Being a combat archer can be a thankless job, but someone has to do it.
Regardless of your calling on the field, be good at what you do. As a combat archer that means effective. Taking out prime targets. Listening to unit commands. Paying attention to the field.
Effective:
There are various measure of effectiveness. For instance upon “lay on!” being called, lob a volley. It can slow the advance and perhaps break ranks of an untrained unit. I like to fight 2nd or third from the front line depending on the scenario. This allows shields and polearms to do what they have trained to do: work together. If you hang too far back it can be harder to spot and eliminate prime targets.
Prime Targets:
Your job is to pick off fleshy exposed targets like polearms and spears. However you can take a pot shot at a shieldmans face and make them take their eyes off combat. Through communication or luck when they drop their shield to peek, a poleman can poke them or another archer can shoot their face. Siege engines are great sitting ducks as well. Know your engine types, how many minimum it takes to operate, and battle scenarios (resurrection).
Unit Commands:
Listen to your team mates. Let them know you are behind them. They can block incoming shots with shields and otherwise protect you from poles, and spears. In some cases you will hear a command like, “Take out the King!”, do your friends a favor, take the King out! Your team is surveying the opponents strengths, and your job is to help them eliminate the opponents defenses so progress can be made. Participate in pre-battle scrums and know what the overall strategy is. Good commanders use all the tools available of which combat archery is an effective one.
Surveying the Situation:
Sometimes it helps to look at the bigger picture. Survey the area. There may be a spearman in front of you but do you have a lack of shields on the front line right now? Can an opponent archer wipe your side out? Then take out their archer. Is there about to be a breach in the opponents defense somewhere you are not? Lobe a shot or two in support and help clear their path. The defense may not be expecting it and exposing opportunities.
In the end, making the opponent frustrated or angry isnt the goal. But if they do get frustrated they will do things like suicide, or break ranks. This is when you know you are doing your job, I give you exhibit A:
