Skip to content

Comparison of archers & crossbowmen part 2

Using the Hit Points table, this gives us the final comparison:

Troops killed by 11.6 archers and 4.85 crossbowmen in one minute   11.6 archers 4.85 crossbowmen
Swordsman 2.49 9.7*
Knight 3.12 14.56*
Maceman 27.9 38.83*
Pikeman 8.3* 6.85
Spearman 139.53* 116.5
Engineer 139.53* 116.5
Archer 83.72 116.5*
Crossbowman 41.86* 38.83
Monk 104.65* 38.83
Ladderman 83.72* 52.25
Tunneler 209.3* 116.5
Arabian Bow 69.76* 58.25
Slave 418.6* 116.5
Slinger 139.53* 58.25
Assassin 41.86 58.25*
Horse Archer 52.32 58.25*
Arabian Swordsman 6.24 38.83*
Fire Thrower 69.76 116.5*
Fire Ballista 10.46* 2.91
Ballista 41.86* 16.64
Mangonel 24.6* 8.32
Battering Ram 4.18* 3.06
Trebuchet 3.49 4.85*
Catapult 6.24 8.32*
Shield 1.04* 0.86
Tower 2.61* 1.94

* = which is better for that particular unit

The table above compares 11.6 archers to 4.85 crossbowmen, the troops you can buy for the same price. It is not a comparison between one archer and one crossbowman. In that case crossbowmen are better than archers in all cases except when fighting the following:

  • Black monks
  • Ballistas
  • Mangonels
  • Slaves
  • Fire ballistas
When fighting slingers, crossbowmen are as effective as archers because a slinger dies from 3 archer arrows or 2 crossbowmen arrows and archers fire 3 arrows while crossbowmen fire just 2 (36 and 24 arrows per minute, as shown before)

Part 1
table index

* denotes a former staff member.