Troop layering in Evony: The King’s Return can be complicated to some, however, you can be very successful in battle once you understand it.
Overview
Players are invited to build an empire from the ground up in this thrilling mobile game, Evony: The King’s Return. As the name suggests, it is based on the classic video game, Evony, so players will experience similar gameplay, mechanics, and features.
You can take on the role of a lord of a lady in the medieval times, in which the game is set. Evony consists of numerous activities and events for you to enjoy, but you first have to train troops and acquire Generals.
Furthermore, you have to advance in the main storyline by completing quests and solving puzzles, which are, essentially, the levels of the game.
What are troops?
You can train troops to help you fight monsters, bosses, and other players. There are currently 4 troops in the game, each of which have different roles on the battlefield. The following table below lists the different troops you can find, and gives a description of each:
| Troop name | Description |
Siege troops |
Many players claim that Siege Machines are the worst troop type in the game. This is because they deal little damage and are very easy to kill. |
Mounted troops |
These troops are very effective against other players and monsters. |
Range troops |
They attack from a distance, but they are unable to defend themselves from attacks. |
Grounded troops |
Most players will use grounded troops as they can deal a lot of damage with good defence statistics. |
Evony: Troop layering
One of the most important parts of the player-versus-player (PvP) game mode is troop layering. This is when players “layer” an army with both offensive and defensive troops to create the best composition.
There are currently 2 official types of layers: thick defensive layers and thinner offensive layers. The thick defence layer troops protect your keep, while the other layer is for your attack marches.
Keep in mind that there are 2 mechanics that shape how and why layers work, including the fact that PvP battles occur with multiple hidden rounds, and the fact that each troop type in each tier targets one enemy type and tier per round.
There are different stages, or rounds in a PvP battle, which are backed by the fact that each troop type, of every tier has relevant attributes: Attack, defence, health points, speed and range. Some attributes can exist with the rounds, while others cannot.
Do note that siege and ranged troops have a much longer range than ground troops, so they can start shooting at enemies from further away. This principle, in combination with the different distributions of attack, health points, and defence, supports the natural counters for every troop type.
During each turn, each troop type in every tier has their own attributes and location, and they will choose a target group of enemies. Over the course of the battle, that troop type can kill multiple types of enemies, as they only target a single enemy during a turn.
How does battle mechanics influence layering?
Considering the 2 mechanics, it is clear why a player with many layers has a big advantage in battle. For example, there are 2 players, player A and player B. Both players are on the same level, have the same buffs, and are the same size.
Player A sends an army of tier-13 archers, while player B sends a march of the same size with 90 percent tier-13 archers, and layers 51 troop tiers, ranging from tier-1 to tier-13. Player A’s archers will waste 51 rounds to target each of those troop tiers.
Player B, on the other hand, has a 51 round advantage and will win the battle quite easily.
Best ranged layered troop
Even though you can create your own layered, ranged troop, it is recommended that you use the following build to have a chance at being more successful. The basic formula for building a ranged layer troop is:
- 25 percent to 40 percent of your top ranged tier
- 25 percent to 40 percent of your second ranged tier
- 10 percent to 40 percent of your third ranged tier
- 25 percent to 2 percent of all other ranged troops
- 1 – 1 0000 of all other troops.
Best defence layered troops
Allegedly, the bigger every defensive layer is, the better it is, because your keep is not limited by march size. However, you should keep the overall number of your troops manageable, therefore, it is recommended that you allocate the troops according to your keep level.
The following table outlines the number of troop layers that should be allocated per keep level:
| Keep level | Amount of troop layers |
Level 25 or lower |
Between 5 000 and 10 000 of each troop tier of each type |
Level 26 to level 30 |
Between 20 000 and 50 000 of each troop tier of each type |
Level 30 to level 33 |
Between 50 000 and 100 000 of each troop tier of each type |
Level 33 to level 35 |
More than 200 000 of each troop tier of each type. |
Final thoughts
Evony: The King’s Return is an exciting mobile game, set in medieval times, that invites players to assume the role of a lord or a lady. You can build up your empire from the ground up, while completing quests and solving puzzles. You can also enjoy different gaming modes.
One of the most important aspects of the player-versus-player gaming mode is troop layering. It might be complicated to understand initially, however, you can be very successful in battle once you understand and use this method.
Troop layering essentially means that you allocate different troops in different tiers into an army before starting a battle. The other player’s troops will first attack your lower tier troops, while your higher tier troops can defeat them.
