Your guide to key terms in Clash of Clans

Clash of Clans introduces a lot of different words and mechanics from the minute you start playing It's a lot to learn, and it can be overwhelming, so figuring out the essentials from the start will benefit you in the long run.

Here, we've assembled some of the most important terms for you to know to sound like a pro. Some are official in-game terms, while others are shorthand used by players to describe certain aspects of the game. Learn these, and you'll have a big advantage as you start your Clash of Clans journey.

Air troops fly through the air during combat. They’re unaffected by ground-focused defenses like walls. If you want to damage them, you'll need anti-air buildings or traps.

A Builder Base is a secondary village, separate from your Home Base. It has its own set of resources, troops, and buildings, allowing you to run two bases at once.

Buildings are the structures that will populate your base as it continues to grow. They fall into three main types: resource buildings, which gather supplies; army buildings, which build your armed forces; and defensive buildings, which defend your camp. There are also additional buildings that serve auxiliary roles, such as decorations or obstacles.

A clan is a group of players working together as a team under a particular name or banner. Clan ranks include Leader, Co-Leader, Elder, and Member.

Clan Wars is a competitive game mode within Clash of Clans where clans can wage war against each other to see who has the last army standing.

Ground troops use ground-based tactics, which means anti-air defenses cannot attack them. They’ll be blocked by walls, unless they have an ability like a Jump Spell that can bypass them.

Heroes are special troop units that earn enhanced abilities as your clan levels up. Examples of Hero units are the Grand Warden, Archer Queen, Barbarian King, and Battle Machine.

Each troop, spell, and siege machine in your army is designated a Housing Space number, which signals how much space it will take up in an Army Camp after it's been trained. More Army Camp buildings in your town means more space for units.

A kill squad acts as your first offensive move during a battle. It's made up of small, quick units that specifically target and destroy defensive structures in the enemy base.

Magic items are consumable items that add quick boosts to your camp for a limited time.

Obstacles are randomly-placed structures that need to be cleared away in order to construct buildings in your camp. They mostly consist of rocks and trees, though during certain holidays, holiday-themed obstacles will also appear.

The Town Hall is the main building of your village, and the most important structure to defend from incoming attacks. Leveling up your Town Hall will unlock more troops, buildings, and abilities for your army to take advantage of during battle.

Trophies, or cups, act as the ranking system for clans in multiplayer modes. The more trophies your clan has, the more powerful clans you can challenge.