwood, use cavalry, any will do. Siege, if you can catch them off guard, and other archers, provided that you outnumber them 2:1. Beware, Mirkwood archers are always stealthed and heal whenever they have a banner carrier in their squad, making them a deadly foe to reckon with if used correctly.
Gondor/Dunedain RangersBase Damage: 65 Pierce
Base Health: 300
Upgraded Damage: 100 Pierce/Flame
Max Health: 380
Longshot Damage: 100
Special: Double fire Rate, +35% Damage to non-summoned monstersDescription:Rangers have been devastated in our recent patch, Losing all of their fire damage, a cost and command point increase, and a health and damage reduction, Rangers definitely got the short end of the stick in our latest patch, the only plus side is their double fire rate, and a bonus VS monsters, good luck Ithilien...How to Counter:Rangers greatest Enemy is cavaly, considering their abysmal armor to trampling, no Ranger is safe against any army.
Haradrim WarriorsBase Damage: 65 Pierce
Base Health: 250
Upgraded Damage: 90 Pierce/Flame
Max Health: 330
Barbed Arrow Damage: +50% Damage, Meta impactDescription:Haradrim have been given a huge boost, with a faster rate of fire, barbed arrows recharging in six seconds, they are the ultimate anti-cavalry archer around.How to Counter:Pretty much go for cavalry. If protected by pikes, send infantry and archers. Swordsmen do considerably more damage to archers then in previous patches, and can prove to be a hindrance to archer dependent players.
Men of DaleBase Damage: 50 Pierce
Base Health: 200
Upgraded Damage: 75 Pierce/Flame
Max Health: 280
Black Arrow Damage: 150 Hero Damage, Fear.Description:Men of Dale are useful, and now better considering they have had a speed boost thanks to our latest patch.How to Counter:Men of Dale can cause problems if they are allowed to fire into the middle of your army. The army cowers in fear and they can randomly pick off targets at ease. To remove the threat of fear, bring a leadership hero. Leadership, if present at the time of the terror attack will negate the fear, and allow your soldiers to battle on. Should no heros be present, use cavalry, or infantry if you can catch up to them.
Axe ThrowersBase Damage: 20 Slash
Base health: 240
Upgraded damage: 75 Slash
Max Health: 320Description:Axe Throwers have long been feared for their excellence in rushing economic dependent players. Add the fact that they are more resilient to close attacks and damage than normal archers only adds more to their effectiveness.How to Counter: Axe throwers are often protected by their tank-like bretheren, Phalanxes or Guardians. So the best thing to counter dwarven units in general is take advantage of their slow speed and pick them off with Archers, if you have any. Should you be lucky enough to come across a dwarven player in absence of Pikes, use cavalry like there's no tomorrow, because he will definitely build some after that.
Lorien ArchersBase Damage: 40 Pierce
Base Health: 125
Upgraded damage: 40 Pierce/Magic
Max Health: 205Description:Lorien Archers have the best basic archer damage. However, like their Mirkwood bretheren, they tend to fall rather quickly as no player goes unaware of their existence for too long.How to Counter:Cavalry will kill these guys instantly, and the lack of versatile pike units for the elves means that pikes might not show too much of an impediment.
Gondor ArchersBase Damage: 25 Pierce
Base Health: 100
Upgraded damage: 57 Pierce/Flame
Max Health: 180Description:Gondor Archers, at last, were improved, and now are worth something, especially now that Rangers were completely overhauled.How to counter:For the most part, Cavalry will work, but other archers can take them out too.
Uruk CrossbowsBase Damage: 65 pierce
Base Health: 110
Upgraded damage: 65 Pierce/Flame
Max Health: 190Description:The only Ranged unit for Isengard, you'll have to take what you get. Crossbows have a greatly improved firepower, and pack a very nasty punch.How to Counter: Cavalry will always counter archers, but Uruk crossbows I find tend to have a slow reload time, so other archers may prove proficient.
Orc and Goblin archersBase Damage: 20 Pierce (Both)
Base Health: 100 (Orcs) 80 (Goblins)
Upgraded damage: 35 Pierce/Flame (Both)
Max Health: 180 (Orcs) 160 (Goblins)Description:Orc and Goblin archers are basically used for the same purpose: En Masse Merely for a distraction to allow the warriors to finish off anything that could impede the production of the enemy.How to Counter: Because they are so weak, anything except pikes and swordsmen. Beware of masses though.That's it. Questions? Comments? Post away!
Scotty the Fallen | One-time Angel Reincarnate, and Former BFME2H and TWH Downloads administrator, and BFME2 Strategy Administrator.
"And I shall go softly into the night, taking my dreams, as will you." - EoJ
"Scotty's probably the only forumer here who can make every post a defiant claim of his own superiority." - Atzy
[This message has been edited by SuicidalScotsman (edited 12-13-2006 @ 04:12 AM).]