Archers are ranged units that are built at an Archery Range. They are generally weak at close range against shock type units, but can provide useful cover by shooting over units and other obstacles, and have an attack bonus against pierce type units. Archers become obsolete in the Imperial age. Archers vary from type, for example: Crossbow, Slinger, Composite Bow, and Pilum.
The first archer is the Slinger, first creatable during the Stone Age. The last upgrade for archers yields the Long Bow.
In Empire Earth II, they are created at the Barracks and they are available during epochs 1-2 (Bow Man), 3-4 (Composite Bow Man) and 5-6 (Crossbow Man). Above epoch 7, they are replaced with similar unit called Musketeer, sharing similar category as archers: Light Infantry.