Archers punish anyone caught in the open — but a fighter who knows how to cross fire-swept ground denies them their best targets. Surviving enemy archery comes down to cover, shields, and closing the distance so a bow can't kite you.

Shields up

Raise a shield toward the archers and it stops the arrows — at the cost of shield resistance, reduced by the *Protector* ability. Advancing behind a wall of shields is how a line crosses open ground without melting; a shieldwall exists partly for exactly this.

Use cover, break line of sight

• An arrow needs to see you. Move cover to cover — walls, terrain, rocks, mantlets — and break line of sight whenever you can.
• Don't cross open ground in a slow, straight line without shields; that's the archer's ideal target.
• Spread out under heavy fire so one volley — or a cleaving follow-up — can't catch a cluster.

Close the distance

An archer's whole game is range and kiting — so take it away. Press toward them and force the fight to arm's reach, where their light armour and low health tell. Cavalry does this best of all, running archers down before they can reposition. Once you're on top of an archer, the exchange is already yours.