Newbie question: When do melee weapons become useful?

[AirToob]

I'm still playing my first game, in easy learning mode, probably through 9 or 10 winters.

In the early stages a marauder broke into my settlement and was dealt with by a settler with a melee weapon.

Ever since then the entrance to the settlement is well protected, with battlements above and around, and all fighting is done very successfully by archers.

There are two reinforced doors, one behind the other, which they have to penetrate while being shot at by the archers. So far, the first door is sometimes slightly damaged before the marauder is killed.

In harder mode games, when and in what circumstances can I expect to have to use settlers with melee weapons in fighting?

[Rabies]

Melee troops are really only useful at the beginning on any difficulty setting. Once you've got those walls up and enough archers the melee troops can just sit around drinking while the showboat archers get all of the glory,

[AirToob]

Ah so! That's helpful to know for future games, thanks.

[Etxxu]

Originally posted by Morbious:

never know might need melee with maces to kidnap other settlements settlers once the option becomes released
:P cant really kipnap after puncturing a lung via arrows :))

You can kidnap? :0

[galadon3]

Originally posted by Etxxu:

Originally posted by Morbious:

never know might need melee with maces to kidnap other settlements settlers once the option becomes released
:P cant really kipnap after puncturing a lung via arrows :))

You can kidnap? :0

You can't, he was speculating about possible future updates

[Wantoomany]

A prison system is on the roadmap. So having weapons that can keep prisoners in line without killing them would be useful.

[Wurzellium]

Originally posted by rj1963:

Melee troops are really only useful at the beginning on any difficulty setting. Once you've got those walls up and enough archers the melee troops can just sit around drinking while the showboat archers get all of the glory,

Your archers still shoot? missile combat was taken out in the last update.

[Rabies]

Originally posted by Wurzellium:

Originally posted by rj1963:

Melee troops are really only useful at the beginning on any difficulty setting. Once you've got those walls up and enough archers the melee troops can just sit around drinking while the showboat archers get all of the glory,

Your archers still shoot? missile combat was taken out in the last update.

I can't see why that would happen. Mine work just fine.

[AirToob]

Originally posted by Wurzellium:

Originally posted by rj1963:

Melee troops are really only useful at the beginning on any difficulty setting. Once you've got those walls up and enough archers the melee troops can just sit around drinking while the showboat archers get all of the glory,

Your archers still shoot? missile combat was taken out in the last update.

If that were true the game would be unplayable and people would be screaming, I think!

You can see from the OP that it isn't a problem for me, and I suspect neither for most other players.

[Impos]

all my settlers crossbow if my aim 0-15, big crossbow 15+, playing hard on surv mode. 1 fight was so hard when enemy come 20 ppl 12 of them was hard snipers, so had to make best armor and walls with barricade now im good)