TH18 attacks are less about a magic army and more about a clean plan
At Town Hall 18, strong bases are built to punish a rushed entry. A familiar army can still triple, but only when its first job is clear: remove a problem defense, make a lane for the main force, or keep the core from pulling your troops the wrong way. Decide that job before you deploy a hero.
In Supercell’s July balance update, Dragon armies led by Dragon Duke and Dragon Riders were the most-used TH18-versus-TH18 war army in its reviewed data, at roughly 20% of attacks. Add Healer-backed Throwers, and those two attack families made up roughly 40%. That does not make either army automatic; it makes them the right starting point to learn and adapt. Read Supercell’s balance notes.
The useful question is not “What is the one best TH18 army?” It is: Which entry gives me a safe route through this base? Use the guide below to match the base shape to an attack plan, then run the plan in a friendly challenge before you put it on the war map.
Quick answer: pick the attack plan that matches the base
| What you see | Start with | Your win condition |
|---|---|---|
| Air defenses and sweepers leave a readable flight lane | Dragon Duke + Dragon Riders | Create an air funnel, remove the defenses that break the route, then keep the main force moving through the core. |
| Long ground lanes with compartments that can be opened in order | Healer-backed Throwers | Build a wide funnel so the throwers walk into the base instead of around it; protect their support from splash damage. |
| One dense side offers huge value but the rest of the base is awkward | Hero value first | Use the opening to remove the target area, then choose the main army’s route only after the funnel is secure. |
| You are learning the base or testing a new army after an update | Friendly challenge | Repeat one entry until the pathing, spell timing, and cleanup all make sense. A safe practice hit beats a blind war hit. |
1. Dragon Duke and Dragon Riders: the air plan to learn first
This is the clearest air family to practice because the decision tree is simple: find the side that lets the Duke take value without walking into every trap, then make sure the Dragons and Riders have a route that does not split them across the base. The entry should earn something specific—an air-defense cluster, a high-value compartment, or a clean line through the core.
Do not treat the Duke as a button you press at the first open edge. Start by looking at sweepers, pathing, likely trap zones, and the defenses that can stall the air force. The July balance update reduced Dragon Duke’s trap-damage resistance and made small top-level reductions to Dragon Rider health and damage. In plain terms: cleaner pathing and smarter spell timing matter more now than a fast, hopeful send.
Mark the lane
Choose the side that removes the most air pressure without dragging the main army sideways. A lane with a clear exit is better than a flashy entry with no cleanup path.
Build both edges of the funnel
Use your heroes and a small amount of support to clear the outside buildings on both sides. If one edge is left alive, the air army can drift and lose its route.
Spend spells on the moment that decides the hit
Hold your key spell for the core defense or packed damage zone that actually stops the army. Spending everything on the entry is how a strong start becomes a two-star.
2. Healer-backed Throwers: the ground answer for a planned lane
Throwers with Healers were the other major TH18 attack family named in Supercell’s data. They reward a patient funnel. The point is not to drop the whole army in one place; it is to make the first compartment obvious, keep the support alive, and stop the main group from walking around the base’s outside ring.
Before you commit, identify the splash-heavy area and the first wall layer that could force the group sideways. If your entry cannot deal with those two problems, move the entry. A slightly lower-value start that sends the army straight through the middle is usually better than an expensive start that leaves them circling the perimeter.
3. Two alternatives worth testing after the July balance update
Electro Dragons
Supercell gave top-level Electro Dragons a small health and damage increase in July because they were underperforming among the popular war armies. That is a reason to test them into a base with a suitable chain path—not a reason to force them into every layout. Check whether the base gives them connected buildings and whether your entry can deal with the sweepers before you commit.
Meteor Golem
Meteor Golem and Meteormites received the largest buff in the same update after Supercell said earlier balance changes had pushed the unit too far down. If you enjoy ground planning, this is a good time to bring the army back into friendly challenges. Keep notes on what the split and merge actually does against your clan’s TH18 layouts; your own replays are more useful than a copied army name.
How to scout a TH18 base in 60 seconds
- Find the target area. Pick the defense cluster, Town Hall side, or core that needs to fall for your plan to work.
- Draw the first two troop paths. Where do your funnel troops go, and where does the main army go immediately after them? If either answer is vague, the plan is not ready.
- Circle the danger zone. Mark the sweepers, splash damage, likely traps, and compartments where your healers or air troops can be punished.
- Choose one spell-saving moment. Name the core moment you will protect before the attack starts. It prevents panic spending.
- Leave cleanup space. The three-star is often lost outside the core. Keep one edge or a small troop group ready for the buildings that survive the main push.
The five mistakes that turn a strong TH18 army into a two-star
- Copying an army without reading the base. A popular army is a toolbox, not a route.
- Starting the main force before the funnel is visible. Give the first troops time to remove the buildings that would pull your army away.
- Using every spell in the first thirty seconds. The core still has to be crossed.
- Ignoring the exit. A path through the middle is not enough when the final defenses sit behind the army’s line of travel.
- Practising only the perfect target. Friendly challenges against different base shapes teach faster than repeating one comfortable hit.
Build a simple TH18 practice routine
Keep two attack families ready: one air plan and one ground plan. For a week, run each only against bases where it has a believable route. After every hit, write down one reason it missed: funnel, spell timing, hero value, core pathing, or cleanup. Those notes become a better guide to your own account than swapping armies after every failed attack.
Pair that practice with current layouts. Our TH18 base layouts give you a useful range of shapes to study, while the troop max-level guide helps you decide which army upgrades improve your next war roster.
TH18 attack strategy FAQ
What is the best TH18 attack strategy in 2026?
There is no one army that solves every base. Supercell’s published TH18 war data highlighted Dragon Duke-led Dragon armies and Healer-backed Throwers as the two most-used attack families. Start with the one that gives you the clearer route on the base in front of you.
Did the July balance update change TH18 attacks?
Yes. Dragon Duke and Dragon Riders received careful reductions, while top-level Electro Dragons, Meteor Golem, Meteormites, and Druids received buffs. Re-test old plans instead of relying on an older replay or guide.
How do I get better at TH18 attacks quickly?
Stop changing the whole army after one miss. Repeat the same entry in a friendly challenge, change one decision at a time, and learn why the troops chose the wrong path.
Should I use air or ground at TH18?
Use air when the base gives you a clean flight lane and a controlled entry. Use ground when you can build a real funnel through connected compartments. The base decides first; the army follows.
Need a TH18 target to plan against?
Open a fresh layout, run the 60-second scout, and take your plan into a friendly challenge before war day.
Browse TH18 Base Layouts →