Skirmishers engaged raiders before they could reach the towns. Although these units typically suffered huge losses, they never lacked volunteers.

Fallen Empires

Icatian Skirmishers

Bands, first strike
All creatures that band with Skirmishers to attack gain first strike until end of turn.

First strike; banding (Any creatures with banding, and up to one without, can attack in a band. Bands are blocked as a group. If any creatures with banding you control are blocking or being blocked by a creature, you divide that creature's combat damage, not its controller, among any of the creatures it's being blocked by or is blocking.)
Whenever Icatian Skirmishers attacks, all creatures banded with it gain first strike until end of turn.