How to use archers?

[FAJ]

If they are so fast, start the archers in front of them. If your confident in the speed of these guys, make them start farther back to delay them getting to the enemy. Then the fight will end up closer to you, with less error in archer precision.

[NTJedi]

Sometimes I setup one decoy unit which sits dead center close to the front... and the unit usually has high protection with ugly afflictions.

Then on either bottom center or top center you place your archers. Near them setup some slow melee troops with hold and attack closest. On the other side yet closer to the front setup some strong units with attack rear.

Usually enemy units will move and kill the one solo unit... then move towards the units with attack rear. This gives your archers a less likely chance of hitting your own troops.

A second group of archers may be needed to fire at archers if the province you're attacking also has archers. Different strategies should be used against human opponents.

[PhilD]

Yeah, that works pretty well - and is a good way to get rid of the worst afflicted units. Err, I mean, give them an opportunity to die a heroic death in battle...