I would take it that is why I've heard a "naked archer" wave recomended? Defending archers continue moving up ahead of defending warriors. So in that case using warriors/workers/ram as layers with attacking archers would work since the archers would move ahead of those slower units (stopping to shoot at the token cav & pike/sword that regen from last wave). Or in that case would their stopping to shoot screw the pooch by allowing the warrior layer to move ahead of archers and delay the defending archers?

On the ATs yeah I was thinking more in terms of compact defense where attacking archers have a choice of targets between ATs & archers.