Post by jamie on Dec 1, 2014 10:41:58 GMT -6
Here's a breakdown of the path I've been using after upgrading to TH9. But first, a little breakdown of where I was at in TH8 before I upgraded.
At the end of TH8, I had maxed all defenses for TH8. All Barracks, & Camps maxed as well. All pumps, mines, storages, etc. maxed as well. I had maxed all spells & elixir troops, besides the Pekka level 3 upgrade. I left him at level 2 to save the 6 million Elixir for the transition to TH9. I'm a wall person, so I finished TH8 with 225 level 8 walls - Black Skulls. For Dark Elixir troops, I had my Barb King at 7, Hogs 2, Minions 3, and the rest at level 1.
Once I moved to TH9, here's my upgrade path:
*Note, I entered TH9 with storages about maxed (6 million gold, 6 million elixir, and ~34k DE)
**My strategy is based on maxing DE production as quickly as possible, so those troop upgrades and hero upgrades are easier as TH9 rolls along.
Once TH9 is on the map, immediately add all new storages, archer tower, wizard, wall pieces, etc. The only exception I made was to add one X-Bow and wait until I had 40k DE to add the Archer Queen. I then got all walls up to level 6 to be respectable (pink crystals).
From there on, here's what I did / am doing:
Builder 1
Laboratory, Spell Factory, then I upgraded the new Wizard Tower, Archer Tower, Elixir Storage, & Gold Storage to match my existing defense & storage levels (max for TH8), Archer Tower level 11, Archer Tower level 11, Archer Tower level 11, Archer Tower level 11, Archer Tower level 11, Archer Tower level 11.
Builder 2
X-Bow, X-Bow, X-Bow level 2, X-Bow level 2 (I stopped the X-Bows there because it's 7 million to go to level 3 and I don't have the new storages maxed) Wizard Tower level 7, Wizard Tower level 7, Wizard Tower level 7, Wizard Tower level 7, Dark Barrack level 5, Dark Barrack level 5, Dark Barrack level 6, Dark Barrack level 6.
Builder 3
New Air Defense, AD level 2, AD level 3, AD level 5, AD level 5, AD level 6, AD level 7, AD level 7, AD level 7, AD level 7. (Note, I already had 3 @ level 6)
Cannon level 11, Cannon level 11, Cannon level 11, Cannon level 11, Cannon level 11, X-Bow level 3, X-Bow level 3.
Builder 4
New DE Pump, DE pump level 2, DE pump level 3, DE pump level 4, DE pump level 4, DE pump level 5, DE pump level 5, DE pump level 6, DE pump level 6. (Note, I already had 1 @ level 3) Army Camp level 7, Army Camp level 7, Army Camp level 7, Army Camp level 7
Builder 5
Mortar level 7, Mortar level 7, Mortar level 7, Mortar level 7 (Note, I already had 4 @ level 6) Tesla level 2, Tesla level 3, Tesla level 4, Tesla 5, Tesla level 6, Tesla level 7, Tesla level 7, Tesla level 7, Tesla level 7. (Note, I already had 3 @ level 6)
Misc:
As I've said before, I'm a wall guy, so I slowly upgrade walls to get all of the 25 new ones added at TH9 to get them to level 8, Black Skulls. I also slowly upgrade new traps, large bombs, etc. along the way.
Elixir Troop Upgrades:
Barbarian level 6, Archers level 6, Balloons level 6, Pekka level 3, Giant level 6, then max the healer, heal spell, lightning spell, and jump level 2.
Dark Troop Upgrades:
Minion level 4, Minion level 5, Hog Rider level 3, Hog Rider level 4, Hog Rider level 5, Witch level 2, Lava Hound 2, Golem level 2, Golem level 3, Golem level 4, Valkyrie level 2, Valkyrie level 3, Valkyrie level 4.
Heros:
I will keep upgrading the new Archer Queen until she matches my King in levels, then alternate between the two of them until they are maxed for TH9.
Now... for the learning curve at TH9:
The loot system drastically changes up at TH9, you can no longer raid TH7 and TH8 at 1200-1300 trophies and find lots of loot. I've found that I find a decent average raid (100k+ gold & 100k+ elixir) in the 1450-1600 range because there's a decent amount of TH8 & TH9 bases in this range that don't have X-Bows. Believe it or not, I also find a decent amount of abandoned bases up there as well. I don't venture higher that 1600's when I'm sitting on some of the big gold, elixir, or DE amounts it takes to do some of the TH9 upgrades because higher TH9 and TH10 can level a beginner TH9 or even a middle TH9 base.
For looting raids, I usually a really, really simple troop composition and never stray from it. It's fast to train, cheap, and reliable, especially once your barbs & archers are at level 6. Total training time is about 15 minutes:
Barrack 1: 2 Bombers, and the rest all Barbarians cued to max
Barrack 2: 2 Bombers, and the rest all Barbarians cued to max
Barrack 3: All Archers cued to max
Barrack 4: All Archers cued to max
By the time I return from a looting raid (and hitting next a lot of times) I usually already have 50-60 done and ready for the next round. If I didn't use any bombers, which I often don't, I go into each barrack thats already in productions and max the cue again. If I used bombers, then I go into the first two barracks I am using for Barbs, delete the cue, add two bombers to each, then max the barb cue again.
For when raiding for an hour or more (as time sometimes allows) I do everything I recommend above in the Elixir Barracks, plus I use the two Dark Barracks and max each cue with Minions. They cut a full army training time to about 10 minutes.
*Note, I use minions because they are fast, cheap, and perfect for taking out an annoying Barb King. If you are following my troop make-ups above, you will go into each battle with about 30-40 of them. Be sure the archers and barbs knock out the AD's closest to any storages, and drop the minions in a swarm at the end of a raid to collect everything left in the storages.
I think that's everything. As I said, I'm in the middle of this plan myself, so I will make edits / updates along the way if I hit roadblocks. I'd appreciate any feedback or tips you have as well!
Jamie
BTW, here's a picture of the base I used when I began TH9.
At the end of TH8, I had maxed all defenses for TH8. All Barracks, & Camps maxed as well. All pumps, mines, storages, etc. maxed as well. I had maxed all spells & elixir troops, besides the Pekka level 3 upgrade. I left him at level 2 to save the 6 million Elixir for the transition to TH9. I'm a wall person, so I finished TH8 with 225 level 8 walls - Black Skulls. For Dark Elixir troops, I had my Barb King at 7, Hogs 2, Minions 3, and the rest at level 1.
Once I moved to TH9, here's my upgrade path:
*Note, I entered TH9 with storages about maxed (6 million gold, 6 million elixir, and ~34k DE)
**My strategy is based on maxing DE production as quickly as possible, so those troop upgrades and hero upgrades are easier as TH9 rolls along.
Once TH9 is on the map, immediately add all new storages, archer tower, wizard, wall pieces, etc. The only exception I made was to add one X-Bow and wait until I had 40k DE to add the Archer Queen. I then got all walls up to level 6 to be respectable (pink crystals).
From there on, here's what I did / am doing:
Builder 1
Laboratory, Spell Factory, then I upgraded the new Wizard Tower, Archer Tower, Elixir Storage, & Gold Storage to match my existing defense & storage levels (max for TH8), Archer Tower level 11, Archer Tower level 11, Archer Tower level 11, Archer Tower level 11, Archer Tower level 11, Archer Tower level 11.
Builder 2
X-Bow, X-Bow, X-Bow level 2, X-Bow level 2 (I stopped the X-Bows there because it's 7 million to go to level 3 and I don't have the new storages maxed) Wizard Tower level 7, Wizard Tower level 7, Wizard Tower level 7, Wizard Tower level 7, Dark Barrack level 5, Dark Barrack level 5, Dark Barrack level 6, Dark Barrack level 6.
Builder 3
New Air Defense, AD level 2, AD level 3, AD level 5, AD level 5, AD level 6, AD level 7, AD level 7, AD level 7, AD level 7. (Note, I already had 3 @ level 6)
Cannon level 11, Cannon level 11, Cannon level 11, Cannon level 11, Cannon level 11, X-Bow level 3, X-Bow level 3.
Builder 4
New DE Pump, DE pump level 2, DE pump level 3, DE pump level 4, DE pump level 4, DE pump level 5, DE pump level 5, DE pump level 6, DE pump level 6. (Note, I already had 1 @ level 3) Army Camp level 7, Army Camp level 7, Army Camp level 7, Army Camp level 7
Builder 5
Mortar level 7, Mortar level 7, Mortar level 7, Mortar level 7 (Note, I already had 4 @ level 6) Tesla level 2, Tesla level 3, Tesla level 4, Tesla 5, Tesla level 6, Tesla level 7, Tesla level 7, Tesla level 7, Tesla level 7. (Note, I already had 3 @ level 6)
Misc:
As I've said before, I'm a wall guy, so I slowly upgrade walls to get all of the 25 new ones added at TH9 to get them to level 8, Black Skulls. I also slowly upgrade new traps, large bombs, etc. along the way.
Elixir Troop Upgrades:
Barbarian level 6, Archers level 6, Balloons level 6, Pekka level 3, Giant level 6, then max the healer, heal spell, lightning spell, and jump level 2.
Dark Troop Upgrades:
Minion level 4, Minion level 5, Hog Rider level 3, Hog Rider level 4, Hog Rider level 5, Witch level 2, Lava Hound 2, Golem level 2, Golem level 3, Golem level 4, Valkyrie level 2, Valkyrie level 3, Valkyrie level 4.
Heros:
I will keep upgrading the new Archer Queen until she matches my King in levels, then alternate between the two of them until they are maxed for TH9.
Now... for the learning curve at TH9:
The loot system drastically changes up at TH9, you can no longer raid TH7 and TH8 at 1200-1300 trophies and find lots of loot. I've found that I find a decent average raid (100k+ gold & 100k+ elixir) in the 1450-1600 range because there's a decent amount of TH8 & TH9 bases in this range that don't have X-Bows. Believe it or not, I also find a decent amount of abandoned bases up there as well. I don't venture higher that 1600's when I'm sitting on some of the big gold, elixir, or DE amounts it takes to do some of the TH9 upgrades because higher TH9 and TH10 can level a beginner TH9 or even a middle TH9 base.
For looting raids, I usually a really, really simple troop composition and never stray from it. It's fast to train, cheap, and reliable, especially once your barbs & archers are at level 6. Total training time is about 15 minutes:
Barrack 1: 2 Bombers, and the rest all Barbarians cued to max
Barrack 2: 2 Bombers, and the rest all Barbarians cued to max
Barrack 3: All Archers cued to max
Barrack 4: All Archers cued to max
By the time I return from a looting raid (and hitting next a lot of times) I usually already have 50-60 done and ready for the next round. If I didn't use any bombers, which I often don't, I go into each barrack thats already in productions and max the cue again. If I used bombers, then I go into the first two barracks I am using for Barbs, delete the cue, add two bombers to each, then max the barb cue again.
For when raiding for an hour or more (as time sometimes allows) I do everything I recommend above in the Elixir Barracks, plus I use the two Dark Barracks and max each cue with Minions. They cut a full army training time to about 10 minutes.
*Note, I use minions because they are fast, cheap, and perfect for taking out an annoying Barb King. If you are following my troop make-ups above, you will go into each battle with about 30-40 of them. Be sure the archers and barbs knock out the AD's closest to any storages, and drop the minions in a swarm at the end of a raid to collect everything left in the storages.
I think that's everything. As I said, I'm in the middle of this plan myself, so I will make edits / updates along the way if I hit roadblocks. I'd appreciate any feedback or tips you have as well!
Jamie
BTW, here's a picture of the base I used when I began TH9.
