Introduction to Clash of Clans Townhall 2 to 5 Base Layouts

A well-designed base layout is essential in Clash of Clans for defending against enemy attacks, whether in wars, farming, or trophy-pushing. This guide will cover the best base layouts for Town Hall levels 2 to 5, helping players understand effective base-building strategies. By learning the key principles behind base design, players can also improve their attacking skills by recognizing weaknesses in enemy layouts.

The guide will feature custom-built bases tailored for different purposes, including war bases optimized for defending against common attack strategies, farming bases designed to protect resources, and trophy bases aimed at preventing three-star attacks. These layouts have been developed in collaboration with experienced base builders to ensure maximum effectiveness.

At lower Town Hall levels, defenses are limited, making proper structure placement crucial. The guide will break down the placement of defensive buildings, resource storages, and traps to minimize vulnerabilities. Additionally, it will explain how base designs evolve as players progress, preparing them for higher-level gameplay.

By following the base layouts and design principles outlined in this guide, players can enhance their defenses and gain a better understanding of how to counter different attack strategies.

Key Concepts

Farming Bases:

A strong farming base is essential for players who want to effectively gather and protect their resources in Clash of Clans. The primary goal of a farming base is to safeguard Gold, Elixir, and Dark Elixir (if available), minimizing the amount of resources that can be stolen during enemy attacks. Since resources are key to upgrading buildings and troops, a well-protected base ensures that players can maintain steady progress without significant setbacks from raids.

The placement of storages is crucial in achieving this goal. Storages should be positioned in well-defended areas, preferably near the center of the base. Centralizing them behind multiple layers of walls makes it much harder for attackers to reach them, as they will have to go through more defensive structures before they can even touch the storages. This effectively delays or prevents attackers from getting to the most valuable resources.

Additionally, spreading storages apart in different sections of the base helps ensure that a single attack cannot take all the resources in one go. This creates a situation where attackers are forced to choose between multiple storage targets, often leading to the loss of some resources even if they manage to destroy a section of the base.

Clan Castle troops add an extra layer of defense by disrupting enemy troops before they can reach the core of the base. Depending on what troops are in the Clan Castle, they can significantly change the outcome of an attack. Defensive Clan Castle troops like Archers, Wizards, or even higher-level units like Dragons or Valkyries can inflict substantial damage on attacking forces, especially if they are deployed at the right moment. Ensuring that the Clan Castle is placed in a central or well-protected position within the base allows for the maximum effectiveness of these defensive troops.

Traps should be used strategically throughout the base, especially near high-value storage compartments. Spring Traps are particularly useful for eliminating ground-based units like Giants or Hog Riders that can quickly overwhelm defensive structures. Giant Bombs and Bomb Towers can target groups of troops, causing significant damage to mass attackers like Barbarians or Archers. Seeking Air Mines and Air Bombs can disrupt air units, such as Balloons or Dragons if an attacker decides to focus on an air-based attack. These traps, when placed correctly, can weaken attacking forces and prevent them from getting too close to the storages.

By designing a farming base around the protection of storages, players can maximize their resource retention during raids. With careful consideration of defensive building placement, wall design, Clan Castle troops, and trap positioning, players can create a solid defense that minimizes the loss of resources, allowing them to continue progressing and upgrading without interruption. This strong defensive foundation is key to successful farming in Clash of Clans.

Trophy Bases:

A trophy base is specifically designed to reduce the number of stars an attacker can earn, making it an essential tool for players who want to maintain or climb trophy rankings. The primary objective of a trophy base is to make it as difficult as possible for opponents to secure a high number of stars during an attack. The most effective way to achieve this is by centralizing the Town Hall within the base.

By doing so, attackers are forced to direct all of their resources and troops toward a well-protected area, making it much harder to achieve even a single star. The Town Hall’s high hit points make it a valuable defensive structure, capable of absorbing significant damage and delaying enemy troops while the surrounding defenses continue to deal damage and disrupt the attacker’s plan.

Unlike farming bases, where protecting storages is the main focus, a trophy base shifts the priority towards defending the Town Hall and minimizing the attacker’s progress. While storages are not the primary focus of protection, it can still play a valuable role. By placing storages in areas that complement the defensive structures, they act as secondary tanky objects that can absorb damage from attacking troops. This strategic placement can serve as a diversion, drawing enemy forces away from critical defenses, or delaying their progress long enough for splash-damage defenses like Wizard Towers or Mortars to inflict significant damage.

Defensive buildings in a trophy base should be arranged to provide maximum coverage around the Town Hall, ensuring that attackers cannot easily take down the central structure. Splash-damage defenses, such as Mortars and Wizard Towers, should be positioned to target groups of troops, while high-damage single-target defenses like Archer Towers and X-Bows can be placed in areas where they can focus on larger units, such as Giants or P.E.K.K.A.s. These buildings work together to create a multi-layered defense that makes it difficult for attackers to gain significant ground. Additionally, some high-damage defenses, like Inferno Towers or Scattershots (if available), can be placed strategically to deal with tanky or high-health units that might otherwise push through the outer defenses.

In the end, the goal of a trophy base is to make it as difficult as possible for attackers to achieve more than a single star. A well-designed trophy base creates a challenging environment for enemy armies, forcing attackers to commit more time and effort to their attacks. By strategically centralizing the Town Hall, positioning defenses and traps effectively, and using storages as secondary distractions, a trophy base helps players maintain a strong position in multiplayer battles. It ensures that they are protected from high-level attacks, preserving their trophies and improving their chances of success in the competitive world of Clash of Clans.

War Bases:

A well-structured war base is designed to prevent attackers from achieving a three-star victory, making it a crucial part of clan war strategy. Since war bases are attacked by players using their strongest armies, the layout must be built to counter high-level attacks and disrupt common war strategies.

One approach is to place the Town Hall in the center, heavily protected by defensive structures and traps. This forces attackers to commit their strongest troops early, increasing the chances of stopping their push before they reach full destruction. However, an alternative strategy involves placing the Town Hall slightly outside the core, using its high hitpoints to waste enemy attack time while the main defenses eliminate troops.

Protecting key defensive buildings is essential to ensure they continue dealing with damage throughout the battle. Splash damage defenses like Wizard Towers and Mortars should be positioned to target large groups of enemy troops. Air-targeting defenses, such as Air Defenses and Seeking Air Mines, should be spaced apart to prevent them from being taken out easily by Lightning Spells. High-damage defenses like X-Bows, Inferno Towers, and Scattershots (if available) should be placed deep within the base, making them harder to destroy.

Trap placement is another important aspect of war bases. Spring Traps can remove ground tanks like Giants and Hog Riders, while Giant Bombs can cripple groups of Hog Riders or Bowlers. Tornado Traps work well near key defenses to stall high-damage troops like Electro Dragons or Balloons, allowing defenses more time to take them down.

A successful war base forces attackers into inefficient troop deployment and minimizes the chances of a three-star result. By combining strong defensive positioning, smart trap placement, and strategic Town Hall placement, players can create a base that holds up well in clan wars.

Town Hall Level Specifics

Town Hall 2:

At the foundational levels of Clash of Clans, players are introduced to base building and the core mechanics of the game. Since defenses and buildings are limited at this stage, a single base must serve multiple purposes—acting as a farming base to protect resources, a trophy base to gain trophies, and a war base for clan wars.

With fewer structures available, the base design focuses on maximizing the effectiveness of existing defenses. Walls should be used efficiently to slow down enemy troops, and defensive buildings like Cannons and Archer Towers should be placed to cover as much of the base as possible. Since splash damage defenses like Mortars are introduced later, early bases rely more on single-target defenses for protection.

If a player has a Clan Castle, it should be placed within the base to ensure defending troops can support the base during attacks. This adds an extra layer of defense, especially against early-game troops like Barbarians and Archers. However, since many players at this level may not be in a clan yet, the base must still function well without Clan Castle reinforcements.

At this stage, players are still learning the game, so base design is relatively simple. As they progress and unlock more defensive structures, base layouts will become more specialized, allowing for greater customization based on gameplay priorities.

TH2 Base Layout

Town Hall 3:

At this stage, base building becomes more specialized as players begin to differentiate between farming and trophy-pushing layouts. A dedicated farming base is introduced, prioritizing the protection of resource storages to maximize loot retention. Players focusing on farming should position storages in well-defended areas while placing less important buildings, like Mines and Collectors, on the outer edges to act as distractions.

For those interested in climbing the trophy ladder, a trophy base layout is designed to make it difficult for attackers to secure high-star victories. The Town Hall is centralized to force enemies to commit significant troops to take it down, while defensive buildings are arranged to provide maximum coverage. Strategic trap placement and wall design help disrupt enemy attacks and slow their progress.

Clan Castle troops become increasingly important at this level, offering additional defensive support. If a player has access to strong defensive Clan Castle troops, placing the Clan Castle near the core of the base ensures reinforcements engage attackers early, helping to eliminate key enemy units.

This level is a transition point where players begin to experiment with different base designs, learning how placement affects both defense and resource management. By testing various layouts and strategies, players can refine their approach to base building and prepare for more advanced gameplay.

TH3 Farming Base Layout

TH3 Trophy/War Base Layout

Town Hall 4:

At Town Hall 4, base design becomes more accessible with the introduction of base links, allowing players to easily copy layouts. However, players are still limited to a single home village layout and one war base layout, requiring them to choose which type of defense they want to prioritize. This decision is influenced by whether they focus more on farming for resources or pushing trophies to higher leagues.

Farming bases at this level are structured to protect storages while keeping less important buildings, like collectors, on the outskirts. Defenses are arranged to cover key resource compartments, with splash damage defenses like Mortars positioned to counter swarms of lower-tier troops. Trophy bases, on the other hand, prioritize protecting the Town Hall and making it difficult for attackers to secure two or three stars. The layout focuses on centralized defenses and strategic wall placement to slow enemy progression.

A tactical strategy introduced at this level is the use of extra Builder Huts along the edges of the base. This can potentially delay an opponent’s attack and increase the chance of a time-out, especially if they underestimate the time needed to clear all buildings. This tactic remains useful at all Town Hall levels, particularly in war bases where every percentage point of destruction matters.

As players continue progressing, they gain more defensive options and layout flexibility, allowing them to refine their base designs to suit their playstyle. Town Hall 4 serves as a foundation for learning strategic base placement and understanding how to balance defense and resource protection effectively.

TH4 Farming Base Layout

TH4 War Base Layout

Town Hall 5:

At Town Hall 5, base customization expands significantly, allowing players to create more specialized layouts for different gameplay objectives. With two home village slots available, players can now maintain a dedicated farming base and a separate trophy-pushing base, optimizing their defenses based on their priorities. Additionally, a third layout slot introduces a war base, marking the beginning of more strategic clan war defenses.

Farming bases continue to focus on protecting resource storages while placing collectors on the outskirts. Defensive structures are positioned to cover high-value storage compartments, with splash damage defenses like Mortars playing a key role in countering mass attacks from Barbarians and Archers. Walls are arranged to slow attackers and force them to go through multiple layers before reaching storages.

Trophy bases emphasize protecting the Town Hall, often placing it in a well-defended core surrounded by defensive structures. Strong walls and trap placements make it harder for attackers to secure a two- or three-star victory. Centralizing key defensive buildings ensures that attackers struggle to break through without suffering heavy losses.

The war base layout introduces a more advanced defensive strategy, especially against common low-level war attacks. Air defenses become a primary target for attackers using Balloons, so they are placed deeper within the base to make them harder to reach. Supporting defenses like Wizard Towers and Red Air Mines are strategically positioned to counter air attacks, ensuring that groups of Balloons are quickly eliminated before they can cause major damage.

At this stage, players begin to understand the importance of designing bases to counter specific attack strategies. By experimenting with different layouts and defensive placements, they can develop stronger bases that hold up better in farming, trophy-pushing, and war scenarios. Town Hall 5 serves as a critical step in learning how to build effective defenses for more advanced gameplay.

TH5 Farming Base Layout

TH5 Trophy Base Layout

TH5 War Base Layout

Additional Points

Base designs at each Town Hall level are specifically crafted to defend against the most common attack strategies used at that stage of the game. As players progress, the strategies used by attackers evolve, and a well-designed base must be able to adapt to these changes. Trap placement plays a crucial role in base defense, as properly positioned traps can catch attackers off-guard and significantly weaken their offensive forces.

While there are general guidelines for base layouts, adjustments can be made based on individual preferences and specific needs. Some players may prefer a stronger defense against ground units, while others might focus on protecting air defenses. These tweaks allow players to tailor their bases for different playstyles and strategies.

The meta of the game also influences base design and attack strategies. As new units, spells, and features are introduced, the effectiveness of certain base layouts may change. Keeping an eye on the current meta and adapting base designs accordingly is important for maintaining strong defenses and staying competitive.

The base designs featured in the guide are the result of extensive work by professional base builders who understand the nuances of defense and offense. Their experience and knowledge help ensure that the recommended bases are optimized for each Town Hall level, providing players with a solid foundation for success.

Ultimately, the variety of base layouts and the different attack strategies that can be employed in Clash of Clans add to the depth and excitement of the game. Players can experiment with various base designs, refining their defenses and improving their gameplay as they progress through the Town Hall levels.