In fact if you want to protect yourself from balloons just switch xbows to air+ground, I've received numerous max lvl balloon + minions attacks and they have not managed to 2-star this base.
I'm trying the new design as well but I think the original one is more "deceiving", has longer xbow range and better bomb placement. I've been through 5 wars and never been attacked until I changed the design this last war. 31 hogs, 34% dmg. Not bad, but needs more testing.

