When it comes to Clash of Clans, choosing the right troops for your defensive Clan Castle can make or break your base’s success in defending against attacks. With each Town Hall (TH) level, the best troop combinations change, since you have access to more space for troops. Here’s a breakdown for every level—from the early-game TH2 to the intense TH16.
Clan Castle Levels 1-2 (Town Hall 2-5)
Starting with the basics, here’s what to consider.
Town Hall 2-3 (Clan Castle Level 1)
Top Pick: Baby Dragon
- The Baby Dragon shines early on due to its splash damage and air advantage, as few offensive troops can target it effectively. As an air unit, it can’t be targetted by common ground troops like Barbarians.
Alternative Options:
- Valkyrie & Minion: The Valkyrie delivers ground splash damage, while the Minion hovers safely above.
- Balloons: If a Baby Dragon or Valkyrie isn’t available, two Balloons provide splash damage from above, though they’re a bit slower.
Town Hall 4-5 (Clan Castle Level 2)
Top Pick: Baby Dragon + 5 Archers
- The Baby Dragon’s splash pairs well with Archers, adding to the DPS while keeping some distance. This combo works especially well when the Archers can hide safely behind walls.
Other Effective Combos:
- Witch + 3 Barbarians: The Witch excels without the threat of Poison spells at this level, allowing her skeletons to tank. She can stay alive in the backlines while the Barbs and Skellies do the manual labor up front.
- Valkyrie + 7 Archers: The Valkyrie’s durability and the Archers’ range create a great defense.
Clan Castle Level 3 (Town Hall 6-7)
Top Pick: Baby Dragon + Valkyrie + 2 Archers
- This combo offers versatility with splash damage from the Baby Dragon and Valkyrie, along with added ranged support. Having three different troops also means there are 3 different move speeds of your clan castle troops, leading to some interesting enemy targeting mechanics.
Other Effective Combos:
- Witch + Valkyrie: Skeletons spawn and distract, while the Valkyrie deals splash ground damage. It’s similar to the Witch + Barb strategy but is more lethal.
- Dragon: Although rare for defense, the Dragon can be surprisingly effective at this stage, with powerful hits and resistance.It can easily clean up clumps of Barbarians or Archers that are trying to infiltrate your base.
Clan Castle Level 4 (Town Hall 8)
Top Pick: Baby Dragon + Witch + 3 Archers
- Combining Baby Dragon’s splash with a Witch’s skeletons is ideal for crowd control. This combo effectively puts four different units on the battlefield and covers air, land, melee, and ranged attacks!
Other Effective Combos:
- Witch + Valkyrie + Balloon: The Balloon’s air splash can be especially helpful.
- Ice Golem + Baby Dragon: The Ice Golem tanks and slows enemies, allowing the Baby Dragon to maximize its damage output.
Clan Castle Level 5 (Town Hall 9)
Top Pick: Lava Hound
- The Lava Hound absorbs attacks and when it pops, its Lava Pups deal solid damage over time. It largely serves as a tanky distraction while your base defenses output the majority of the damage.
Other Good Choices:
- Two Ice Golems: Their freezing effect on death delays attacks, slowing down enemy troops. This is another distraction tactic to delay the enemy’s attack.
- Ice Golem + 2 Headhunters + 3 Goblins: The Headhunters target heroes, while the Goblins provide extra distraction. They can do chip damage while the Golem tanks the majority of the incoming attacks.
Clan Castle Levels 6-7 (Town Hall 10-11)
Top Pick: Lava Hound + Balloon
- The Lava Hound and Balloon combo excels at this level, using Lava Pups for additional pressure. If the Hound gets targeted by enemy forces first, the Balloon will have free range to deal damage.
Alternative Options:
- Two Ice Golems + 5 Archers: Great for slowing down attackers while dealing steady damage.
- Anti-Dragon Combo: Two Witches, a Headhunter, and five Archers are perfect for countering Electro Dragons, spawning skeletons to distract and delay.
Clan Castle Level 8 (Town Hall 12)
Top Pick: Lava Hound + Headhunter + 4 Archers
- The Headhunter provides focused hero damage, while the Lava Hound absorbs hits and adds Lava Pups.
Other Options:
- Ice Golem + Inferno Dragon + Headhunter: The Ice Golem tanks while the Inferno Dragon’s beam ramps up damage, making it particularly effective against heroes. You’ll notice the Headhunter is a staple at these higher TH levels to help weaken the enemy heroes.
- Electro Titan + Headhunter + Archers: High health and consistent damage make the Electro Titan a formidable choice.
Clan Castle Levels 9-10 (Town Hall 13-14)
Top Pick: Three Ice Golems
- Three Ice Golems soak up time and space, forcing attackers to work around them or risk running out of time.
Other Strong Choices:
- Ice Golem + Lava Hound: The Lava Hound’s pups and the Ice Golem’s freeze effect offer a balanced combination.
- Two Super Minions + 3 Headhunters + Archers: Ideal for countering Queen Walks, this mix provides substantial damage and hero-targeting.
Clan Castle Level 11 (Town Hall 15-16)
Top Pick: Three Ice Golems + 5 Archers
- This setup is one of the most effective for slowing down attackers at TH15+, with each Ice Golem adding layers of delay. Opposing forces will have a tough time eliminating all three Golems before your Archers and defenses can put in serious work.
Other Choices for Variety:
- Two Ice Golems + 2 Rocket Balloons + 4 Archers: Rocket Balloons provide quick strikes, ideal for defenses against fast-moving enemies.
- Electro Titan + 3 Headhunters: Electro Titan’s high health and aura damage make it a reliable choice at this level.
Defending your Town in Clash of Clans
Each Town Hall level has unique troop synergies to fit different defensive strategies. Try experimenting with these recommendations to see what works best for your base. As you level up, revisiting your Clan Castle defense setup will keep you a step ahead of attackers.
Stay tuned for updates with new Town Hall levels and troop options that could change the defensive landscape in Clash of Clans.
