Alexander: Suggestions for fighting off sieging archers?

[LeeTheAgent]

Currently, I'm being sieged by a large persian army at Halicarnassus. I've got about 5 units of mainly phalanx units inside, and they have around, I can't remember, maybe 7 units of archers. I'm close to broke, so I can't really afford any merc units, and my nearest army could make it in a turn or two, but that's mainly phalanxes too (naturally). If I sally forth from the city, they don't bother trying to take the town square, and don't approach the walls. My only missile units are javelins, which don't have close to the range, even on the walls. If I send my cav out, they get chewed up quickly, and the archers can wear out my phalanxes if I send them, and their cavalry can attack the flanks.

Long story short, what should I use to counter this massive archer army? I'm afraid even if I bring in my second army, they'll get chewed up too.

[-LSD-]

You might have solved it by now, but if not, put a single unit of javs in loose formation and stick them ahead of your army. Not too far ahead that they'll be run down by enemy cavalry, but far enough ahead that the AI will target them first. Let the archers waste all their ammo, and then pull the javelins back. The rest of your army can destroy them now.

[LeeTheAgent]

You might have solved it by now, but if not, put a single unit of javs in loose formation and stick them ahead of your army. Not too far ahead that they'll be run down by enemy cavalry, but far enough ahead that the AI will target them first. Let the archers waste all their ammo, and then pull the javelins back. The rest of your army can destroy them now.

Ah, that's a good idea. I haven't gone back to that game yet, got absorbed in a Brutii campaign. I'll be sure to try it... I assumed the javs would get torn up by the archers too, but I guess I can micro them in and out to help. Thanks!