Base Creation - Offset Queen
Published: December 22, 2015
Why is offset Queen used in a TH9 Base? It's due to the fact that moving a queen away from the remaining defenses, allows there to be a separation between the Strong Heroes/Golems that would have otherwise tanked the base, With the Queen Zone or the Offset Queen being where she is, it is almost like a mutual exchange before the fight even begins, a "you now have an opinion of taking my queen out in exchange for your King, will you do it", while you are fully prepared to trap the King inside. When it comes to base building, it's about limiting the options and making it hard for the enemy to decide which direction they would come from. In this guide, I'm not going to explain too much when it comes to storage usage as it's touch upon the 'mind' game aspect of the Queen Defense.
The key factors is to know how many buildings are there going to be exchanged for the Kill Squad, Will the Queen Jump, and the mind games of forcing the attackers to consider "Should I bring an Extra Golem?" or "Do I need a Jump?".
The key factors is to know how many buildings are there going to be exchanged for the Kill Squad, Will the Queen Jump, and the mind games of forcing the attackers to consider "Should I bring an Extra Golem?" or "Do I need a Jump?".
Basics to Offset Queen, the 3 Tile Distance
When it comes to building and Offset Queen 'Island', you need to take into account the fact that Queen has a two tile walking radius around her altar, while her shoot range is 4 tiles away from where she is standing. Walling her off based on these facts is important, due to the fact that if enemy troops come within her range, there is a possibility that your Archer Queen will Jump the Wall, and engage with the enemy troops, leaving her vulnerable.
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One Tile: For One tile away, might as well not be considered an "Offset Queen". The Queen can easily already jump the wall without a lure, so if you have any defenses located on the side of which there is only 1 space between the defenses, and the Altar, then watch it.
Two Tile: With two tiles, the queen as she is moving along, won't jump the wall as she is scouting around her altar. But if there are any defenses along the side of having two tiles over, remember the fact that Queen shoots at a 4 tile distance, so because of her being behind that wall and let's say Golem are in the range, pounding at the AD, she WILL jump the wall in order to be able to reach the Golem, making her vulnerable to King. Three/Four Tiles: Here is the place of which majority of base builders do when it comes to making the Queen Walled off. With 3 Spaces, you can put storages to tank for her, defenses to cover, as well as the fact that she will not jump the wall if there are any enemies within her range. |
Defenses Buildings Needed for Queen Zone
When it comes to the 'Queen Zone', there is a certain number of defenses you can put in and around (more on that later) a Queen Zone which makes strong or weak. There is a certain 'ratio' of defenses which you want to place or near the Queen zone which makes it better or worse. For example if you have two wizard towers near your offset Queen, and they come in with a Golem + King Kill Squad, then your 'Kill Zones' opposite of the Queen side, will lose 2 valuable air AoE DPSes. So that's the reason why having Wizard Towers anywhere along the path of Queen Zone or near it is bad. Similar case, if you have both X-bows covering Queen, then you lose that value of which Xbows can cover. So within this image, it shows how to build a base with the correct 'amounts' of defenses.
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BARE MINIMUM/Required: One Archer Tower, One Cannon, One Mortar
When it comes to building the Queen Zone, the BARE minimum amounts of defenses which your Queen needs to have around her is these three butters. Doesn't matter how or what you build, need at least this minimum amount of defenses to target something around the Queen. (White) One or the Other/Defense against Suicide Dragons: There is a tactic of using 2 Dragons to Kill the Queen, so in your Queen Zone, you need to take into consideration how to defend against the Air Attack. You can use other an Air Sweeper, or and AD (+ a seeking depending on the position of the AD).
Pros of AD beside/Near Queen:
Pros of AS protecting Queen:
Using one, allows the other to be free and place more coverage for the Kill Zones of the bases, if you use both, then the missing value of both being absent from the Kill Areas is not worth it. Optional Additions: When it comes to the optional additions, it VERY much depends on the positioning of the defenses, whether it's already targeting the Golem from the beginning, or being placed at the Adjacent Compartments beside the queen, it's all about finding the balance between the exchange.
For example, If you have a Cannon, an Archer Tower targeting a Golem (including Archer Queen), with junk buildings being only just barracks, most likely wizards can funnel the Golem within 10 seconds. BUT with additional single target defenses such as another Archer Tower, an Xbow on this Golem, AND you include 5 Storages outside the offset Queen with more junk buildings, that is almost over 500hp per second on this Golem, which is plenty of time to destroy. With just an addition of two point defenses for example, and junk buildings, you have forced the opponent to consider bringing a second Golem in order to tank more. This is one of the many mind games which base builder's tools has. Specialized Additions: A Tesla, Wizard Tower, Spring Traps(MAXIMUM 2)
When it comes to the specialized extra defense buildings, like what I've explained before, most of these extras have a better use towards protecting the Kill Zones rather than being taken down along side the Queen. Buildings that are specialized CAN still be used beside the Queen, but it's about the balance between if enemies to take this out with the ground troops, or you want more emphasis on the other zones. The reason why for example a Second AD, or second Xbow CANNOT be put along side with the Queen is due to the fact that the exchange between if these buildings go down along side the other defenses and queen, makes the lose of value more than for it being within the other areas which could have been used to target hogs and loons. The Second Xbow for example (first already covering Queen), would do well being in the Kill Zone, against hogs AND against Ground troops if they enter in from that area, but if the Second Xbow covers the Queen, the Kill Zone loses out on DPS, and if the enemy kills it along side the Queen, it just isn't worth the exchange in terms of defense. |
So when it comes to the amount of defenses you want within the Queen Zone, it really depends on how well you want the defenses to be cover the certain area. Although these amount of buildings apply for 90% of the ratio of what you should do when it comes to building a good Queen zone, don't take this as the ironclad rule since the fact that there is also other small factors such as the strength of the Kill zones, back end hogs, easy Queen Walk areas, which placement of defenses is really important. There might be some bases which have 3 teslas beside the Archer Queen for example, which goes against this 'defense needed' explained here, but if it's made with the fact that ground troops will not benefit if they do enter in from this side, then the exchange is meaningful. Remember the fact that it's about finding the balance of exchanging Defenses for enemy Troop space and spell spaces.
Single Layered vs Double Layered Queen
There are currently two types (maybe a third one) of effectively placement of building an Offset Queen/Queen 'Island'. The first type is the main type where almost majority of base builder choose to do, which is the Two Layer around the Queen. This is the fact that if they wish to go for the Queen Kill, they first have to go through 2 layers of walls which there is a chance of the wall breakers blowing up to Single Bombs, which could mess up an attack. Single walled Queen isn't as popular due to how easier it is to get your Queen, and also the fact that you can't force them to use a jump like with a double layered, BUT with single layered Queen, it saves ALOT of walls which could be used to reinforce other parts of the base as well as the fact that it doesn't put emphasis as much on Queen since she is brittle anyways.
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Example of Single Layer
Single Layered Queen
Pros:
Cons:
* so instead of having defenses around the whole Queen to be brought down with her, the buildings can be used such as the example, where it's half part of the Kill Zone, half part of the Queen Zone. ** Instead of using One/Two Golems to funnel into killing the Queen, and using another 4-6 WBers to get into the compartments, Single Layer allows less Troops to be used. |
Example of Double Layer
Double Layered QueenPros:
Cons:
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So when it comes to designing a Queen Compartment, both Single and Double Layer really depends on the base designer's skill to pull off the right things. Using storages to block the funnel and stalling for time is a simple tactic, but it's also too simple which could lead to less hp buildings to protect the other sides of base.
The Surrounding Area of 'Queen Zone' is still Connected to Queen Zone
When you are building the Queen, and the around surround the queen, you need to consider the fact that buildings around the Queen reaching over by wizard or Enemy Queen range is still considered part of the Queen Zone. Just because there is a thin line of walls or large amount of storages doesn't mean the buildings around are safe. Also the fact that if you put for example two ADs on the left side of the Queen, the enemy can still bring their Ground Squad to kill the ADs and getting their value's worth before Jumping (spell) into your queen's area and killing her.
In this image for example, the bottom left side AD is part of the Queen, no denying it, but just because the top AD is separated by storages, or that cannon at the north is behind the town hall, doesn't equate to it being safe. It needs to be outside the range of a Queen sniping from behind the wall in order to be safe. For that reason is why for example the Ground Xbow at the north side is considered half within the Queen Zone, but at the same time, it's more directly connected to the top side in terms of it's positioning.
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Don't Place Important DPS Zones (Kill Zones) Adjacent to the Queen
Depending on troop pathing, there is a reason which is why there is a [30% Queen, and a 70% 3 AD] ratio when it comes to base building (explained in another page). What you don't want to happen is for there to be an exchange in defenses which enemies can get the same amount of DPS buildings for the same price which typical Queen Killing troop composition consists of. That "Surrounding Zone" must be further away from the Queen, with 5 space gap so that a Jump spell cannot be placed, or have it so that coming in from this direction may not pull the Queen, and it's that uncertain factor which you have to place into consideration when it comes to making base designs.
Here is a fake base, explaining why it's not a good idea to place the highly valued DPS building close to the Queen. Looking at this demonstration base, you can see the fact that a normal Queen Killing can still be done from the east side. BUT if you consider the fact that there is an AD just south of the Queen Zone, and you can easily do a jump spell, bring an extra Golem within this "DPS zone" and bringing in a jump and very well be worth the investment for the attackers. This demonstrates the reason why yes, it's important to have a Queen Zone, but it's also very important to see if the Queen Zone touch or is close to any other adjacent zones. Having central Tesla Farm for example, makes it easy for enemy attackers to Jump to them.
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In conclusion, you must consider the Price of which the enemy has to pay if they decide to Queen Kill, in exchange for how many defenses they can get with the exchange. Give them too many defenses, and it's too beneficial for enemies to Queen Kill along side your defenses. You need to limit the amount of balance.
