What are you using in Masters I /II / III ??

[Coldfury]

I'm using Balloon/Minion for my first push to Masters right now.
So far so good, but I wouldn't go so far as to say they're an "easy" 50% because you have to learn what bases to pick and deploy them smartly.
I've been boosting my spell factory, both heroes, and one barracks and am able to attack every 40ish minutes with full spells, heroes, and CC.
I'm using 24 loons, 40 minions, 1 Dragon, and 1 Dragon in the CC.
Spells are lightning, and 3x Rage
I queue up 1 dragon in the boosted barracks followed by Balloons, All Balloons queued in the others. The single boosted barracks gives me a dragon and if I only use 2 spells works out to have all troops ready just slightly after 2 spells. If I use 3 or 4 spells it's just a 5-10 minute wait on spells after troops are done building.

I switched from BARCH over to loons at approx 2200 trophy's and it took me a while to get used to them. I hit a wall at 2300 because I was just dumping them all on one side and raging them in.
I have shifted into a more strategic deployment where I'm taking out key defenses now with 3/4 loons and then rage the rest in for the TH.
I'm only at 2521 now, so bases are getting harder and I'm having to look more towards 50% and just ignore the TH. It's been a mindset shift for sure.

I know you can get away with less spells, but I have one rule and that's to never attack without full spells. I can't count how many times I've gotten that last 1% or 2% with a lightning spell hitting a builders hut or hero altar.

I came up with a pretty cool based design that's been treating me very well so far on defense. I've had 5 attacks in the last 3 days (since I started pushing) and only a single 2 star and the rest all 1 stars. It exploits the AI pretty well and everybody just marches/flies around the outside while my x-bows rip them up. Hogs and Balloons are funny to watch as they just go in a big circle.
Coldfury (Husker Defense) if you want to take a closer look

Just took a screenshot at my current trophy level. Hoping to break into Masters today.



Good luck on your push, I'm going to see how the loot is up in Masters and I might stick around for a little while. I just finished my walls this week, so I'm mostly just waiting on builders to finish my defenses before going to TH10. If I can farm in Masters then I will stick around. If not, I may drop back to Gold I/II to farm

[Coldfury]

I am currently at 2755 trophies.. TH9. I used loons and minions from crystal 2 to Masters. Once I was in masters I started using hogs. I would use 32 hogs, 15 barbs and the rest archers. I would have wiz/ archers in my cc. Anywho, i was getting 1 star on most of my raids which is fine. However, I think I am going to go back to using my 28 loons and 40 minions with 2 rage and 2 healing spells.

I had three raids last night for a total of 25 trophies.. 1 -2 star and 2-2 star. wake up this AM to a 91% 2 star loss. -20 trophies... I guess it is all part of being a th9 this high.

GOOD LUCK!!

One thing I discovered was pushing up so fast leads to some potentially painful revenges. I had a 2 star revenge attack from a guy at 2300 trophy's when I'm now at 2500. Hit me for -31 trophy's. ouch

[BIGbunnyEARS]

hey man im currently farming in Master 2 range using Balloons and Minions . I will tell you this - do not deploy CC and Heroes right away wait untill the bulk of your attack is over and then use them to save your raid if you need to.

Also when luring: i say use about 3-4 loons to target an airial defense turret while destroying it you will also lure out all CC
Next you want about 5 archers to drag the queen and CC to the corner ( Slowly deploying archers ) - After you lightning DEF troop, Drop 1 ! i say 1 << Balloon as soon as the queen locks it spawn a nice amount of minions they will reck her no matter what level she is // And then it is time for clean up spread ur loons nicely making sure they will target air def and archer tower or wiz towers with a good spread on minions to avoid or triiger red bombs .
This strategy works so WELL - if you land anywhere from 42-48 % it will be really easy to use heroes n CC to snag the win' If you land in 38 % range then you can still win ! but it might cost the remainder of your HERO life barb king for shield CC right behind them and usually queen for the free percentile.

This is my strat HOPE it helps man .

[Inquisitor]

How do fellow th9s stand on defense?

I m getting roughed up each time I log off.

Last night, I watched in amusement how a hogger from master 2 dismantled my "anti hog" base for 98%.

Is it better to put the town hall outside?

[Coldfury]

How do fellow th9s stand on defense?

I m getting roughed up each time I log off.

Last night, I watched in amusement how a hogger from master 2 dismantled my "anti hog" base for 98%.

Is it better to put the town hall outside?

I don't have much data because I've only been attacked a handful of times through the Crystal leagues on my way up. Personally I'm thinking anything less than a 3 star is a victory.
As far as putting TH outside, there are two possible outcomes. You get a nice guy who will just grab it and say thank you and move on, and the other is you give an easy victory to somebody who now has no risk of loss in attacking you full on.

Honestly there's no way to know what's ultimately better because it's kind of an odds thing.

[rjdofu]

How do fellow th9s stand on defense?

I m getting roughed up each time I log off.

Last night, I watched in amusement how a hogger from master 2 dismantled my "anti hog" base for 98%.

Is it better to put the town hall outside?

Nope, if you put it outside, even those noobs th9 will jump at you for the easy 2*

[Terraist]

How do fellow th9s stand on defense?

I m getting roughed up each time I log off.

Last night, I watched in amusement how a hogger from master 2 dismantled my "anti hog" base for 98%.

Is it better to put the town hall outside?

I'm using a ringus base and have yet to have anyone more than 1* me with mass hogs, heroes and L5-6 wizards! I suggest switching to one yourself as the most I've lost thus far is 12 trophies, more commonly 6-8.

Thanks again for all the tips. I may try loonions again for a few battles today. Gonna ride a shield for now though while "real life" calls

[Jeezus]

I'm farming arround master I/II, and my favourite troops was hogs, because i could get all available loot with hogs. Sometimes i used baloonion, mass drag or barch, but i can't get all loot with that. So i prefer hogs for farming, i search a base with 2k++DE, easy to find at master I/Ii

[Inquisitor]

I'm using a ringus base and have yet to have anyone more than 1* me with mass hogs, heroes and L5-6 wizards! I suggest switching to one yourself as the most I've lost thus far is 12 trophies, more commonly 6-8.

Thanks again for all the tips. I may try loonions again for a few battles today. Gonna ride a shield for now though while "real life" calls

I was using the ringus, and expert hoggers have cracked it.

They send in heroes first, open up a gap in the ring so the hogs go straight for the core.

[Coopercape]

I would go Ballinions...
Yeah, it may take a long time to train, but even at th7, you can easily 2star th8 bases, with level 6 ballons and some rage spells, its easy...