When you play HOARD in hoard mode, after a few minutes there is so much activity its insane. There are places where you can survive...until wizard towers appear that is. They are the tower looking things with the spark balls on top.
They have an attack radius - fly near and they shoot.
Until later in the game. When they seem to shoot no matter - even if they are almost off screen. One can be avoided mostly, but when there are 3 or 6, you die.