Trapping 101

Introduction

The application of a trapping account can supply an alliance (and state) with a large amount of points during a state-vs-state event, while supplying the attacker with fewer or no points; depending on the scoring system.
There are many things to consider when building a trap account, as such those who plan from a beginning to be a trap account will have the advantage.  In saying that, it is always possible to convert and account into a trap account but it will be more effective the earlier the account has done so.

Main considerations

- Keep power low, this will invite a larger amount of players to hit you.  Large amounts of lower tier troops can achieve this since they provide a lower power gain to strength ratio.  See troop information for specifics.

- Concentrate on combat research to ensure maximum troop potency.

- Meat shield.  A large T1 meat shield will protect all higher tiered troops from an attack.  They provide a lower power loss if killed and can be instant healed when sent to the hospital.  The advantage of this is that the meat shield can be replenished between each attack, resulting in consistent damage against the attacker.

- Damage dealers.  Depending on the amount of hospital spaces, these should be the highest tier troop available.  These are what will cause the majority of damage to the attackers troops. [Does not necessarily apply to immortal or pure trap builds, see below.]


Trap types:
No 2 trap accounts will be the same, this can make them hard to categorise.  Below are the 'categories' of trap accounts, however you may find some which are hybrids of these.  The troop numbers are only given as an example and are not recommended numbers.

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Immortal trap:
This trap type aims to provide a profit for the owner in terms of SvS KE points.  This is only viable should the SvS NOT be scored on power destruction.  A recommendation for this type of trap is that it start at HQ level 9.  This can later be expanded to level 14.

T1 troops should be trained to the below values, depending on the HQ level.  The table assumes that the account has a radar and warehouse.


After reaching the respective HQ level, all buildings except a max level training ground should be demolished and replaced with hospitals.  The hospitals should be upgraded to their maximum level.
Since all troops are T1, they will offer 0 points to an attacker during a non-power destruction SvS.  All troops will be sent to the hospital where they can be revived for another attack.  Combat research should be at its maximum for the relevant level to ensure maximum damage.
HQ9 immortal offer the benefit of the commander not being able to be captured.  This ensures a consistent damage against the attacker, but has lower troop numbers.  When the stats on the level 9 account begin to look suspicious, it should be upgraded to a HQ 14 immortal trap.
This trap type is relatively unplayable as a main account and is therefore recommended to be a secondary account.

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Pure trap:
This account involves the maximum amount of damage for the defender, however it can be zeroed by rallies and costly to recover.  The advantage of this build is that it tends to have low power and usually gets a HUGE profit in points during SvS KE.
Maximum T1 troops should be trained since they offer the highest strength per power gain (see troop information).  They also provide much fewer points in all SvS KE scoring systems, are cheap and cheap to train making recovery much easier.  They may also be instant-healed from hospitals.
No amount of troops in this build is big enough.  The account should be leveled to HQ 14 and have a lot of high level hospitals.  After that, T1 troops should be mass produced since all defensive troops may take part in protecting the city.
Stats in the table below are assuming the attacker and defender have identical research.


To draw against a full HQ21 T3 march, the defender must have 1,050,000 T1 troops.  However it is unlikely that the attacker will have identical research and is therefore recommended that the defender take this into account with an increased troop size.

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Hybrid trap:
This trap account has the capabilities to launch a decent attack, but also take a hit.  This isn't as efficient as pure trap in destroying attackers power, however provides the best of both attacking and defending.
A hybrid trap consists of a mix of tiered troops.  This ensures that a meat shield is present to protect the higher tiered troops, yet enough higher tiered troops to deal damage in an attack.  It is recommended that the account have as many hospitals as possible to ensure that troops can be protected.


This trap type can have many combinations of troops.  Increasing the T1 meat shield will offer greater protection against damage, but increasing the damage dealers will reduce the damage taken and increase the damage dealt

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Rally trap:
Can have any combination of troops, but enough so that the base can take a full T3 or T4 rally.  These accounts tend to have troops numbered in the millions and should have a large enough meat shield to protect the damage dealers.
The maximum amount of troops in a rally is 2,375,000 and therefore the rally trap will need the equivalent of 10,687,500 T1 troops to beat a full T4 rally and 7,125,000 troops for a T3 one.  It is important to ensure that power is kept relatively