Dragons or Balloons

[plaverty24]

In my clan, we were debating whether to use balloons or dragons in war. This is only a war question, so first the context is we only care about winning, not profiting. Second, we're talking about 10 L2 dragons and 40 L5 balloons. In doing the math, it seems the balloons are a better choice.

The numbers are:

10 L2 Dragons:
160*10 = 1600 damage per second
240*10 = 2,400 damage per attack
2100*10 = 21,000 hitpoints

40 L5 Balloons
108*40 = 4,320
432*40 = 17,280
390*40 = 15,600

That's a pretty bid difference in the damage per attack and a pretty decent difference in hitpoints. The dragons last longer but the balloons can do more damage. Knowing those numbers, which would you choose? Or does it depend on what the defenses are?

[bbdoc]

It's not only about damage points, but about the AI. Baloons will target defenses, while dragons will target anything. People usually drop minions behind their baloons to handle the additional buildings as far as baloons have already removed defenses and air bombs.

Then it all depends on the setup of the base you are attacking. Some bases will work out better with dragons, other with baloonion. You have to learn how both work, and understand what their path might be into the base so you use it correctly.

I have loons 6 (minion 5) and dragons 4... Sometimes use full drags (even if most of the time keeping a few loons in the compo), sometimes use loonions in CW. I can't say one is better than the other, they both work fine if you use it well against the right base.

[IDBGOD28]

If we are talking war, IMO loonian isn't really a 3 star strat unless the base can be exploited. In most cases they are better for pushing or farming if we are talking straight up mass loons.

They are a great support troop though, and very useful to mix into certain armies (especially with drags). As stated above drag AI can be extremely dumb sometimes so it's great having a high HP unit like drags (or a hound) tanking damage from AD's while your loons can go to work on the defenses.

In terms of mass power, Drags usually have the best chance to 3 if we are talking lower than TH9. If you are talking 10 drags/40 loons that sounds like TH8 with 200 camp space to me. Go drags (with maybe 5 max loons in CC if you can, or another drag).

TH9 and higher, in all fairness both probably are 2 stars at best as you will seldom get the 3 with either unless the base is very vulnerable to air or not laid out properly.

Also loons are much better at max lvl. Since this topic is primarily in reference to TH8 drags are the way to go

Or lvl 4 hogs if you have them.

[patrmac04]

I don't think these are two mutually exclusive options. In our clan wars we see a lot of good attacks using both balloons and dragons. You use the dragons to tank and once the AD starts to fire, you release the loons after with a rage to take out AD.

Basically a lava hound before you can get lava hounds... once past th8 you can get 2-3 stars on a good th9 base with balloon lava hound and minions

[plaverty24]

It's not only about damage points, but about the AI. Balloons will target defenses, while dragons will target anything.

I guess my question about that part is why is that a problem? Once the balloons wipe out the defenses, they then get everything else. Sometimes, my dragons die because they're pausing to take out a storage while an AD pummels them. I wish they'd bypass the mine or storage or builder hut and go attack the thing that is shooting at them.

I'm not trying to make a case one way or the other, I'm just trying to understand it all best. I like your explanation that some bases are better with dragons and some with balloons. That's something I'll have to learn more about. It just seems that if I total up the levels of air defense on a base, once you start getting over 14 or so, it gets increasingly difficult to impossible to get anything more than one star with either dragons or balloons.

[ForgiveMeNot]

In my clan, we were debating whether to use balloons or dragons in war. This is only a war question, so first the context is we only care about winning, not profiting. Second, we're talking about 10 L2 dragons and 40 L5 balloons. In doing the math, it seems the balloons are a better choice.

The numbers are:

10 L2 Dragons:
160*10 = 1600 damage per second
240*10 = 2,400 damage per attack
2100*10 = 21,000 hitpoints

40 L5 Balloons
108*40 = 4,320
432*40 = 17,280
390*40 = 15,600

That's a pretty bid difference in the damage per attack and a pretty decent difference in hitpoints. The dragons last longer but the balloons can do more damage. Knowing those numbers, which would you choose? Or does it depend on what the defenses are?

If you are attacking TH8, lv2 dragon is lot better than lv5 loons unless you are a good loonion user.

Personally, i prefer loon because i am a loonion user ... and also because anti-dragon base is so easy to setup.