Order 04
The Archers
Range. The only 9 in the game, and the only 1.
- 9highest rank
- 20rank total
- VIStory chapter
- 9games for the Herald
Ability
What the Archer does
Captures in a straight line, even at range.
An Archer, once placed, shoots an arrow in each of the four directions: it flies over empty squares and strikes the first card it meets, even at the far end of the board. If it's an enemy, it is judged against the Archer's rank turned toward it; if it's an ally, the arrow stops (except for the Herald, which shoots through its allies).
The Archer carries the only 9 in the game, on top, and the only 1, at the bottom. Facing its 9, almost everything falls; facing its 1, almost nothing does. The whole art is turning the right card the right way.
HeraldIts arrow passes through its allies without stopping.
Four cards
The four cards of the Archers
The four Archers carry the same numbers, 9, 6, 4 and 1, each a quarter turn further on: what is on top on one is on the right on the next. Choosing the right card means choosing which rank will face the enemy.
- 9641Card 1
top 9 · left 6
right 4 · bottom 1 - 6194Card 2
top 6 · left 1
right 9 · bottom 4 - 1469Card 3
top 1 · left 4
right 6 · bottom 9 - 4916Card 4
top 4 · left 9
right 1 · bottom 6
In a duel, your eight cards come from your two Orders, four per Order, plus one card from each Order kept in Reserve for Sudden Death.
Strategy
Playing the Archers well
The 9 toward the open line
A 9 shot down an empty column takes whatever waits at the end, even a Guardian: its guarded 6 only makes 7. Before placing, look for the line whose far end holds an enemy.
The 1 toward the edge
The 1 takes nothing, and everyone takes it. Pick the Archer whose 1 faces the edge of the board, or an ally.
The arrow flies on placement
Like every ability, the arrow only flies when the Archer arrives. An enemy placed at the end of the line afterward has nothing to fear: play the Archer when the targets are there.
Beware of Chimeras and Gilded cards
A Chimera placed above the Archer swaps its 9 and its 1: the 1 ends up facing it, and it takes it. A Gilded card is delighted to take the 9. Against these two Orders, surround the Archer with allies.
The Herald shoots through allies
The arrow of the Herald of the Archers doesn't stop on your cards: it goes through them and strikes the enemy behind. Your own ranks become cover.
Facing them
Countering the Archers
Leave it no empty corridor: an open column or row leading to one of your cards is a target. Hold the ends of the lines with your least precious cards. Attack it through its 1 and its 4: placed there, almost anything takes it. A Guardian doesn't hold against the 9. A Gilded card placed above it, on the other hand, swaps with the 9 and takes the Archer; a Chimera placed in the same spot flips its 9 and its 1.
Two per duel
The alliances of the Archers
Before each duel, you choose two Orders. Some pairs have a name: these are the Treaties, which your profile tracks game after game. The Archers sign two of them.
The Veiled Shot with the Scribes
The Scribe's veil hides where the Archer's 1 is: it shoots without baring its throat.
The signAn Archer placed while one of your Scribe veils is active.
The Drive Hunt with the Cinders
The Cinders tear the enemy out of its sheltered pocket; the arrow brings it down in open ground.
The signA ranged capture within the two turns after a pull.
What no Treaty recommends. Guardians + Archers: the wall doesn't protect the Archer's 1, and the Archer gives the Guardian nothing to capture.
Story mode
The Herald of the Archers
Its arrow passes through its allies without stopping.
The Herald is the superior version of the Order: its four cards keep their numbers, but its ability changes. It is earned by finishing chapter VI of Story mode: nine games, from the Poacher to the Lord of Arrows. It is played against the Echo, in Classic matches and in challenges between friends, never in Ranked or in tournaments.
Questions
The Archers in three questions
Does the arrow cross empty squares?
Yes. It flies over every empty square in that direction and strikes the first card it meets, at any distance.
Does an allied card block the arrow?
Yes, the arrow stops on an ally, except with the Herald of the Archers, which shoots through its allies.
How do you earn the Herald of the Archers?
By finishing chapter VI of Story mode: nine games, from the Poacher to the Lord of Arrows. It is the longest of the eight chapters.
Play the Archers
Two Orders, eight cards, one duel. Choose the Archers and an ally, and see their ability at work.
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