Clan Wars

How to pick a Clan War lineup

A war is lost before it starts if half the lineup doesn’t attack. The game gives Leaders and Co-leaders the tools to choose well: war preference, chat sign-ups and last-seen times. Here’s how they work, and how to build a lineup that actually shows up.

··3 min read
Official Clan Wars artwork with troops and heroes preparing for battle
Official Supercell artwork. Image source

Who picks the lineup

  • Only Leaders and Co-leaders can start a regular war, and you need at least 5 members.
  • Each member sets a war preference on their profile: green means in, red means out.
  • Whoever starts the war chooses the lineup and can select anyone, whatever their preference says.
  • Since April 2024, Leaders and Co-Leaders can post a war sign-up in clan chat. Members opt in or out, and the sign-up can be pinned. It works for regular wars only, not CWL or Friendly Wars.
At a glance

Opting in shows availability. Selection gives the place.

PlayerWar preferenceGreen signals available; red signals unavailable.
Leader / Co-leaderChooses the lineupPreference is a signal, not automatic entry.
War participantSelected on the mapOtherwise the member can spectate.
This is for regular Clan Wars. CWL has a season roster and separate daily lineups. Source.

War size and matchmaking

Wars run from 5v5 to 50v50 in steps of 5, and only clans with the same size are matched. Matchmaking compares each lineup’s strength: offense (troops, spells, army capacity), defense (defenses, walls, traps), heroes and Hero Equipment. Trophies and base layout don’t count.

That’s why the lineup matters more than the clan’s total: one rushed account or a sleeping member adds weight without adding stars. Pick a size you can fill with active players, even if it’s smaller than your member count. A search that runs more than 24 hours can be cancelled and restarted with a different lineup.

How the war runs

  • Preparation Day lasts 23 hours: scout, set your war base, and fill war Clan Castles.
  • Battle Day lasts 24 hours. Each participant gets two attacks and can’t hit the same base twice.
  • The clan with more stars wins. Ties go to total destruction, counting only the best attack on each base.
  • Anyone who joins after the war starts, or isn’t selected, can only spectate.
  • Temporary troops can’t be used in Clan Wars, CWL or Ranked.

Picking players who attack

  1. Run a chat sign-up so people opt in themselves.
  2. Check last seen on the roster screen and leave out anyone offline for days.
  3. Look at each member’s record across the last 20 wars on your clan page: attacks used, missed hits, average stars.
  4. Or let the WarPickr do it: it reads the same war history and suggests a lineup of the members who attack.

For the Clan War League roster, which works differently, see CWL rosters and eligibility.

Quick questions

Can I be put in war if my preference is red?

Yes. The Leader or Co-leader starting the war can select anyone. The preference is a signal, not a lock.

Can I attack in war if I left the clan?

If you leave during a war you can come back and still attack. You can’t join another clan’s war until that one ends.

Does a smaller war size get easier opponents?

Not by itself. Matchmaking compares the strength of the lineups. A smaller war of active attackers often wins more.

Sources and game versions

Rules checked against the sources below on October 5, 2026. For sign-up windows, current league formats and account eligibility, follow the information shown in your game.

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