[Guide] The different types & styles of resource protecting
<tl;dr>
There are three types of bases to protect resources: Divide, cloister, vault.
Best farming bases combine some of the types.
No pretty pictures or videos, it's ALL in written form, OMG?!
</tl;dr>
There are many ways to create a base that has the purpose of protecting your resources. Yet all designs, the way I see them, boil down to three different philosophies or some combination of them. Most succesful bases combine the types on various degrees. I will use in this thread as an example two well known designs and as the third, my own design. All the examples aren't "pure" specimens of their type but combinations of the types but still clear enough to figure the differences.
The types and observations are my own opinions, treat them as such ;) These examples use TH8 & 9 as the default on amount of defences and containers. Adjust accordingly to lower TH levels.
Common themes on all well designed "farming" bases
All the containers that one wants to protect:
1. Are protected by at least a single wizard tower and is within the range of one or more mortars.
2. Are behind at least one or more walls so that an archer can't attack it without breaching the wall.
3. Are air protected.
Point defences are usually more to the outer rim to provide the first strike. Wall breaker AI is taken into account by cloistering and proper T-junctions as much as possible. Clan Castle is typically in the middle of the fort, though in some cases it can be a problem in few rare occasions. Deployment is pushed away from the walls.
TH outside. Often used as a deployment blocker, which I find the best option. Some like to put it in a corner in hopes of a cheap shield without any collateral damage.
Type 1: Divided assests.
Idea behind the design: it's better to lose one or two containers than all of them.
Good side is clearly the limited damage. In order to attack evenly all containers, one has to attack the base from three or four sides, which divides the pressure to any point by three or four, thus allowing, in case of weaker attack, a succesful (nothing lost) defence. The distance between the containers can vary from only one or two buildings apart up to almost opposite end of the area.
The clear downside of this type is that you have divided also your defences and walls to equally protect three or four separate entry points. This leaves your base vulnerable to a more focused attack. The goal of such an attack isn't to try and take all but focus on one or two areas, thus increasing the odds of getting third/fourth of the loot with weaker attack.
Example of this design: Jun's Pokeball.
Type 2: Cloistered and slightly divided center
Idea behind the design: equal protection to all containers but limiting the damage in case of breach.
Good side of this ideology is that you firstly limit the even remotely succesful attacks as much as possible and in case of things going wrong, there's still hope to not lose all. These bases can fend off more easily a weaker attack than the divided base. Also, launching a distributed attack, even with higher force, often fails to breach deep enough to get any of the resources.
Downside on the other hand is that a well made piercing attack can potentially get some or all resources. The direction of attack is next to impossible to predict so all sides ought to be close to equal. Leaving an obvious weakness to one side and trapping it heavily can work nicely on such base.
Example of this design: Ping's Tesla Theme Park
Type 3: Vaults
Idea behind the design: protecting all or some containers from any harm as long as possible.
Good side of such is clearly the even higher protection, compared to the other two, to resources up to a point. Almost all walls and defences are dedicated to protect relatively small area, so the amount of firepower in the core can take out just about anything. You can fend off even more attacks completely compared to the other two types.
But there's also the problem: up to a point. In case there is a proper breach, you risk losing it all on one go. The higher you go up in trophies, the bigger the risk.
Most people think I'm crazy for advocating such designs but so far it has served me better than any other type.
Example of this design: My Vault & V2
Afterthoughts on farming bases
No desing is perfect. No base can withstand everything. Better upgraded walls and defences make a big difference but the design still determines quite some of the battle. There is no spoon. Pick your trophy range according to your base "level" but also on your attack style.
And there we have it. Yet another long post with wall of text and no pictures... What did you expect? Now go protect them resources and farm like a pro.
Clash on, folks.
