In Lords Mobile, troop selection is a lot more than just picking the strongest-looking unit. If you’re still stacking random soldiers and hoping for the best, yeah—no wonder your castle keeps getting torched. The troop system is built on strategy, counters, tiers, and composition. And if you don’t play into those mechanics, you’re handing the win to your opponent before the first shot is fired.

This guide breaks it all down: what each troop type does, how the tier system works in 2025, and the best approach whether you’re attacking or defending. 

Let’s begin!

Troop Types: Infantry, Ranged, Cavalry, and Siege

There are four main troop types in Lords Mobile. Three of them follow a tight counter loop, while Siege is the odd one out that’s mostly there to knock down walls. Here’s how the counter system works:

• Infantry beats Ranged
• Ranged beats Cavalry
• Cavalry beats Infantry
• Siege is only good against Walls and Traps—it’s not meant for frontline fights

This system hasn’t changed much over time, but it’s always worth repeating. If you bring Infantry into a Cavalry-heavy enemy, expect to get folded. But if you counter correctly, you can turn a weaker army into a winning one just by matching types.

One more thing: Infantry has the highest defense and HP. Ranged units hit harder than most. Cavalry moves fastest. Siege troops have high carrying capacity but low combat stats.

Troop Tiers

Tiers are basically power levels that multiply your troop strength. While you start with only tier 1 units available to you, you will unlock higher tiers as you progress. Here’s the current power scaling of troop tiers:

• Tier 1: Basic troops (Grunt, Archer, Cataphract, Ballista)
• Tier 2: 2x stronger than T1
• Tier 3: 3x stronger than T1
• Tier 4: 4.5x stronger than T1
• Tier 5: 6x stronger than T1

Tier 5 troops bring some serious punch, but unlocking them takes time, resources, and research. Still, if you’re building for high-level wars or want to stop being a rally target, T5 is where you want to be.

The boost from T4 to T5 isn’t as dramatic as early tier jumps, but it still adds up when you’re stacking numbers.

How Troop Counters Actually Work in Battles

Lords Mobile fights are calculated before you even see the battle animation. That means that, just like with hero lineups and synergies, troop type advantages matter a lot. In other words, going in blind or sending a balanced army when you don’t need to is a big mistake.

Let’s say you scout an enemy and they’re rocking mostly Ranged troops. You’ve got two solid options:

1. Go full Infantry to hard-counter their main force, or
2. mix Infantry and a smaller chunk of Cavalry if they have backup units.

But don’t overthink it. The best move is usually to send one type of troop to hard counter the largest enemy group. You’ll gain stronger bonuses from Battle Boosts that way too.

Best Troop Type for Attacking

If you’re attacking, the most important thing is focus. A one-type army gives better results than a mix. This is because single-type troops let you max out Battle Boosts on ATK and HP for that specific unit. Moreover, the defending army is usually balanced, which makes it predictable. Lastly, you only need to counter the majority of the enemy force to win, not everything.

With that said, if your target is mostly Cavalry, for example, bring all Ranged. Stack your Ranged ATK gear and boosts, drop a Turf Boost, and hit hard. That’s how you win fights you’re not even supposed to.

Pro-tip: troop formation matters too. If you’re sending Cavalry, put them at the front using Cavalry Phalanx or Cavalry Wedge. That way they hit first and take the hits for weaker units in the back.

Best Troop Type for Defense

Defense is a different game. Since you don’t know what the attacker will send until it’s too late, your best bet is to go balanced. In other words, use Infantry, Ranged, and Cavalry in roughly equal parts. Skip Siege unless you’re going against Wall Traps. Focus on higher tiers (T3-T5) if you’ve got them.

Balanced defense isn’t perfect, but it covers more ground. And because defenders can host way more troops than attackers can send, you’re still holding the advantage—if your lineup isn’t lopsided. That said, if you know the enemy guild favors a certain troop type, you can lean into its counter. But that’s risky unless you’re baiting.

Siege Troops and Their Importance

Siege gets a lot of hate, and honestly, for good reason. These units:

• Do almost nothing in direct combat
• Are weak against all other troop types
• Only shine against walls and traps

So should you train them? Yes—but only in moderation. You’ll want some Siege in your army if you’re leading rallies or breaking castle defenses. Otherwise, don’t waste your resources. The one silver lining is that siege troops have the highest carry capacity. So if you’re sending troops to gather resources or clean up after a raid, they can be helpful.

Choosing Between Balanced and Focused Armies

As we’ve been mentioning in this guide, this choice comes down to whether you’re attacking or defending. 

• Attacking: Go focused. Counter the enemy’s main troop type and boost that type’s stats.
• Defending: Stay balanced. You don’t control who attacks you, so you need coverage.

And whatever you do, always scout before attacking. Don’t just rely on Might level or castle looks—check their troop composition and gear. Make sure your counter works before committing.

Whether you’re defending your turf or torching someone else’s, understanding troops is key in Lords Mobile. It’s not just about power—it’s about picking the right type at the right time, using your boosts wisely, and training the right tiers.

If you’re tired of tapping your screen and trying to time things perfectly, consider switching things up with BlueStacks. You can play Lords Mobile on PC, manage your troops with keyboard shortcuts, and enjoy smoother performance while you conquer. Way better than dealing with phone lag when you’re trying to send out a rally.