Longbowman
The Longbowman is the British ranged infantry unit, valued for long firing range and early access. It can pressure infantry before they get close, but needs a screen against Cavalry.
Recorded values
- Available
- Commerce Age · European Barracks; Fort; Galleon; American Citadel
- Training
- 30 sec · 1 population · 10 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 95 hit points · 30% ranged resistance · 4.0 speed · 26 line of sight
- Ranged attack
- 16 base damage · range 2-22 · attack interval 1.5 · bonus damage: 2.5x vs. Light ranged cavalry; 2.5x vs. Ranged shock trooper; 1.25x vs. Heavy infantry; 0.6x vs. Cavalry; 0.6x vs. Shock troops
- Siege attack
- 10 base damage · range 6 · attack interval 3.0
- Hand attack
- 11 base damage · attack interval 1.5 · bonus damage: 2.0x vs. Light ranged cavalry; 2.0x vs. Ranged shock trooper; 1.25x vs. Heavy infantry; 0.75x vs. Cavalry; 0.75x vs. Shock troops
- Ranged siege attack
- 5 base damage · range 22 · attack interval 1.5 · requires Siege Archery card
Role & counters
Longbowmen can use their range to fire while a frontline holds the enemy away. They are vulnerable to Cavalry, artillery and units that close around terrain, and they are less suited to destroying buildings than dedicated siege. British Manor Houses can support the economy that produces them.
When to field it
Use them behind Musketeers or defensive cover. Scout for Cavalry and artillery, then add appropriate counters rather than relying on Longbowmen as the whole army. Reposition to preserve range and avoid allowing a faster force to surround them.
Training profile and ranged role
The Longbowman is a British Commerce Age ranged infantry unit trained at a Barracks, Fort, Galleon or American Citadel where available. It costs 60 Food and 40 Wood, takes 30 seconds to train, uses one population and provides 10 experience when trained or defeated. The current profile lists 95 hit points, 30% ranged resistance, speed 4 and line of sight 26. Its main ranged attack deals 16 damage at range 2–22 every 1.5 seconds. The high line of sight and long reach let Longbowmen begin firing before many infantry can answer. Their low durability means they need a screen; keep them behind Musketeers or another anti-cavalry unit and use their range to pressure the opponent from a protected position.
Attack bonuses and target selection
Longbowmen deal 2.5 times their ranged damage to Light ranged cavalry and Ranged shock troops, and 1.25 times damage to Heavy infantry. Their damage is reduced to 0.6 against Cavalry and Shock troops, so they should not be expected to stop a melee charge by themselves. The hand attack has corresponding bonuses against those ranged cavalry and infantry targets, but it remains a last resort when an enemy reaches the line. Their siege attack deals 10 damage at range 6; the Siege Archery card can replace it with a ranged siege attack at long distance. The ordinary shot is best used on the unit classes the bow is designed to counter. Focus fire rather than splitting volleys, especially when a group of Longbowmen must remove a Heavy infantry unit before it reaches the screen.
Range, wind-up and movement
The standard range is 22, and the Yeomen Home City card increases it to 26. This extended reach can punish exposed Villagers and force an opponent to approach through a narrow route, but firing has a longer setup than many gunpowder or Skirmisher attacks. A Longbowman takes about 1.47 seconds to set up and draw before shooting, making it harder to move and fire continuously. If the group changes direction too often, it loses time preparing its next volley. Position the line before the fight, then focus on targets that remain in range. The unit’s speed of 4 is not enough to escape heavy cavalry without help, so use terrain and a protective screen instead of attempting to kite a fast melee unit alone.
British economy and production tradeoffs
Longbowmen cost Wood as well as Food, and Wood is also used for British Manor Houses and other infrastructure. A large Longbowman opening can therefore slow an economic boom if it consumes the Wood reserved for Houses. Decide whether early map pressure is worth the reduced expansion, and scout whether the opponent is vulnerable to ranged attacks before committing. Longbowmen also lack the same set of direct combat upgrade cards available to British Musketeers, so their strength relies more on range, rate of fire and suitable target selection. Use the unit in the role it performs well rather than expecting a mass of bows to scale identically to the British front line.
Upgrades, cards and later options
Longbowmen receive standard age-based unit upgrades, which increase hit points and damage as the British advance and research the appropriate technologies. Home City cards can alter range or replace the unit’s siege attack, while the Rangers card replaces Longbowmen with Rangers at eligible production and reinforcement sources. Rangers use a ranged gunpowder profile and are aimed more directly at Heavy infantry, but have less range and fire at a slower rate than Longbowmen. The change is a strategic transition, not simply a free improvement in every matchup. The Adventurer’s Fortress Age reward can also provide a group of Longbowmen. Check the card and current upgrade page for exact quantities and effects in the selected version.
Matchups and practical use
Longbowmen can damage Heavy infantry and Light ranged cavalry from a distance, but Heavy cavalry and Artillery are dangerous. Pair them with Redcoat Musketeers or another anti-cavalry screen, and use artillery or cavalry support against enemy guns. Against a melee rush, retreat through friendly units and avoid letting the archers become surrounded. Against a ranged line, take advantage of the Longbowman’s reach and line of sight to fire first, then focus on one target. Their wood cost and limited durability make each loss meaningful, so preserve injured units and add new batches only when the economy can sustain the Wood expense. This creates a ranged pressure group that complements the British army rather than replacing all other production.
Keep the line firing rather than chasing
The Longbowman’s long range works best when it can remain in a prepared firing line. Its draw and setup time means repeated movement interrupts damage output, and speed 4 does not make it a cavalry kite unit. Set the group behind a screen, select one high-value target and allow volleys to land before repositioning. If the enemy withdraws beyond range, advance with the protecting units rather than sending the bows ahead alone. The unit’s high line of sight can also reveal targets for artillery or other ranged support, making it useful at a defended choke point even before it has a clear shot.
Use Home City support selectively
Yeomen changes the Longbowman’s reach and is most valuable when the extra range lets the unit fire without entering an opposing line’s range. Siege Archery changes the siege attack, allowing the unit to apply ranged siege damage from its extended position; this is a card-specific option and does not turn it into a replacement for artillery. Rangers replaces Longbowmen through eligible sources and shifts the army toward gunpowder infantry with a different range and rate of fire. Each card changes the role, so select it for the map and opponent rather than including every option in one deck.
Choose the matchup before spending Wood
Longbowmen are particularly useful when the opponent relies on Heavy infantry or Light ranged cavalry, but the same investment is less attractive against heavy cavalry and artillery. The British player also uses Wood for Manor Houses, making the choice affect the economy’s growth. If the opponent has not revealed a useful target, build the economy and scout before massing the unit. If a target appears, use Longbowmen to exploit their reach while other production covers the counters. Preserve damaged archers: training takes 30 seconds and costs both Food and Wood, while a surviving unit keeps contributing vision and damage.
Pressure from a protected position
Use the Longbowman’s range to make the opponent approach through friendly Musketeers or terrain. That forces melee counters to cross the screen before reaching the archers.
Switch targets with purpose
Retarget the group when a high-value Heavy infantry or Light ranged cavalry unit enters range, and avoid splitting volleys among several low-priority targets. The consistent rate of fire rewards a clear target.
Retain experienced archers
Longbowmen gain value when they survive to later Ages and receive upgrades. Withdraw a damaged group behind the British line and replace only the losses needed for the next fight.
Support the attack with artillery
Longbowmen can soften infantry before artillery reaches a firing position. Keep the bows protected while the siege units target buildings, and use their vision to identify defenders approaching the guns.
Choose a safe retreat route
Keep the British infantry screen behind the archers so Longbowmen can withdraw without passing through enemy cavalry.
British long-range archery
The Longbowman is a Commerce Age British Archer trained at a European Barracks, Fort or eligible ship. It costs 60 Food and 40 Wood, takes 30 seconds to train and uses one population. Its profile has 95 hit points, 30% ranged resistance, speed four and sight 26. The ranged attack deals 16 damage at range 2–22 every 1.5 seconds. It has strong bonuses against Light ranged Cavalry and Ranged Shock troops, and a smaller bonus against Heavy Infantry, while dealing reduced damage to Cavalry and Shock troops. The long firing range lets Longbowmen begin attacking before many units can respond, but their low health and one-population profile call for a protected firing line.
Protect the archers from Cavalry
Use Longbowmen to pressure enemy ranged Cavalry and ranged Shock troops, keeping Musketeers or other anti-Cavalry units in front. Their long range does not prevent them from being caught by a fast flank, so scout side routes and avoid leaving the line spread too thin. The Siege Archery card replaces their ordinary Siege attack with a ranged Siege attack at range 22, giving them a special structure-pressure option; check that card before relying on it. Longbowmen also train at Forts and eligible Galleons, allowing reinforcements from a forward position or naval map. Choose production according to the map and protect the access point, since their range is most valuable when the unit can stay alive and fire repeatedly.
Historical damage, range and classification changes
The current Longbowman trains in 30 seconds; it took 29 seconds before The WarChiefs. Its current line of sight is 26, compared with 24 before update 43871. The hand attack is now 11 damage, versus 10 before The Asian Dynasties. Ranged damage is currently 16: the recorded earlier values were 15 before The Asian Dynasties and 17 before update 13.27885. Its 2.5× bonus against Light Ranged Cavalry and Ranged Shock Troopers was 2.0× before update 13.58326. Classification has also broadened: Light Infantry was added at update 13.9057, Archaic Infantry at update 13.4412, and Archer/Foot Archer labels at update 23511. Keep these historical values separate from the current stat panel.