KEY POINT:
I do not recommend using Hog Rider attacks until you have them at level 3 or above. The Hog Rider level 1 and 2 are instantaneously destroyed from a giant bomb, while level 3+ require a second hit for a total destruction. Using Hogs level 1 or 2 is too risky to lose an entire army in a single giant bomb shot.
Characterization:
What might seem like a random placed troops attack, is in fact really strategical and analytical army composition - Hog Riders!
Essential things you need to know about hog rider attacks:
- ALWAYS lure out the troops from the clan castle before you start to deploy all your army. NEVER deploy your hog riders in an attack without luring the clan castle, unless it is empty.
Note: Even if there was added the Poison Spell, you still HAVE TO lure the cc out. You never know when a dragon is hiding there, that cannot be killed by the Poison Spell. NEVER only count on the Poison Spell to finish off the opponent's cc troops.
- Always locate the 2x2 spots from the base. If these are only one by one, then they shouldn't represent a problem for your army. However, if these are at least 2 empty 2x2 spots in the base (possible 2 giant bombs), then you need to think the attack better for how to activate those. Example:
In this case the opponent has 2 empty spots of 2x2 which you don't have any information about. What you can do is to get advantage of the way the hog riders attack: they head to the defensive unit closest to them. Therefore, in this example if the hogs will go on the mortar, then on the X-Bow. Well, in this case the 2 bombs (if there are any) are useless and cannot harm the hogs. The hogs, in the given example, will go on the Mortar - X-bow - air defence, getting far of the giant bombs, if there are any.
ONLY use healing spells for your hog riders. NEVER take rage spells because they do not stay for long enough in the same place. A healing spell well placed helps them much more than a rage could. For the last spell slot provided by the Dark Spell Factory, take a Poison Spell for the CC!
ALWAYS put your healing spell in front of the hogs, where you anticipate they will head. Hog riders will always attack the defensive unit which is closest to them, so you can use this in your advantage to place the healing spell favourable for your attack. Example:
NEVER deploy your Barbarian King or Archer Queen to deal with the Clan Castle UNLESS the archers which you brought with you were not enough to deal with the troops. In this case, you can also deploy a hero to help finish the Clan Castle troops.
Things to consider BEFORE attacking somebody with hogs:
When it is possible (case REVENGE or WAR), check the range of the clan castle to identify the spots where you can deploy hogs to drag the CC troops out of the castle. ALWAYS have at least 1 such spare spot, in case the main one is protected by a Hidden Tesla. Personally, I prefer to look for all the possible such spots and attack the base with at least 2 of them in my mind. Example:
Check the whole base of the opponent and always have in your mind a place where you can drag the CC troops to kill them, outside the range of any defensive unit whenever it is possible. SUGGESTION: If you have the possibility, set this place to drag the CC troops in a way so the hog riders will also be deployed from the same spot. By doing this, you will assure the archers will be protected and you will keep cleaning the garbage buildings.
Army composition suggestions:
**TH8: ** -32 hogs (level 4) -36 archers / 32 archers (level 5) -2 wall breakers / 4 wall breakers (level 4) -3 healing spells + 1 poison spell -5 hog riders in the CC TOTAL: 200 troops in camps + 25 troops in CC **Note: **The wall breakers are for the king to move easier through the base. In some attacks you may lose the hogs pretty fast, so having these wall breakers can be the key to get the king to the TH.
**TH9: ** -35 hogs (level 5) -37 archers (level 6) -4 wall breakers (level 5) -4 healing spells + 1 poison spell -6 hog riders in the CC TOTAL: 220 troops in camps + 30 troops in CC Note: The wall breakers are for the king+queen to move easier through the base. In some attacks you may lose the hogs pretty fast, so having these wall breakers can be the key to get the king and/or the queen to the TH.
**TH10: ** Even if I do not support hog rider attacks against TH10 bases, I will also propose an army composition for this town hall. -37 hogs (level 5) -39 archers (level 7) -8 wall breakers (level 6) -4 healing spells + 1 rage/freeze spell + 1 poison spell OR 5 healing spells + 1 poison spell -7 hog riders in the CC TOTAL: 240 troops in camps + 35 troops in CC Note: The wall breakers are for the king+queen to move easier through the base. In some attacks you may lose the hogs pretty fast, so having these wall breakers can be the key to get the king and/or the queen to the TH. Note2: Inferno Tower BLOCKS the effect of the healing spell. You might want to consider that before starting an attack against a th10 with multi target inferno towers. Note3: You might want to take a rage or freeze spell for the area with the infernos to speed up the destruction or freeze the defences.
Time to attack!
- After you dealt with the CC troops by dragging them into a corner, you can start to deploy the hog riders. How you deploy them is based on the arrangement of the defences within the opponent's base. The hog riders NEED to be placed in the opposite side from where the defender heroes are, so that when the hogs reach the other side of the base and finish the defences, they will also deal with the heroes. If the hogs are placed where the defender heroes are, then those heroes will chase the hog riders through the whole map, and when/if the hogs reach the other side of the base, the heroes will head back to their original spot, winning nothing from this strategy. By doing this, the defender heroes hurt the hogs but still remain a danger for the 100% attack.
In the image above, the attacker deployed the hog riders in a long line on the right side, so that they will finish the base where the Archer Queen is placed.
I will repeat this, healing spells HAVE to be placed in front of the army of hogs, where they will head, based on the closest defensive units.
ALWAYS have the plan B. It happens that the hog riders do not survive the entire enemy base. Also, we all know how naive our two heroes can be, so if you don't make a clear path for them to the Town Hall, they will just go on the side of the base and ignore the centre. This is why I take few wall breakers with me, for this situation. Having at least 4 wall breakers should allow you to go through 2 layer of walls, which should be enough at least for the Queen to attack the TH. So by doing this, even if the attack failed and there are small chances for 3 stars, at least you will secure the second start for the attack. After the hog riders cleared the path to the TH, you can start to deploy wall breakers in packs of 2, following the heroes to be placed.
Your army should have around 40 archers in it. From these 40 archers, around 30 of them will be used for the CC troops. In case you are left with some archers, DO NOT place them all in the same spot, so you won't risk losing all due to a trap.
