Th8.5?

[darkedgex]

I have a 2nd account that is nearly a maxed TH8 (one tesla left to upgrade to max; the rest is walls, all other structures already maxed, most lab work finished except for some dark troops/spells and lightning spell). I've been thinking, since I am consistently matching TH9's in war in our small 10v10 wars we do that it might be wise to try this TH8.5 thing I've seen in the forums.

First, if there's a thread describing this in detail, I'd love a pointer (searching turned up a lot of discussions on the concept, but I didn't see anyone who had done a guide/explanation). =)

Second, is it worth it? My understanding is that you hold off on x-bows and instead focus on upgrading all offenses (clan castle, army camps, barracks, spell factories). You can also safely get the archer queen, yes? Adding the additional air defense (and other defenses, minus x-bows) should be okay as well?

I just hate sitting on all this elixir and dark elixir. :P Thoughts?

[Wreckingcrew]

I have a 2nd account that is nearly a maxed TH8 (one tesla left to upgrade to max; the rest is walls, all other structures already maxed, most lab work finished except for some dark troops/spells and lightning spell). I've been thinking, since I am consistently matching TH9's in war in our small 10v10 wars we do that it might be wise to try this TH8.5 thing I've seen in the forums.

First, if there's a thread describing this in detail, I'd love a pointer (searching turned up a lot of discussions on the concept, but I didn't see anyone who had done a guide/explanation). =)

Second, is it worth it? My understanding is that you hold off on x-bows and instead focus on upgrading all offenses (clan castle, army camps, barracks, spell factories). You can also safely get the archer queen, yes? Adding the additional air defense (and other defenses, minus x-bows) should be okay as well?

I just hate sitting on all this elixir and dark elixir. :P Thoughts?

I didn't do a true 8.5 route as I built all the defenses except for xbows and 12 weeks later, I still don't have them and honestly, I don't feel the need to get them just yet. My offense is up there and all my Camps, CC, SF were all done first. For War, I am the Top of my clan and I'm consistently matched up with a TH9 with x-bows and weak troops. Now, I'm not consistantly 3 starring these guys yet as I'm still learning GoHo, and I got my Lavahouds to 2 this morning so There will be GoLaLoon practice in my future. Their attacks on me are mostly one star and about 20% of the time its 2 stars with a GoWipe that they get to the core. (55% cheap 2 star)

I feel that doing Offensive first gets you more comfortable in attacking the weaker TH9's earlier on as as you progress you see tougher TH9's defensively that still have the same weaker offense. The 8.5 route doesn't "game" the system as much anymore because they weight walls heavier but I still think, Once I plant my x-bows, I'm going to see better offense TH9's instead of the early stage ones with weak walls and troops.

[Echo006]

If you are consistently matching TH9s in war as a TH8 doing TH8.5 won't give you any advantage at all, except a slightly weaker TH9.

[Rahle]

I didn't do a true 8.5 route as I built all the defenses except for xbows and 12 weeks later, I still don't have them and honestly, I don't feel the need to get them just yet. My offense is up there and all my Camps, CC, SF were all done first. For War, I am the Top of my clan and I'm consistently matched up with a TH9 with x-bows and weak troops. Now, I'm not consistantly 3 starring these guys yet as I'm still learning GoHo, and I got my Lavahouds to 2 this morning so There will be GoLaLoon practice in my future. Their attacks on me are mostly one star and about 20% of the time its 2 stars with a GoWipe that they get to the core. (55% cheap 2 star)

I feel that doing Offensive first gets you more comfortable in attacking the weaker TH9's earlier on as as you progress you see tougher TH9's defensively that still have the same weaker offense. The 8.5 route doesn't "game" the system as much anymore because they weight walls heavier but I still think, Once I plant my x-bows, I'm going to see better offense TH9's instead of the early stage ones with weak walls and troops.

Seriously, I have no need to answer. They did it for me, my exact way of thinking.

I have ALL defenses to th 8 max right now (even new stuff), and almost always matched with th 9 with xbows and low heroes. I can almost always 2 star the th 9s with a few 3 stars mixed depending on if they have double gbs or not. Goho has been pretty decent for me recently. Trying to get queen higher for golaloon but is only 9 still. Only reason I could have found to need the xbows would be for loot defense, but it's more my base design then anything. Just took a quick internet base and ran with that. I am in crystal all the time with th outside so no real need to have better.

[Wreckingcrew]

If you are consistently matching TH9s in war as a TH8 doing TH8.5 won't give you any advantage at all, except a slightly weaker TH9.

At the end of TH8 when I was maxed except for the EQ spell upgrade, I saw a TH9 at the top of the clan we were at war with about half the time. Most of the time they were an early TH9 and were quite established yet. There defenses were TH7/8ish and yes they had their x-bows but the could be beat with Hogs. It really came down to their troops. Some didn't have an AQ yet or even Golems unlocked so they would still try to mass drag and hope for the best.

I say play the game the way you want and have fun. If you want to Try 8.5, Go for it. You can always add your X-bows in if you feel its not working for you.

[LogarTheGreat]

I have a question, what level should your Barbarian King be at before you upgrade to TH9? I am in a similar situation as OP.

[Klavious]

I have a question, what level should your Barbarian King be at before you upgrade to TH9? I am in a similar situation as OP.

I think BK should be 10 before heading to 9 so you can put all early DE at TH9 to AQ. I mean if you couldn't farm the DE at Th8 to get the King to 10, why do you think it will be much easier to feed TWO heros at TH9?

[Klavious]

As for the 8.5 route I didn't follow it strictly as I did throw down new defenses and x-bows fairly early but I probably devoted over 75% of my builder days to elixir upgrades (lab, spell fact, DBs, drills, Camps) and AQ whenever I got enough DE at TH9 and only 25% of builder days on defensive upgrades until I was done or mostly done with the elixir stuff.

Most of the time I had 3-4 builders working on elixir, 0-1 builder on the queen, 0-2 builders on defense upgrades. All "free" gold was put into finishing skulls before I started a builder on elixir/AQ.