Squad Formations, Counters & Lineups

#The counter triangle

Tank beats Missile → Missile beats Aircraft → Aircraft beats Tank.

The countered side takes noticeably less effective damage, about 20%. Sources describe it slightly differently (a damage cut vs a damage boost plus a cut), but the advice is the same: in PvP, don't attack into a counter. Counters matter much less against zombies, where raw hero strength wins.

#Same-type bonus

Using heroes of the same troop type gives the whole squad bonus HP, Attack and Defense:

That's why almost everyone builds mono-type squads.

#Front and back rows

Squads have 2 heroes in front, 3 in back.

• Front: Defense heroes that soak damage.
• Back: Attack and Support heroes.
• Never put a damage dealer in front just because their power number is high. Missile squads especially fall apart without a solid front line.

#Proven lineups

#Squads 1, 2 and 3

• Squad 1 is usually Tank on a new account.
• Squad 2 is usually Aircraft.
• Squad 3 is Missile, or whatever counters what your enemies field most.

Only start Squad 2 when Squad 1 is stable: main heroes set, stars climbing, legendary gear and research caught up. One guide notes Tanks dominate a server's first couple of months, and Aircraft rise later.

#Troop tiers

T11 troops add roughly 5–10% over T10. They need a later season, HQ 27+, Barracks 35 and Armament Institute research.

See also: Hero Tier List, Rallies & Attacking.

#Sources

Compiled from community guides (last checked October 2026). Several are run by top-up shops, and numbers change with updates and differ by server, so double-check anything important in game.

• Heaven Guardian: Squad Lineups
• Heaven Guardian: March and Rally Guide
• AllClash: Best Team Formations
• Last War Tutorial: Squads
• Cpt Hedgehog: T11 Troops