i find this thing hard to believe, there is no definition of ranged power anywhere. post a link to the thread you took this from, would ya?
Alas, it seems we don't keep track of "HOW" things were.
I can list a few elements though :
In old days :
-There was no wpf reduction from Armor Weight. (hello tincan archers)
-There was no slot limitation. (hello LongBow + 2 bodkin + Longsword)
-Bows had better accuracy. (hello easy headshots)
-There was something admirable called "jumpshot".
-Arrows and bows weighted less, so kiting was permanent.
-Some lads brought ladders in BATTLE, allowing range something terrible, called "roofcamping".
-Armor was "very" expensive, but there was no upkeep. Most people used low to medium armor. Archers were happy.
-Horses were also expensive, and it was quite rare seeing good dedicated cav. Archers were happy.
Put all thoses elements together, add some "renowned" archers, like Birdman or Chimp on EU, 3 famous DRZ at least (Kesh is still playing ? Haven't been on NA for a looong time), and see that those were definitely the age of archery.
As for the quote, it was made by dear cmp. A developper, and in no way an archer lobbyist. His posts hold truth. Always.