Troop Layering Explained
Layering troops is a critical strategy for both attack and defense in Evony: The King's Return. This guide provides a detailed look at the mechanics behind troop layering and explains how to build the perfect layers for your PvP marches. Whether defending your keep or attacking in SvS, mastering troop layers will give you a distinct advantage.
Understanding Troop Layering
Troop layering involves using multiple tiers of each troop type to create a balanced composition. The main goal is to maximize your army's effectiveness by absorbing enemy attacks and minimizing losses. There are two primary types of layers:
- Defensive Layers: Thick layers designed to protect your city during an attack.
- Offensive Layers: Thinner layers optimized for attacking enemy cities or troops.
Why Layers Work
Layers exploit two key mechanics of Evony's battle system:
- Hidden Rounds: PvP battles occur in multiple unseen rounds, with each troop type targeting a specific enemy per round.
- Single Targeting: Each troop type at each tier targets one enemy troop type per round, forcing attackers to waste rounds on lower-tier troops if layers are present.
These mechanics mean that a well-layered army can significantly delay enemy progress, allowing your higher-tier troops to deal more damage while minimizing losses.
Defensive Layers
Defensive layers are essential for protecting your city during PvP battles. The size and composition of your layers will depend on your keep level:
| Keep Level | Troop Layer Size |
|---|---|
| 25 or Lower | 5k-10k of each troop tier and type |
| 26-30 | 20k-50k of each troop tier and type |
| 30-33 | 50k-100k of each troop tier and type |
| 33-35 | 200k+ of each troop tier and type |
At higher levels, focus on building larger layers of T12, T13, and T14 troops to maximize your defense. Include siege machines for their long-range attacks, which can weaken enemies before they reach your city.
Offensive Layers
For offensive marches, layering is more strategic. Each march type (ranged, mounted, ground, siege) has its own optimal composition. Here's a general formula for building effective layers:
- Top Tier Troops: 35-60% of your march.
- Second Tier Troops: 15-30% of your march.
- Third Tier Troops: 5-20% of your march.
- Other Tiers: 0.25-2% of each lower tier of the same troop type.
- All Other Troops: 1-10,000 to create distractions and absorb hits.
Adjust these percentages based on your march size, enemy composition, and available buffs. For specific examples, refer to our guides for Mounted Troops, Ranged Troops, Ground Troops, and Siege Machines.
Practical Examples
Let's take a look at an example of a layered ranged march:
| Troop Tier | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Top Tier (T14) | 500k |
| Second Tier (T13) | 350k |
| Third Tier (T12) | 150k |
| Other Ranged Tiers | 20k each |
| All Other Troops | 1,000 each |
This composition ensures that your high-tier troops deal maximum damage while lower-tier troops absorb hits, giving you a significant advantage in battle.
Conclusion
Troop layering is an essential skill for success in Evony. By understanding the mechanics and experimenting with different compositions, you can create powerful layers for both attack and defense. For detailed configurations tailored to each troop type, explore our other guides linked above.