Missile units are useless

[danielahmed]

Pretty much in the late game they don't do anything special, i think adding more ammunition or higher dmg to javelins and archers would make them alot better and nerfing the morale to compensate with that. Javelins should penetrate the armor at least but they can't even with focus fire for 5 min kill 30 people which is absurd. Archers should be there to maybe just weaken the morale and be like kinda supporting but still a little bit increase in dmg would be nice

[Valerias]

Missile Units are for elephants and nothing else.

[Cleeon]

but they have shield, and that good shield protect them from missile, maybe.

[danielahmed]

to protect them from what? i won't even use them after they spend ammo , sending them in a fight is so bad because they rout quickly and decrese moral of infantry. To chase off people i don't use them i use calvary.

[Bohz]

To the OP

Depending on what you mean by "late game", the decreasing effectiveness of dedicated skirmish infantry is somewhat historical.
Skirmishers were, most commonly, the young part of an army that, without the financial means to fight with proper panoplia, resolved to fight with light weapons and without/with very light protection.
Javelins were not used to pierce heavy armor, but to harrass enemy formations and disarrange them. The important exeption of roman's Pila is, in fact, an exeption (with few imitations around the mediterranean basin) and still was not used by skirmishers, but from medium and heavy infantry before clashing with enemy formations.
The only range weapon that has proved effective throughout time was the Funda (the ancient version of modern Frombola) which could shot lead or rock projectiles at very high speed and thus piercing heavy armors. Unfortunatly, to effective use a Funda required a lot of dedicated training and the use of professionals funditores slowly disappeared (but was still largely used a secondary weapon in particular occasions, such as little skirmishes during sieges or river crossings).

[Ritterlichvon86]

The more prevalent good armor and proper shields became, the less useful ranged weapons became in Europe. This trend only reversed with the rise of longbows in Britannia, as well as the first crossbows in the tenth century in Frankia.

[Bohz]

The more prevalent good armor and proper shields became, the less useful ranged weapons became in Europe. This trend only reversed with the rise of longbows in Britannia, as well as the first crossbows in the tenth century in Frankia.

Very true.
But that, in fact, is the 10th century AD

[somatophylakes]

I basically use two units of skirmishers just to attract the enemy fire on them and because of the high damage they do on units and, above all, on elephants (they literally rid off of an entire unit of pachyderms with few shots). If you can use them properly (take them behind the enemy or aside and shoot) they do an enormous damage. But i think they are most effective on defensive sieges, just put them on the walls and look how damage they do. But, basically, their task is to annoy enemy units. Frankly, i like them.

[Petellius]

It's difficult to use light infantry effectively in TW, because the reasons they were used don't really exist. All units have a predefined hierarchy in terms of combat effectiveness that isn't as prevalent in real world tactics and hit and run isn't that possible either.

I'd like to see if I can get light infantry and such to ignore terrain debuffs and speed reductions, so maybe sticking them in forests will make them fight better or some such. Not sure yet, I'll think of something.

[_Tyr_]

Honestly, I don't believe skirmish or missile units need any buff atm. I actually think, that a well balanced all skirmish army (Horse Archers, Horse Skirmishers, Javs, etc.) is at least equal if not better, than all elite armies in the current meta (if you can micro somewhat decently). That's my experience lately, your's may differ of course.

[Petellius]

I would agree personally, I've noticed that good javelin units are very powerful.. especially after Sheridan increased their ammo count!

[Maetharin]

I love how vulnerable cavalry units are to missile units.
Leave your priceless Hiera Ile unattended for too long and it dies from skirmishers

[Julio-Claudian]

Missile units can swing a battle. They can decimate the morale of a unit and tire it out. You can make top tier units rout with some light infantry and javelins.

I don't think I've ever read anything about javelins wiping out huge numbers of soldiers in a pitched battle in this epoch apart from unarmoured Gauls like during the war in Galatia led by Manlius.

[sunajt]

What skirmishers would you guys recommentto get as a Rome? I usually go with 2 balistas (just to force AI to move and not camp) and 2 units of Cretan archers. Are there better options or? Thanks for advice.

[Petellius]

Balistas xD god damn, overkill much

Edit: I'd always take a couple javelin troops and then some top rate slingers, rhodian or balearic. Can beat any enemy missiles and cav with those guys.

[sunajt]

I just hate when AI camps the hill or so...with balista I can force them move to me or just free shoot if they like

[sunajt]

Balistas xD god damn, overkill much

Edit: I'd always take a couple javelin troops and then some top rate slingers, rhodian or balearic. Can beat any enemy missiles and cav with those guys.

Truth is they are not so strong

[Cleeon]

if not because General Scipio bring skirmisher to Afrika, I would never recruit and use skirmisher as Roma, because I know, the enemy have shield (that's I mean on My post above), the shield is protect them very well from missile, except, of course the Ballista XD >>when recruiting I'm always want to have ballista at least 2 unit for every General

[Valerias]

Don't ballista give you a campaign movement penalty though?

[Swarbs]

if not because General Scipio bring skirmisher to Afrika, I would never recruit and use skirmisher as Roma, because I know, the enemy have shield (that's I mean on My post above), the shield is protect them very well from missile, except, of course the Ballista XD >>when recruiting I'm always want to have ballista at least 2 unit for every General

Erm, don't throw missiles at shields then?

Skirmishers and missile units are great when you use them right. Move them to the side / rear of an enemy unit already engaged and have them attack, then watch the enemy break and run. Move the skirmishers down the line = chain rout.

As with most units, missiles are useless if you don't use them right.