All about Alliance Wars: A beginner’s strategy guide

How Alliance Wars Work in Empires & Puzzles

New to Alliance Wars? They can feel intimidating, but the core idea is simple: your whole alliance teams up to score more points than the enemy alliance before the timer runs out.

Quick Answer

There's no single "best" Alliance War strategy — the right approach depends on your hero roster, how your alliance coordinates, and the special War Rule in effect. But the fundamentals are the same for everyone: set a full 5-hero War Defense Team during the Preparation Phase, then during the Time of War use every attack you get (6 total), pick targets you can actually beat, and try to fully defeat enemy teams for bonus points. Points you score are never taken away, and you can keep attacking even after your own defense team has been wiped out.

Why This Matters

Alliance Wars are a team effort, and your individual attacks add directly to your alliance's total score. Participating consistently also fills your War Chest for extra loot. You don't need a huge roster to be useful — using your attacks wisely matters more than raw power.

How It Works

- Two phases. Each war has a Preparation Phase (set up your defenders) followed by the Time of War (attack the enemy).

- The goal is points. You earn points for your alliance by defeating enemy Heroes. When the war timer ends, the alliance with more points wins. Stronger enemy Heroes are worth more points, and you get bonus points for defeating an entire enemy team.

- Points are permanent. Points you've won are never taken away — even if a player leaves the alliance.

- Your defense team. You must set a War Defense Team of 5 Heroes during the Preparation Phase. You cannot change it once the war begins, so set it before the war starts.

- You get 3 war attacks when the war begins and 3 more war attacks 12 hours into the war  Each Hero can only be used once per war — so a deeper roster of solid Heroes is a real advantage.

- You're never locked out. You can keep attacking as long as you have War Energy, even if your own defense team has already been defeated.

- Enemy teams revive. A completely defeated enemy team revives after a delay that gets longer with each defeat. Sometimes it may make sense to wait for a weaker enemy team to respawn so you can defeat them again.

- War Rules change things. Each war can have a different War Rule that changes the battlefield — for example Rush Attack, Bloody War (no healing or revival), Field Aid (enemy Heroes heal each turn), War Equalizer (removes status effects), Mana Storm, or Elemental Charge. Always check the War Rule when setting up your defense team and thinking about your attack strategies.

What To Do First

1. Turn on "Participate in Wars" so you're included when matchmaking begins.

2. Set a full 5-Hero War Defense Team during the Preparation Phase — an incomplete team weakens your alliance.

3. Read the War Rule for this war and adjust your plans (for example, avoid relying on healers under Bloody War).

4. Scout enemy teams on the Field of War and pick opponents you can realistically beat with the heroes that you have.

5. Use elemental advantage — bring Heroes whose color is strong against the enemy team to hit harder.

6. Use every attack. An unused attack scores zero, so spend all your War Energy before the war ends.

7. Coordinate in alliance chat — many alliances agree on which teams to target and when. If you’ve only got weaker heroes left, you can often score the most points for your alliance by fully eliminating partially defeated enemy teams.

Common Mistakes

- Leaving attacks unused — every wasted attack is points your alliance never gets.

- Forgetting to set a full defense team before the war starts.

- Ignoring the War Rule and bringing the wrong Heroes for the conditions.

- Attacking randomly instead of picking winnable targets and using color advantage.

- Going solo instead of coordinating attack timing with your alliance.

Quick FAQ

Q: Do I lose points if I lose a battle or leave the alliance? A: No. Points you've already earned for the alliance stay, even if you leave.

Q: Can I keep attacking after my own defense team is defeated? A: Yes — you can attack as long as you still have War Energy.

Q: Why can't I reuse my best Heroes every attack? A: Each Hero can only be used once per war, which is why a deeper roster helps.

Q: What's the single best war defense team? A: There isn't one universal answer — the best setup depends on your roster and the current meta. Ask your alliance for guidance.

Final Tip

You don't need the strongest roster to be a great war teammate. Set a full defense, learn the War Rules, use every attack, and coordinate — that alone makes you valuable to your alliance.