Waterfall Training (Season 4)
Waterfall Training in Season 4
Season 4 introduces T11 troops (available in the off-season) and requires HQ 27 to unlock them. This extends the waterfall chain by one tier — the longest chain yet. For most of Season 4's active period, you are building toward T11 while running T10 waterfall chains. Once T11 unlocks in the off-season, the chain reaches its full length.
For the full explanation of how waterfall training works, see the Waterfall Training Guide.
T11 troops add another step to the waterfall chain, and T11 promotions earn the most points per step of any tier. The gap between players who waterfall and those who direct-train widens again in Season 4. If your alliance is not waterfalling, you are leaving massive Day 5 points on the table — and those points determine VS outcomes that provide resources you desperately need in a season where resource generation is reduced by darkness.
What Changes in Season 4
T11 Troop Tier
- T11 troops require HQ 27 and Tech Center research to unlock
- T11 is available during the off-season, not the active season
- Once unlocked, T11 extends the waterfall chain by one promotion step
- T11 promotions earn more points than T10 promotions — the highest-value step in the chain
HQ 27 Progression
- HQ 27 is a significant upgrade from HQ 26 — substantial resource and time investment
- Start working toward HQ 27 during the active season so you are ready for T11 research in the off-season
- The darkness penalty (-30% resource generation) makes HQ 27 more expensive if you are operating outside Lighthouse range
- Stay in the light to maintain normal resource production for your HQ upgrade
Resource Scarcity
Season 4's darkness mechanic makes waterfall training slightly more resource-intensive:
- -30% resource generation means your training stockpile grows slower between Day 5 events
- Compensate by staying in Lighthouse range — full resource production is essential
- No stone or quartz from alliance tiles — plan material sources for troop training accordingly
- Copper War consumes troops and resources that could go toward waterfall stockpiling — balance both
Recommended Season 4 Setups
Standard T10 Waterfall (During Active Season)
Most Season 4 players will run T10 chains during the active season:
Weekly routine: Train T6 troops all week. On Day 5: T6 to T7 to T8 to T9 to T10. Four promotion steps with the T10 endpoint. This is the same chain from Season 1-3.
T11 Waterfall (Off-Season, Post-HQ 27)
Once T11 research is complete in the off-season:
Weekly routine: Train T7 troops all week. On Day 5: T7 to T8 to T9 to T10 to T11. Four promotion steps with the T11 endpoint. Each step earns more points than the previous chain because the endpoint tier is higher.
Extended T11 Waterfall (Maximum Points)
For players who want maximum Day 5 points:
Weekly routine: Train T6 troops all week. On Day 5: T6 to T7 to T8 to T9, then promote at Barracks 1: T9 to T11. Five promotion steps. The jump from T9 to T11 skips T10 — you promote directly to whatever the barracks supports. Maximum total points per cycle.
Do not rush all barracks to T11 level. Staggered barracks create the waterfall chain. If all four barracks are at the same level, you lose the promotion steps entirely and just direct-train T11, which earns far fewer Day 5 points. The whole point of waterfall is the stagger.
Arms Race Optimisation
Arms Race Unit Training phases work identically to Day 5:
- Stockpile low-tier troops before the Unit Training phase
- Promote through the waterfall chain during the scoring window
- Use training speedups to maximise cycles
- Season 4 Arms Race timing may conflict with Blood Night or Copper War — plan your stockpile around the schedule
Season 4 Weekly Routine
Monday-Thursday:
- Train T6 or T7 troops continuously in all barracks
- Save all training and general speedups for Day 5
- Farm Generator fuel between Blood Night windows
- Monitor Copper War status — do not spend speedups on Copper War if Day 5 is approaching
Friday (Day 5 — Total Mobilisation):
- Run the full waterfall chain
- Use all saved speedups
- The 18:30 Blood Night may overlap — plan speedup usage before or after the 30-minute window
- Promote reserves to top tier before Day 6
Saturday (Day 6 — Enemy Buster):
- Army at full T10/T11 strength for combat
- Swap Tactics Cards to PvP loadout
- After losses, begin restocking low-tier troops for next week
Sunday:
- Resume T6/T7 training
- Stack radar missions for Monday
- Resume Generator fuel farming
Transitioning to T11
When T11 unlocks in the off-season:
- Upgrade Barracks 1 to T11 capability — this is your highest-tier barracks
- Keep lower barracks staggered — do not upgrade them to match
- Adjust your training tier — train one tier lower in all barracks to accommodate the new top step
- T11 training costs more — account for higher resource requirements per unit
- T11 promotion earns the most points — the last step in the chain is always the most valuable
New Tier Targets
Common Season 4 Mistakes
- Rushing all barracks to T11 — you lose the waterfall chain. Keep barracks staggered
- Not starting HQ 27 during the active season — waiting for the off-season means T11 is delayed further
- Spending Day 5 speedups on Copper War — decide each week which event takes priority. Do not split
- Operating in darkness — the -30% resource penalty slows your stockpile growth. Stay in Lighthouse range
- Ignoring the 18:30 Blood Night on Day 5 — plan speedup usage around the window
- Not adjusting the chain for T11 — once T11 unlocks, update your barracks stagger to include the new top tier
- Forgetting Arms Race uses the same mechanic — stockpile separately for Arms Race if the schedule overlaps
Related Guides
- Waterfall Training Guide — full explanation of waterfall mechanics
- Alliance Duel VS (Season 4) — Day 5 strategy and resource competition
- T11 Troops Guide — T11 unlock requirements and HQ 27 progression
- Season 4 Overview — darkness penalties and resource management
- Lighthouse & Electricity Guide — staying lit for resource production