My Go-To TH9 Army Setup
Alright, so I wanted to share what I’ve been running lately at Town Hall 9. Getting consistent three stars can be a bit tricky, right? I messed around with a few things, but I’ve settled on something that’s been working pretty well for me, mostly a variation of a Golem and Hog attack. Took some practice, but here’s how I do it.
Building the Army
So, first things first, cooking up the troops. Here’s what I typically load up:
- Golems: Usually two of them. They just soak up so much damage, lets my other guys work.
- Wizards: I bring like 8-10. They are key for clearing buildings behind the Golems and helping take down enemy troops.
- Wall Breakers: Gotta have these. Maybe 4-6 depending on the base layout I’m hitting. Need to open up that first layer.
- Hog Riders: The main punch! I fill up most of the rest of my camp space with these guys, usually around 20-24.
- Archers/Minions: Just a few, maybe 4-5 total, for cleanup at the end. Don’t want to time fail!
- Heroes: Barbarian King and Archer Queen, obviously. Gotta have them leveled up as much as possible.
For spells, it’s almost always:
- Heal Spells: Three of these are essential for keeping the Hogs alive through splash damage and giant bombs.
- Jump Spell: One jump spell really helps my Golems and Heroes get deeper into the base, right where I need them to go, usually towards the enemy Queen. Sometimes I swap this for a Rage if the entry looks easy.
- Poison Spell: One poison, maybe two if I expect tricky Clan Castle troops like witches or lots of archers.
Clan Castle: I always ask for max level Hog Riders in my CC, and another Poison spell. Those extra hogs make a big difference.
Executing the Attack – Step-by-Step
Okay, so I’ve got my army ready. Now the attack itself.
Scouting is Key: Before I even drop a troop, I look hard at the base. Where’s the enemy Archer Queen? Where’s the Clan Castle? Can I lure the CC troops easily? Where are the likely spots for Giant Bombs (usually spaces between defenses)? I try to plan where my Golems will go in to draw fire and where my kill squad (Golems, Wizards, Heroes) will path to take out the Queen and CC troops.
Phase 1: The Entry and Kill Squad
I start by dropping the two Golems spread slightly apart on the side I decided to enter from, usually the side closest to the enemy Queen. Immediately after, I deploy a line of Wizards behind them to clear the outer buildings. This creates a funnel so my Heroes don’t walk around the outside. Once the funnel is set, I use Wall Breakers to bust open the first wall layer. Then in go my Barbarian King and Archer Queen. As they move in, I drop the Jump spell to give them access to the core and the enemy Queen/CC area. If the CC troops come out, I use my Poison spell on them, maybe stacking the CC poison too if needed.
Phase 2: Hog Rider Deployment
This part needs good timing. Once the enemy Queen is down, or at least targeted by my Queen, and the CC troops are dealt with, I start sending in the Hog Riders. I don’t just dump them all in one spot. I usually deploy them surgically, in groups of 4-5, targeting specific defensive clusters around the base. Sometimes a two-finger drop works if the defenses are laid out for it. The Clan Castle hogs go in too, usually following one of the main groups.
Phase 3: Healing and Spells
As the Hogs move through the base, I watch them like a hawk. I drop Heal spells proactively over areas where I know they’ll take heavy damage – near Wizard Towers, Bomb Towers, or where I suspect Giant Bombs might be. Good heal placement is probably the hardest part to master, took me ages. You want to cover the Hogs as they move into the damage area, not after they’ve already taken the hits.
Phase 4: Cleanup
If the attack went well, the Hogs will clear out most defenses. As the last few defenses fall, I sprinkle in my remaining Archers or Minions around the edges of the base to start cleaning up the leftover buildings. This helps make sure I don’t run out of time.
Practice and What I Learned
Seriously, it took practice. My first few attempts were messy. Sometimes my funnel failed and the Queen walked off. Sometimes I dropped my Heals too late, or Hogs hit a double Giant Bomb I didn’t expect. The key was just trying again, watching replays (mine and others), and figuring out where I went wrong. I learned to be more patient with the kill squad deployment and really focus on predicting the Hog pathing for my Heals.
It’s not foolproof, some bases are just tough for Hogs, but this army feels pretty reliable now for war attacks at TH9. Gets the job done most of the time if I execute it right. Hope sharing my process helps someone else out there struggling with TH9 attacks!
