TH18 Queen Charge Root Rider Guide 2026 -- Complete Interior Clearing at Max TH

TH18 Queen Charge Root Rider represents the mastery-level attack for Clash of Clans. The max Archer Queen with max L.A.S.S.I. can penetrate four to five compartments deep, potentially clearing Monolith, Ricochet Cannon, one Scattershot, and one Eagle Artillery before Root Riders deploy. When executed correctly, the Root Rider push phase at TH18 QC Root Rider encounters a base interior where all four critical counter defenses have been removed or heavily damaged by the Queen Charge, leaving Root Riders to burrow through the remaining Infernos, Cannons, and Archer Towers without the most dangerous threats active.

Army Composition and Spells

Standard TH18 QC Root Rider (380 housing): 4 Healers (28), 20 to 22 Root Riders (80 to 88 housing), 2 to 3 Super Witches (16 to 24), 2 Golems (60), Wall Breakers (2 to 4), filler. Spells: 1 Rage (Queen Charge), 2 Rage (Root Rider wave), 2 Freeze (Scattershots / remaining Eagle Artillery after QC), 1 Earthquake, 1 Skeleton Spell. All four Pets at TH18 maximum. The Wall Breaker count is reduced to 2 to 4 because max L.A.S.S.I. handles most wall bypasses -- the freed housing goes to additional Root Riders.

Step-by-Step Execution

Step 1 -- Trap scout: Send one Root Rider along the primary burrowing corridor before the Queen Charge. If it survives to surface in the mid ring, the corridor is trap-free. If it triggers a double Giant Bomb, note the location and select a different primary corridor for the main deployment. Step 2 -- Queen Charge target selection: Identify the entry edge where Monolith + Ricochet Cannon are within four-compartment Queen Charge depth. This is the correct entry for TH18 QC. Step 3 -- Max AQ L.A.S.S.I. entry: Deploy AQ + 4 Healers. L.A.S.S.I. at max carries the Queen four to five compartments deep. Priority target sequence: Monolith (HP reduction beam) → Ricochet Cannon (chain damage counter) → Scattershot or Eagle Artillery if reachable. Step 4 -- Rage on AQ at Monolith engagement. Max AQ destroys Monolith in 2 to 3 seconds with Rage. Remaining Rage duration used on Ricochet Cannon or adjacent defenses. Step 5 -- Max RC Electro Owl simultaneous: RC from same entry side handles wall-adjacent defenses and adds Electro Owl chain damage to Ricochet Cannon. Step 6 -- Root Rider deployment: Once Queen has destroyed Monolith and engaged Ricochet Cannon, deploy all Root Riders from the opposite side. Wide deployment: 18 to 22 tiles across. Step 7 -- Freeze on any remaining Ricochet Cannon or Scattershot as Root Riders surface. Second Freeze on Eagle Artillery or Multi-Archer Tower. Step 8 -- Skeleton Spell on Town Hall. Max Frosty Warden slow aura covers the Root Rider surface cluster and Town Hall compartment simultaneously.

Mastery-Level Execution Note

TH18 QC Root Rider requires timing coordination across six simultaneous events: trap scout result, Queen Charge entry angle, RC simultaneous deployment, Root Rider trap avoidance corridor, spell placement timing, and Warden ability window. Practicing each sub-component (QC timing, Root Rider corridor selection, trap scouting) separately in friendly challenges before war deployment is the most reliable path to consistent TH18 three-stars with this strategy.

Browse TH18 war bases at our TH18 war base collection.