TH12 Upgrade Overview
TH12 marks a major transition in base design. The Scattershot arrives as TH12’s signature defense — a massive siege machine that deals area-of-effect damage to both air and ground troops. It’s the first defense that can seriously threaten air armies at this level.
TH12 also unlocks the Workshop, where Siege Machines (Wall Wreckers, Log Launchers, Battle Blimps) are crafted. Siege Machines transform attack strategy and become a permanent part of your offensive toolkit from here on.
First 24 Hours at TH12
Build immediately when you arrive:
- Scattershot × 2 — Both Scattershots should start building on day one. They’re TH12’s most impactful new defense and have long upgrade timers.
- Workshop — Build the Workshop and start crafting your first Siege Machine. The Wall Wrecker is the default first craft.
- Giga Tesla upgrade — TH12 upgrades the Town Hall’s Giga Tesla to a higher level. Start it immediately; it runs in the background.
- New building slots — TH12 adds new building capacity. Fill all empty slots before upgrading.
Priority 1: Heroes
TH12 is one of the most hero-intensive TH levels. The hero upgrade targets here determine your war performance for the entire time you spend at TH12.
Dark Elixir priority order:
- Archer Queen — Target level 60–65 at TH12. A Queen at 60+ with Invisibility Vial equipment clears half of any TH12 base reliably.
- Grand Warden — Never idle. Level 30–40 by end of TH12. His Eternal Tome range expands meaningfully at level 30.
- Barbarian King — Target level 55–60 alongside the Queen.
- Royal Champion (if unlocked at TH13 — she doesn’t exist yet at TH12, but plan DE allocation accordingly).
Key principle: Never let the Warden sit idle. He uses Elixir — there is no resource conflict with Dark Elixir spending. Warden always upgrading.
Priority 2: Scattershots
Both Scattershots to max before most other defenses. The combined splash coverage of two max Scattershots fundamentally changes which attacks can reach your Town Hall.
Why Scattershots matter so much at TH12:
- They counter the dominant TH12 air attacks (EDrag Zap, LaLoon) in their anti-air mode
- In ground mode they shred Super Witch Big Boys and Yeti clusters
- A single max Scattershot can eliminate an entire wave of Balloons in 2–3 shots
Switching modes: Put one Scattershot on air mode and one on ground mode by default. This covers both attack types and prevents an obvious counter.
Priority 3: Workshop and Siege Machines
The Workshop unlocks Siege Machines — the most impactful TH12 new mechanic for attacking.
Craft priority:
- Log Launcher first — most versatile Siege Machine, used in Yeti Smash and Super Witch strategies at TH12
- Battle Blimp second — enables Super Archer Blimp precision strategies
- Wall Wrecker / Stone Slammer — situationally useful but lower priority than the first two
Upgrade the Workshop immediately. Higher Workshop level reduces craft time and lets you craft more Siege Machines per week.
Priority 4: Key Defenses
Tier 1
- Eagle Artillery — TH12 Eagle upgrades to level 3. Priority alongside Scattershots — the two together are the hardest combination for TH12 attackers to 3-star.
- Inferno Towers (both) — Max Infernos stop Queen Walks and high-HP heroes. Level 6 Infernos at TH12 are a significant milestone.
Tier 2
- Air Defenses × 5 — TH12 has five Air Defenses. Keep all five at max — under-leveled Air Defenses are the first thing EDrag Zap strategies exploit.
- X-Bows × 4 — TH12 X-Bows reach level 6. Strong ground defense; upgrade alongside Air Defenses.
Tier 3
- Wizard Towers, Cannons, Archer Towers — Steady upgrade targets for idle builders. Lower individual impact than the above.
Priority 5: Troops and Spells
High priority:
- Yeti — The dominant TH12 attack troop. Upgrade level matters enormously — higher Yeti levels mean more HP per skeleton unit.
- Witch — Underlies Super Witch (available at TH11+). A level 8 Witch enables a stronger Super Witch.
- Electro Dragon — Essential for Hydra strategies. Keep upgraded.
- Siege Machines (via Workshop craft schedule) — A better-crafted Log Launcher makes every ground attack more reliable.
Secondary:
- Lava Hound, Balloon (LaLoon)
- Hog Rider (Super Hog strategies)
TH12 Upgrade Timeline
Month 1:
- Both Scattershots built and at level 2+
- Workshop built, Log Launcher crafted
- Queen at level 60+
- Giga Tesla TH upgrade started
Month 2–3:
- Both Scattershots maxed
- Eagle Artillery maxed
- Both Infernos maxed
- Warden at level 35+
Month 3–5:
- All 5 Air Defenses maxed
- All X-Bows maxed
- King at level 55+
Month 5–6:
- Remaining defenses maxed
- Queen at level 65+
- Walls mostly level 13
Common TH12 Mistakes
Upgrading Cannon and Archer Towers before Scattershots. Scattershots are the signature TH12 defense. Leaving them at level 1 for months while upgrading familiar lower-priority buildings wastes TH12’s defensive advantage.
Never switching Scattershot mode. Many players set both Scattershots to ground mode and forget. Check your defense log — if air attacks are 3-starring you, one Scattershot should be in anti-air mode.
Ignoring the Workshop. Siege Machines are available at TH12 and fundamentally change attack strategy. A player who doesn’t craft and use Siege Machines is attacking at a TH11 capability level.
DE on King over Queen at TH12. A level 65 Queen and level 50 King outperforms a level 55 Queen and level 60 King in war significantly. The Queen’s walk capability is TH12’s most powerful offensive tool — her levels matter more than the King’s at this stage.
