Ranged Weapons

Learn about Musketeers and Veteran Musketeers in Songs of Conquest. Discover their strengths, weaknesses, the Aim ability, and how to best utilize them in Barya's army.

Hey there! Let's talk about one of Barya's core ranged units: the Musketeers. These guys are pretty straightforward but pack a punch, and understanding how they work is key to using Barya effectively. ### Musketeers Musketeers are your basic ranged unit for Barya, and you can recruit them pretty easily from the Mercenary Quarters. They hit harder than most other basic ranged units, which is great, but here's the catch: they can only fire once before they need to spend a turn reloading. So, while archers might get off more shots in that time, a Musketeer's single shot is usually more impactful. > _"Sure, archers can shoot more volleys while I reload, but it only takes one precise hit to stop the enemy."_ > ~ Efrim Twofingers ### Veteran Musketeers When you're ready to upgrade, you'll get Veteran Musketeers. These are upgraded Musketeers and boast the longest range you can get from any unit in the Mercenary Quarters. You can recruit them directly from an upgraded Mercenary Quarters or by upgrading your existing Musketeers. They're tougher, hit harder, and have a longer range than their basic counterparts. Plus, they get the Aim ability. Aim lets them spend an action to boost their range and damage. This is super useful – you can use that reload turn to set up a more powerful shot or even extend your reach on the first attack. ### Lore It's interesting to see how Barya's approach to ranged combat differs from, say, Arleon. While Arleon sticks with traditional crossbows and longbows, Barya's artificers have gone all-in on gunpowder. > _"Magic? Antiquated. Gunpowder is all the magic my army needs!"_ > ~ Sanaz Trueweight These black powder firearms, while powerful, do take time to reload. The Baryan tinkerers are always working on new gunpowder formulas, even for things like the Hellbreath cannons. Just be careful, as their experiments can sometimes lead to explosive results in their workshops! One thing to watch out for: Musketeers don't have any melee weapons. If they get caught in close combat, they'll just have to whack enemies with the stock of their gun. Because of this, it's always a smart move to pair them with a sturdy melee unit like Pikeneers or Harima Brutes to keep them safe. ### Strategy Musketeers are a really valuable part of Barya's army. They generate a good amount of Order essence, deal significant damage per shot, and are reasonably priced. Just remember that reload turn – you need to plan around it. Since upgrading the Mercenary Quarters only requires a Shop and some Glimmerweave, getting access to Veteran Musketeers is pretty easy. The Aim ability really opens up tactical options, letting you either use that reload turn productively or ensure your first shot has maximum impact.