lavaloon:
LavaLoon (Lava Hounds with Balloons:
I’m rather new to this strategy and will admit that its very hit or miss for me. Ideally you use this strategy vs a TH9 that doesn’t have maxed air defense. For this strategy you certainly need max balloons and ideally level 2 lava hounds although I’ve seen it used with level 1 hounds. Please add your perspective to this strategy as I’m sure my version is only one of many ways to use it.
For troops its very straight forward. I cook 4 lava hounds, 5 archers and the rest are max balloons. I always bring max loons in my clan castle. Spells are all rage spells. The archers are to help lure CC troops when possible. Some bases have an impossibly centered castle and you may end up losing far too many troops trying to lure but I always recommend luring then you can.
Start by dropping 2-3 balloons to lure out the enemy CC troops. Once you are sure they are out, drop an archer in the corner. Keep dropping archers if you need in order to pull the enemy troops into the corner. Once they are close to the corner, drop the remaining archers and then drop the Archer Queen and she will likely decimate the enemy troops while they are distracted by the archers. Rage her if you need to in order to ensure she keeps her health high.
Now chose the 2 air defenses you will target to destroy and drop about 10 balloons on each of those air defenses and drop a rage spell in between your balloons and the air defense to ensure the loons rage quickly to the air defense. Now drop 2 lava hounds on each of those air defenses that your loons are raging towards. Your hounds will enter the rage and quickly move to the air defense as well. By now both of those air defenses are down and 2 of your 4 lava hounds may have popped into numerous lava pups. The pups should be distracting and attacking the enemy heros which are likely centered on the base. Watch to see where your loons and hounds are heading next and drop the remaining CC loons and a rage to take out the 3rd of 4 air defenses. You should have enough loons and hounds/pup left to now rage the remaining troops to the final air defense for a 3-star kill.
This is a dangerous strategy. Since loons and hounds target only defenses, and you’re brining no other troops that will work on buildings, mines, etc, its common that this strat yields a flub or a flop. It seems like you either get 3 stars or flub/flop with it. Some will argue you should rage the lava hounds first and then drop your balloons which is opposite of this write-up above. I would recommend watching many youtube videos and practicing before you try it I war.
If you add one more lava hound you can drop the 5th hound with your CC troop loons on the 3rd of 4 air defenses with a rage spell and they call this modification to lavaloon “Penta-Loon”.