[Jasper]

The strategy I've listed also works if you use your starting harpy, and I imagine it's not unique to Pangaea. At the least I get similar results using Man's Foresters and Daoine Sidhe. 20 gold for an arrow magnet is a really good deal!

Worse -- even after the troops initially placed behind the lone leader have closed, and the leader is further away than anyone else, enemy troops _still_ keep shooting at him.

It's easy to double check what I'm seeing. Play normal Pangaea, set independents to 6, and recruit Centaur Warriors the first turn. The second turn arrange your troops as I described below, except put your Centaur leader on the flank and your harpy front and center. Attack any enemy with bows.