Lava Hounds are useless!

[hiitsmichael]

While the idea of a troop that targets air defenses and acts as a distraction for dragons/balloons is nice in theory, in practice they're basically useless. Most people put thier air defenses in a relatively small cluster near the center, so when a lava hound goes in it's usually being shot at by several of them all at once. Not to mention archers, wizard towers and any air bombs encountered along the way. So even with their huge hitpoint value they're typically dead in a matter of seconds. So they're neither effective as a distraction nor a viable option for taking out air defenses before sending in your air troops. Can't believe I wasted so much time and elixer on these.
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This is an interesting theory of yours considering 90% or more of all high level three stars since the addition of skeleton traps are achieved by lavaloonion, they serve a purpose just like all other troops

[Ruroshin]

Did someone say you cant use Lava Hounds with centered Air defense? http://youtu.be/Yq-YET-jyCE

[Daddy]

I was discussing this with Howie and Twister just the other day - I felt that on defence at a high level they are really good, but for air attack the 60 spaces for 2 hounds wasn't worth it however it seems they are actually being used really well to three star bases along with loons and minions.....it's normally REALLY rare to there star a max base.

[victort]

Still getting the hang of them myself --- after a few fails, I can their see their use, and am getting better --- worth persevering with, plus all those pups --- like getting an extra squad of minions....


Also not too bad on defense .... I've been attacked with one in the cc, and those tiny pups, took out a dragon, and altered the course of another away from my cc ......


Plenty of vids on youtube, that could show you how best to use them ....

[willsolvit]

While the idea of a troop that targets air defenses and acts as a distraction for dragons/balloons is nice in theory, in practice they're basically useless. Most people put thier air defenses in a relatively small cluster near the center, so when a lava hound goes in it's usually being shot at by several of them all at once. Not to mention archers, wizard towers and any air bombs encountered along the way. So even with their huge hitpoint value they're typically dead in a matter of seconds. So they're neither effective as a distraction nor a viable option for taking out air defenses before sending in your air troops. Can't believe I wasted so much time and elixer on these.
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This is assuming that people put their ADs in a small cluster in the center, which you said yourself not everyone does.

They may be useless to your skills, but not to everyone.

[sj74]

If you send them in first to destroy the AD before deploying your balloons/dragons then yes they are useless. They were never intended to do the damage they are a distracting troop like the golem. The main difference compared to the golem however is that hounds have a preferential defensive target and as such can fly away from your main army and be killed before the main force gets to the danger zone. For this reason timing is very very important when using lava hounds. They can be used against bases with peripheral or centred AD (in fact centred AD is sometimes easier) but they need to be deployed at the exact right time so that they reach the AD trigger zone a second (or less) before the rest of your air troops hit it. This, as is the way with all troop uses, becomes easier to judge with practice.

[Growler]

They are actually very good. They distract the AD, Archer towers, wizard towers and soak up air traps.

They don't last too long, but while they do they create a huge amount of diversion and protect your balloons a lot, then they spit out pups to further buy you time. Balloons can then destroy large numbers of defenses whilst untouched. They do require some strategy and timing, but imo they are pitched just right.

They are great on defense as well.

[smartyclash]

lava hounds are not useless , there Is a way of using them . you don't have to deploy them 1st , deploy them with the rest of the troops for example - in lavalonion you have to deploy them with the loons and the minions . if you deploy them 1st then all the defences will definitely take em down . leaving lava hounds with other troops work great as some of the damage will also be absorbed by the loons and minions and lava hounds will get time to take down the air defences

[IamNSC]

Watch ClashWithEd.

4400/4500 Cup Champion player, 3 starring max bases with lavahounds.
getting 84% on a maxed base without hero use only with lavahounds.


They're far from useless. Most people just don't know how to use them.
But its true that you will greatly benefit from freeze spells and 240/35 slots.

[Superfinch30]

I suck with them. But having spent the last week at 4000🏆s, guys there love them.
Lots of times i got 2 starred, quite a few limited to 1, not one fail with hounds on me, compared to 3 from gowiwipe.
Started putting all my air mines on the king side of base, where all the air attacks come from, thats when started limiting to 1*.
Forgot to fill CC, and someone attacked from the other side.....99% loss.
They do not suck. Max heroes suck in the wrong hands, gowipe sucks in most hands. Its a strategy game, use some.