Last War Squad Power Guide: Troop Ratio, Formation and March Size

Squad Power in Last War Survival comes from much more than the five heroes shown in your formation. Hero levels and stars matter, but troops, March Size, formation bonuses, gear, skills, research, the Tactical Drone, troop-type buildings, decorations, Exclusive Weapons, and later progression systems can all increase a squad’s strength.

The most important rule is not to chase the displayed Power number by itself. A lower-Power squad can still win through better positioning, troop-type counters, stronger skills, superior gear distribution, higher troop quality, or a better formation bonus.

For troop ratio, Last War does not ask you to manually divide ordinary soldiers into Tank, Aircraft, and Missile percentages. Those three types belong primarily to your heroes and formation. Your soldiers are attached automatically according to each hero’s March Size, while hero-type composition determines the squad formation bonus.

What Makes Up Squad Power?

Displayed Squad Power is the combined result of several progression systems rather than one isolated stat.

Power Source	How It Helps
Heroes	Levels, stars, rarity and base attributes
Troops	Higher troop tiers add more combat stats and displayed Power
March Size	Allows each squad to bring more troops into battle
Formation Bonus	Matching hero troop types increases HP, Attack and Defense
Hero Gear	Adds offensive and defensive stats according to equipment
Hero Skills	Improves damage, protection, buffs and other combat effects
Research	Improves troops, heroes and combat attributes
Type Centers	Tank, Aircraft and Missile buildings strengthen their matching heroes
Tactical Drone	Adds squad-wide stats, skills and type-specific chip bonuses
Advanced Systems	Exclusive Weapons, Awakening, Tactics Cards and other later progression

This explains why two squads showing similar Power can perform very differently. The number does not tell you where that Power came from.

What Does Troop Ratio Mean in Last War?

Players often use “troop ratio” to describe the mix of Tank, Aircraft, and Missile heroes inside a five-hero squad.

The standard formation-bonus structure is:

Hero Type Ratio	Formation Bonus
3 same type + 1 + 1	+5% HP, Attack and Defense
3 of one type + 2 of another	+10% HP, Attack and Defense
4 same type + 1 different	+15% HP, Attack and Defense
5 same type	+20% HP, Attack and Defense

A 5:0 mono-type squad therefore receives the maximum standard bonus. For most developed main formations, that is the target.

If you cannot build five strong heroes of one type yet, a 3:2 lineup can be a useful transitional formation. It receives a better bonus than using three matching heroes plus two unrelated types.

Best Troop Ratio for Your Main Squad

5:0 — Best Standard End Goal

Five Tank, five Aircraft, or five Missile heroes provide the maximum same-type formation bonus.

This becomes increasingly valuable as the squad develops because the percentage bonus is applied on top of stronger heroes, gear, research and later progression.

4:1 — Useful Temporary Hybrid

A four-to-one composition gives up part of the mono-type bonus but lets you use one especially strong off-type hero.

This can make sense when the fifth same-type hero is severely underdeveloped. Compare actual battle results instead of assuming the higher displayed formation bonus automatically wins.

3:2 — Better Mixed-Squad Structure

If you need a mixed formation, three heroes of one type and two of another is generally cleaner than 3:1:1 because it activates the stronger mixed formation bonus.

3:1:1 — Usually Avoid

This setup still activates the minimum three-hero bonus, but the two unmatched slots do not improve the formation tier. Unless those two heroes provide unusually important skills or significantly higher development, reorganizing into 3:2 is generally more efficient.

Tank, Aircraft and Missile Counter System

The three hero types follow a counter triangle:

• Tank counters Missile Vehicle.
• Missile Vehicle counters Aircraft.
• Aircraft counters Tank.

This matters most in PvP where similarly developed squads face each other.

A full Tank squad may show more Power than an Aircraft opponent and still struggle because Aircraft has the favorable type matchup. Likewise, Missile formations can become valuable when a server contains many developed Aircraft squads.

Power comparisons should therefore include the matchup, not just the number displayed before battle.

Front Row and Back Row Setup

Every normal squad contains five heroes:

• 2 front-row positions
• 3 back-row positions

Put your most durable defensive heroes in front. Their purpose is to survive long enough for your damage dealers and support heroes to function.

The back row should normally contain:

• Main damage dealer
• Secondary damage dealer
• Damage or support hero

Putting a fragile attacker in the front can increase losses even if the formation’s total Power does not change significantly.

How Troops Add Power to a Squad

Heroes do not enter normal combat alone. Each hero brings soldiers, and those soldiers add their own Power and combat attributes.

The simplified relationship is:

Troop contribution = number of deployed soldiers × stats of the troop tier being used.

A squad with more March Size can deploy more soldiers. A squad using a higher troop tier gets stronger soldiers. Improving both therefore creates substantially more troop contribution than focusing on only one side.

How March Size Works

March Size determines how many troops accompany your five heroes.

Each hero contributes Command or March Size capacity. The squad’s available troop count is effectively built from the combined capacity of all five heroes.

March Size can increase through several progression systems depending on your server stage, including:

• Hero progression
• Tank, Aircraft or Missile Center upgrades
• Relevant research
• Selected survivors
• Decorations and other permanent bonuses
• Later account progression systems

More March Size is especially valuable because those extra soldiers contribute more than displayed Power. They also bring troop HP, Attack, Defense, Morale and Load into the march.

Which Troops Does the Game Send?

Last War automatically fills the available March Size with your highest troop tier first.

If you have enough top-tier troops to fill the squad, the full march uses that tier. If you do not have enough, lower-tier troops fill the remaining spaces.

This means unlocking a new troop tier is only part of the job. You also need enough of those troops available for your primary marches.

A player who unlocks a higher tier but owns only a small number of those units may still send a mixed-tier march until enough troops are trained or promoted.

Troop Tier vs March Size: Which Is Better?

Both matter, and they multiply each other’s usefulness.

Higher troop tier improves the quality of each soldier.

Higher March Size increases the quantity of soldiers participating.

For example, increasing March Size while still using weak troops gives you more weak troops. Unlocking a strong tier without enough March Size limits how many of those stronger troops can participate.

A balanced combat account should therefore:

1. Unlock stronger troop tiers.
2. Promote older troops when appropriate.
3. Increase March Size.
4. Keep enough troops available to fill the main squad.

Does Drill Ground Increase Squad Power?

The Drill Ground primarily determines how many troops your account can hold. Raising its capacity does not automatically make an individual march stronger simply because more soldiers are stored at the Base.

However, sufficient capacity is strategically important because you need enough troops to fill several squads, reinforce allies, survive casualty-heavy battles and continue fighting without constantly running out of units.

Think of the Drill Ground as army depth, while March Size controls how much of that army can enter one squad at a time.

How to Increase Squad Power Efficiently

1. Focus One Main Squad

Do not distribute Hero EXP, shards, Skill Medals and your best gear evenly across 15 heroes.

Build one primary Tank, Aircraft or Missile squad first. Secondary formations should receive serious investment only after the main five are established.

2. Improve Hero Stars and Levels

Hero development improves base stats and can unlock stronger skill effects. Your main damage dealer and frontline heroes normally deserve the largest early investment.

3. Build the Correct Same-Type Formation

A full mono-type squad receives the maximum formation bonus. Gradually transition toward five matching heroes as your roster develops.

4. Upgrade the Matching Hero Center

Tank Center, Aircraft Center and Missile Center strengthen heroes of their matching type. Concentrate first on whichever Center supports your primary squad.

5. Improve Gear by Role

Damage dealers should prioritize equipment that improves their offensive output, while frontline defenders need survivability.

Do not upgrade every gear piece equally simply because each level adds Power. Improving the correct stat on the correct hero produces better battle value.

6. Upgrade Skills

Skill levels can produce a much larger real-combat improvement than their contribution to displayed Power suggests.

Prioritize the most important damage, defensive and squad-support skills rather than leveling unused heroes for easy Power.

7. Develop the Tactical Drone

The Drone adds benefits across an entire formation. Later Skill Chips should match the formation you are actually using: Tank chips for Tank squads, Aircraft chips for Aircraft squads and Missile chips for Missile squads.

8. Improve Combat Research

Special Forces and other combat research strengthen your troops and eventually open major troop-tier upgrades such as Unit X. Later servers add further troop progression beyond the original T10 endpoint.

9. Use Advanced Hero Systems

As your server matures, Exclusive Weapons, SSR-to-UR promotions, Hero Awakening and other systems can add substantial strength to established squads.

Why Higher Squad Power Can Still Lose

Displayed Power is a useful reference, but it is not a battle prediction.

A lower-Power opponent may have:

• A favorable Tank/Aircraft/Missile counter.
• Better front-row positioning.
• Stronger hero skills.
• Better gear distribution.
• A higher same-type formation bonus.
• More effective Exclusive Weapons.
• Stronger Drone chips.
• Higher troop tier or March Size.
• Better combat research.
• Awakening or other late-game advantages.

Always check battle reports when you lose unexpectedly. Reports are much more useful for improving a squad than simply trying to add another million displayed Power.

Is There an Ideal Troop-to-Hero Power Ratio?

No universal percentage exists for how much of your Squad Power should come from heroes versus troops.

The ratio naturally changes as the account progresses. Early accounts may receive a large portion of their strength from hero upgrades. Later accounts can add increasingly strong troop tiers, March Size bonuses, research, Drone progression, Exclusive Weapons and seasonal systems.

Instead of targeting a specific percentage, check for obvious weaknesses:

• Are your five main heroes properly developed?
• Is your main march completely filled?
• Are you using the highest troop tier available?
• Is your troop-type Center keeping up?
• Are important combat research branches behind?
• Is your formation bonus lower than it needs to be?

Training and Promotion Strategy

When a higher troop tier becomes available, do not forget the lower-tier soldiers already sitting in your Drill Grounds.

Promotion lets you convert older units upward instead of leaving a large percentage of the army permanently below your current standard.

Whenever practical, align large training and promotion sessions with Alliance Duel and Arms Race troop-scoring windows. This lets the same progression also generate event rewards.

During heavy PvP periods, however, maintaining enough troops to fill your marches is more important than waiting several days for perfect event timing.

Best Main Squad Progression Order

For most developing accounts, a practical order is:

1. Choose Tank, Aircraft or Missile as your main type.
2. Build two durable front heroes and three suitable back-row heroes.
3. Work toward a five-hero same-type formation.
4. Level and star the main five before secondary heroes.
5. Upgrade the matching Tank, Aircraft or Missile Center.
6. Keep your highest troop tier trained and available.
7. Increase March Size through available permanent systems.
8. Concentrate Legendary Gear on Squad 1.
9. Develop relevant combat research and the Tactical Drone.
10. Add Exclusive Weapons, Awakening and later progression as they unlock.

Common Squad Power and Troop Ratio Mistakes

• Judging fights by Power alone: Counters and skill synergy can overturn a Power advantage.
• Using 3:1:1 unnecessarily: A 3:2 structure can activate a better formation bonus.
• Ignoring the 5:0 bonus: Mono-type squads receive the strongest standard formation boost.
• Putting attackers in front: High Power does not protect a fragile damage dealer from poor positioning.
• Unlocking stronger troops but not training enough: Lower tiers fill the remaining March Size.
• Ignoring March Size: Strong troops cannot help if too few enter the battle.
• Confusing Drill Ground capacity with March Size: One controls stored army size; the other controls troops in a march.
• Upgrading all three hero-type Centers equally: Your main squad’s Center should normally receive priority.
• Spreading gear across several squads: Build one strong first formation.
• Using mismatched Drone Skill Chips: Build chips around the formation they are intended to support.
• Training only for account Power: Reserve troop Power does not automatically improve your strongest march.

Optional Faster Starting Point

Developing high Squad Power normally requires long-term hero, troop, research, Drone, gear and seasonal progression. Players who prefer starting from a more developed position can browse Last War accounts for sale on Heaven Guardian. When comparing accounts, check main-squad Power, hero composition, troop tier, March Size, gear, Drone, research and server season rather than judging the account only by total Power.

FAQs

What is the best troop ratio in Last War?

For a developed main squad, five heroes of one troop type is the standard goal because it activates the maximum same-type formation bonus. During progression, 4:1 or 3:2 formations can be useful until your fifth matching hero is sufficiently developed.

What bonus do five heroes of the same type get?

Under the standard formation system, five Tank, Aircraft or Missile heroes provide +20% HP, Attack and Defense.

Is 3:2 better than 3:1:1?

For formation bonuses, yes. Three heroes of one type plus two of another receive the standard +10% bonus, while three matching heroes with two separate types receive only the minimum three-hero bonus.

What determines how many troops are in my squad?

March Size determines how many soldiers accompany your heroes. Each hero contributes to the squad’s available March Size.

Does the game automatically use my strongest troops?

Yes. Higher-tier available troops are used first when filling a march, with lower tiers filling remaining spaces when there are not enough top-tier troops.

Does Drill Ground level increase March Size?

Drill Ground primarily increases the number of troops your Base can hold. March Size is a separate stat controlling how many troops a squad can deploy.

Which troop type beats which?

Tank counters Missile, Missile counters Aircraft, and Aircraft counters Tank.

Why did my higher-Power squad lose?

The opponent may have had a favorable type matchup, better formation bonus, stronger skills, superior gear distribution, higher-quality troops, more March Size, better research or stronger advanced progression.

Should I increase hero Power or troop Power first?

Develop both together. Your main heroes need stars, levels, skills and gear, while the squad also needs enough high-tier troops and March Size to support them. Fix whichever area is clearly behind first.

Should I build Squad 2 early?

Collect heroes for future squads, but avoid spreading your best resources too early. One well-developed main formation generally provides more progression value than two incomplete squads.

Conclusion

A strong Last War Squad Power setup combines heroes and troops rather than treating them as separate systems. Build two durable front-row heroes, protect three back-row damage or support heroes, and work toward a five-hero Tank, Aircraft or Missile formation for the maximum same-type bonus.

For troop progression, focus on both quality and quantity. Unlock stronger troop tiers, train enough units to fill your marches, and keep increasing March Size so more of those stronger troops participate. Most importantly, do not assume a larger Power number guarantees victory: troop-type counters, skills, positioning and upgrade distribution can matter just as much.

For more formation advice, troop progression strategies and combat guides, explore our additional Last War Survival guides.