Here is some info about Clan Wars for those of you who may need it. I know it's a lot, but it should make some things clear.
http://clashofclans.wikia.com/wiki/Clan_Wars_FAQ
IMPORTANT
New concept when talking about Clan Wars: WAR BASE means your home on war map. The war base is not the village. The war base is your home in the war map, and the village is your home in the normal game. For example, your village does not get locked during battle day, but your war base does. You do not donate troops to friendly villages during preparation day, you donate troops to friendly war bases. You do not defeat enemy villages in war, but you do defeat enemy war bases, etc. etc.
Essential Info
What are clan wars? How do they work?
A clan war is a strategic battle between two clans. There are two phases in a clan war, the preparation day and the battle day. Each participant can attack twice during the battle day. At the end of the war, the clan that earns the most stars from attacking wins the clan war.
Every clan member who makes successful attacks during a clan war will earn some bonus loot, but only the winning clan will receive a large loot bonus. Clan wars are free to start and participate in, and, unlike normal multiplayer battles, clans get to choose if and when they would like to go to war. Clans do not have to participate in clan wars.
What happens to my village during a clan war? Does my village go to war or is it safe?
Your village is always safe from clan war attacks because clan wars are fought in a different area than the regular game: the war zone. In the war zone, players prepare and attack war bases instead of their regular villages. Your village’s resources, trophies and shield are never at risk during a clan war.
Where can I find clan wars?
If you are in a clan, you can access clan wars at any time via the clan wars button on left bottom corner on your screen (the button with two swords crossed). From here, new clan wars can be started by clan leaders and co-leaders, and you can participate in or spectate any clan wars that are in progress. If a clan war is in progress, pressing this button will take you directly to the map of the war zone.
Going to War
How does one start a clan war?
Leaders and co-leaders can take their clan to war by opening the clan war screen and pressing the “Start War” button. This will start the search for an opponent clan, and you will be able to see the size of the clan war you are being matched for (e.g. 15 vs 15). The clan war will start immediately after an opponent clan has been found.
Finding an opponent clan can take several minutes, but there is no need to wait in the clan wars screen. You can close the screen with the red “X” button and you will be notified when an opposing clan has been found.
How do I participate in clan wars?
To participate in a clan war, you must be a part of a clan when a leader or co-leader presses the “Start War” button. If you join the clan after this point, you will become a spectator and will not be able to actively participate in the clan war.
What happens if I leave a clan during a clan war?
After a leader or co-leader presses the “Start War” button, you are free to leave, join other clans and return to the clan to continue participating in the clan war. Your war base will remain in the war map even if you leave, so leaving a clan will not affect an ongoing war.
However, you cannot participate in more than one clan war at a time. If you leave a clan while participating in a clan war, you will not be able to participate in any other clan wars until that previous war has ended. Other players will be able to see that you are still part of an unfinished war by checking your profile. You will be marked as ineligible for war until the previous clan war has concluded.
What are the minimum clan requirements required to go to war?
The only requirement is that a clan must have at least 10 members eligible for war.
What does it mean if I have a clan member who is ineligible for war?
Members who are new to your clan will be ineligible for war if they left their previous clan while a war was in progress. They will become eligible for war again when the previous war is completed. You can check your clan member list to see if any members are ineligible for war, and see when they will be eligible again. If you start the clan war while members are still ineligible, those members will not be able to participate.
What happens if someone in my clan isn’t active in a war?
Inactive members are treated the same as active members in clan wars. They can still be the target of any actions during the war, including receiving donated troops and being attacked by the enemy. Inactive members will still count toward the total team size and their war bases will still appear on the war map. However, inactive members will not use their attacks and will not receive any bonus loot.
Can I cancel a clan war?
Before an opponent clan has been found, you can cancel the search by pressing the “cancel” button. However, after an opponent has been found, the clan war cannot be cancelled. The preparation day begins immediately.
Clan Wars Matchmaking
How are clans matched for a clan war?
Clan wars matchmaking matches clans based on the strength of their members. Unlike multiplayer battles, trophies have no influence in determining your clan wars opponent. After an opposing clan is found, the war immediately starts. There’s no “nexting” in clan wars matchmaking.
How is strength calculated in clan wars?
Strength is based on each member’s attacking power (troops, army camp capacity, spells and heroes) and defensive strength (defense buildings, walls, traps and heroes). Different layouts and base designs do not affect strength. The only way a member’s strength can be changed is if they upgrade their troops, defenses, spells, etc.
Will clans of different sizes be matched for war?
That would be unfair. Both clans will always have the same number of war bases in a clan war. Clan wars matchmaking will only match clans of similar sizes, and a few members (between 1-4 per clan) may be put into spectator mode when the clans are matched to even out team sizes. The members in spectator mode will be those with the lowest trophy count in their clan (or those who are ineligible for war).
10 vs 10 members is the smallest possible team size for a clan war. Other possible team sizes are: 15 vs 15, 20 vs 20, 25 vs 25, 30 vs 30, 35 vs 35, 40 vs 40, 45 vs 45 and 50 vs 50. Clan wars matchmaking will always match your clan into the largest possible clan war.
War: The War Map
Help! I don’t understand this map with all the small town halls on it.
This is a map of the war zone, where clan wars take place. Your clan will always be in the friendly territory on the left side on the map. The enemy clan will always be in the enemy territory on the right side of the map. You can press the arrow button at any time to view the other side of the map.
Every town hall on the war map represents a war base. By tapping a town hall, you can view more information about that player, such as their completed attacks. You can also scout, donate troops, or attack a war base from this menu. The actions you can take will change with each phase of the clan war.
How are war bases ordered in the war map?
The bases are ordered from highest to lowest strength. The highest strength war bases are at the top of the war map. Trophies have no influence on the order of bases.
How is my war base different from my village?
Your war base is very similar to your village, with a few exceptions. Your war base does not generate resources. The clan castle in your war base must be filled separately from the clan castle in your village. War bases never need to have their traps rearmed, defenses reloaded, or heroes healed, as they are always ready for battle. The war base can not be directly upgraded or rearranged, but will instead mimic the arrangement and highest completed upgrade levels of your village during the preparation day. Buildings and traps will never be “under construction” in your war base.
Can I train troops or spells in my War Base?
No. The War Base is only for defense in clan wars. All attacking armies must come from your normal village.
War: Preparation Day (24 hours)
What happens during preparation day?
This is the day when clans prepare their defenses, gather information about, and start making plans against the opposing clan. There are no attacks during preparation day, but it is a crucial time for devising a strategy to win the war!
There are three main activities during preparation day: rearranging your war base, donating reinforcement troops to your clan mates, and scouting enemy war bases.
How do I rearrange my war base?
During preparation day, your war base will automatically rearrange to match your village layout. If you want to rearrange your war base, just rearrange your regular village. Be aware that your war base can not be rearranged after preparation day has ended,
How does Clan Castle troop donation work in clan wars?
The clan castle in your war base is different from the clan castle in your village and must be filled separately. The troops donated to a war base will be used to defend it against all attacks during battle day.
Unlike your regular village, there is no need to request troops for your war base. Instead, all war bases are automatically open for troop donation during preparation day. To donate, simply tap on a clan mate’s war base during preparation day and donate troops directly. Remember, troops cannot be donated to war bases during battle day.
Can I request specific clan castle troops to defend my war base?
Yes. You can write a custom troop request by tapping your war base on the war map and changing the donation request message.
What happens when I scout a war base?
You can freely scout all allied and enemy war bases for the duration of the clan war (and even after the war is over) to view their base layout. Scouting is a crucial tool for clan war strategy, as it allows you to give advice to allies and plan in advance for attacks against the enemy.
War: Battle Day (24 hours)
What happens during battle day?
This is the day when clans attack, start scoring stars and pushing toward victory! War bases cannot be changed during battle day, so victory hinges solely on having superior attacking skill and coordination. Pay close attention to how the war map updates after every attack, and adjust your strategy as needed to try to maximize your clan stars!
There are two main activities you can do during battle day: scout and attack enemy war bases.
How many times I can attack in a clan war?
You can only attack 2 times during battle day, so make each attack count! Use scouting and clan chat to plan your attacks in advance. You can choose any opposing player to attack, but keep in mind that you cannot attack the same target with both attacks.
Who should I attack? What is the recommended target?
The main goal of attacking in a clan war is to earn stars for your clan by earning them in battle. It is important to attack targets that you think you can defeat. If you fail in your attacks, not only will you not earn stars for your clan, but you will also not earn any bonus loot!
During battle day, you will always have a recommended target visible on the war map. The recommended target shows you the closest match for your attack strength based on the defense strength of your opponents. Base layout isn’t taken into consideration, though, nor is your favorite attacking style, so it is a good idea to also check a few bases above it and a few bases below it to see if you can find a target you like better.
Before attacking, it is also a good idea to view replays of your clan’s earlier attacks on that target, if they exist. It might provide you valuable information about traps, defending Clan Castle troops, and the effectiveness of certain attack strategies.
What determines the best attack against a War Base?
The best attack is the one that has scored the most stars against that base. Only that best attack will count towards the clan’s total stars shown at the top of the war map.
Do I need to build an army to attack in a clan war?
Yes. Your attacking army must be trained and prepared in your village just like you’d do for a normal multiplayer attack. It is up to you if you would rather find a good target for your regular army composition, or if you would instead train an unusual army to take out a specific base with a certain weakness. One thing is for certain, however: there are no second chances. Remember to check that your Heroes are awake, that your spells are ready and that you have your Clan Castle full before using one of your precious clan war attacks.
How can I view attack replays?
The best attack performed against an allied or enemy War Base can be viewed via the replay button shown when you tap a town hall in the war map. The button will not be shown if there has not yet been an attack performed against that War Base.
In addition, every attack made by every participant in the war can be reviewed and replayed by pressing the the blue and white star button shown near the top of the screen, and selecting the War Events tab.
Do I lose my shield if I attack in clan war?
No, you don’t lose your shield. Consider it as if you’d attack a single player village.
Does an active shield protect me in a clan war?
No, your War Base can be attacked even if you have an active shield. A shield only protects your village from multiplayer attacks.
http://clashofclans.wikia.com/wiki/Clan_Wars_FAQ
IMPORTANT
New concept when talking about Clan Wars: WAR BASE means your home on war map. The war base is not the village. The war base is your home in the war map, and the village is your home in the normal game. For example, your village does not get locked during battle day, but your war base does. You do not donate troops to friendly villages during preparation day, you donate troops to friendly war bases. You do not defeat enemy villages in war, but you do defeat enemy war bases, etc. etc.
Essential Info
What are clan wars? How do they work?
A clan war is a strategic battle between two clans. There are two phases in a clan war, the preparation day and the battle day. Each participant can attack twice during the battle day. At the end of the war, the clan that earns the most stars from attacking wins the clan war.
Every clan member who makes successful attacks during a clan war will earn some bonus loot, but only the winning clan will receive a large loot bonus. Clan wars are free to start and participate in, and, unlike normal multiplayer battles, clans get to choose if and when they would like to go to war. Clans do not have to participate in clan wars.
What happens to my village during a clan war? Does my village go to war or is it safe?
Your village is always safe from clan war attacks because clan wars are fought in a different area than the regular game: the war zone. In the war zone, players prepare and attack war bases instead of their regular villages. Your village’s resources, trophies and shield are never at risk during a clan war.
Where can I find clan wars?
If you are in a clan, you can access clan wars at any time via the clan wars button on left bottom corner on your screen (the button with two swords crossed). From here, new clan wars can be started by clan leaders and co-leaders, and you can participate in or spectate any clan wars that are in progress. If a clan war is in progress, pressing this button will take you directly to the map of the war zone.
Going to War
How does one start a clan war?
Leaders and co-leaders can take their clan to war by opening the clan war screen and pressing the “Start War” button. This will start the search for an opponent clan, and you will be able to see the size of the clan war you are being matched for (e.g. 15 vs 15). The clan war will start immediately after an opponent clan has been found.
Finding an opponent clan can take several minutes, but there is no need to wait in the clan wars screen. You can close the screen with the red “X” button and you will be notified when an opposing clan has been found.
How do I participate in clan wars?
To participate in a clan war, you must be a part of a clan when a leader or co-leader presses the “Start War” button. If you join the clan after this point, you will become a spectator and will not be able to actively participate in the clan war.
What happens if I leave a clan during a clan war?
After a leader or co-leader presses the “Start War” button, you are free to leave, join other clans and return to the clan to continue participating in the clan war. Your war base will remain in the war map even if you leave, so leaving a clan will not affect an ongoing war.
However, you cannot participate in more than one clan war at a time. If you leave a clan while participating in a clan war, you will not be able to participate in any other clan wars until that previous war has ended. Other players will be able to see that you are still part of an unfinished war by checking your profile. You will be marked as ineligible for war until the previous clan war has concluded.
What are the minimum clan requirements required to go to war?
The only requirement is that a clan must have at least 10 members eligible for war.
What does it mean if I have a clan member who is ineligible for war?
Members who are new to your clan will be ineligible for war if they left their previous clan while a war was in progress. They will become eligible for war again when the previous war is completed. You can check your clan member list to see if any members are ineligible for war, and see when they will be eligible again. If you start the clan war while members are still ineligible, those members will not be able to participate.
What happens if someone in my clan isn’t active in a war?
Inactive members are treated the same as active members in clan wars. They can still be the target of any actions during the war, including receiving donated troops and being attacked by the enemy. Inactive members will still count toward the total team size and their war bases will still appear on the war map. However, inactive members will not use their attacks and will not receive any bonus loot.
Can I cancel a clan war?
Before an opponent clan has been found, you can cancel the search by pressing the “cancel” button. However, after an opponent has been found, the clan war cannot be cancelled. The preparation day begins immediately.
Clan Wars Matchmaking
How are clans matched for a clan war?
Clan wars matchmaking matches clans based on the strength of their members. Unlike multiplayer battles, trophies have no influence in determining your clan wars opponent. After an opposing clan is found, the war immediately starts. There’s no “nexting” in clan wars matchmaking.
How is strength calculated in clan wars?
Strength is based on each member’s attacking power (troops, army camp capacity, spells and heroes) and defensive strength (defense buildings, walls, traps and heroes). Different layouts and base designs do not affect strength. The only way a member’s strength can be changed is if they upgrade their troops, defenses, spells, etc.
Will clans of different sizes be matched for war?
That would be unfair. Both clans will always have the same number of war bases in a clan war. Clan wars matchmaking will only match clans of similar sizes, and a few members (between 1-4 per clan) may be put into spectator mode when the clans are matched to even out team sizes. The members in spectator mode will be those with the lowest trophy count in their clan (or those who are ineligible for war).
10 vs 10 members is the smallest possible team size for a clan war. Other possible team sizes are: 15 vs 15, 20 vs 20, 25 vs 25, 30 vs 30, 35 vs 35, 40 vs 40, 45 vs 45 and 50 vs 50. Clan wars matchmaking will always match your clan into the largest possible clan war.
War: The War Map
Help! I don’t understand this map with all the small town halls on it.
This is a map of the war zone, where clan wars take place. Your clan will always be in the friendly territory on the left side on the map. The enemy clan will always be in the enemy territory on the right side of the map. You can press the arrow button at any time to view the other side of the map.
Every town hall on the war map represents a war base. By tapping a town hall, you can view more information about that player, such as their completed attacks. You can also scout, donate troops, or attack a war base from this menu. The actions you can take will change with each phase of the clan war.
How are war bases ordered in the war map?
The bases are ordered from highest to lowest strength. The highest strength war bases are at the top of the war map. Trophies have no influence on the order of bases.
How is my war base different from my village?
Your war base is very similar to your village, with a few exceptions. Your war base does not generate resources. The clan castle in your war base must be filled separately from the clan castle in your village. War bases never need to have their traps rearmed, defenses reloaded, or heroes healed, as they are always ready for battle. The war base can not be directly upgraded or rearranged, but will instead mimic the arrangement and highest completed upgrade levels of your village during the preparation day. Buildings and traps will never be “under construction” in your war base.
Can I train troops or spells in my War Base?
No. The War Base is only for defense in clan wars. All attacking armies must come from your normal village.
War: Preparation Day (24 hours)
What happens during preparation day?
This is the day when clans prepare their defenses, gather information about, and start making plans against the opposing clan. There are no attacks during preparation day, but it is a crucial time for devising a strategy to win the war!
There are three main activities during preparation day: rearranging your war base, donating reinforcement troops to your clan mates, and scouting enemy war bases.
How do I rearrange my war base?
During preparation day, your war base will automatically rearrange to match your village layout. If you want to rearrange your war base, just rearrange your regular village. Be aware that your war base can not be rearranged after preparation day has ended,
How does Clan Castle troop donation work in clan wars?
The clan castle in your war base is different from the clan castle in your village and must be filled separately. The troops donated to a war base will be used to defend it against all attacks during battle day.
Unlike your regular village, there is no need to request troops for your war base. Instead, all war bases are automatically open for troop donation during preparation day. To donate, simply tap on a clan mate’s war base during preparation day and donate troops directly. Remember, troops cannot be donated to war bases during battle day.
Can I request specific clan castle troops to defend my war base?
Yes. You can write a custom troop request by tapping your war base on the war map and changing the donation request message.
What happens when I scout a war base?
You can freely scout all allied and enemy war bases for the duration of the clan war (and even after the war is over) to view their base layout. Scouting is a crucial tool for clan war strategy, as it allows you to give advice to allies and plan in advance for attacks against the enemy.
War: Battle Day (24 hours)
What happens during battle day?
This is the day when clans attack, start scoring stars and pushing toward victory! War bases cannot be changed during battle day, so victory hinges solely on having superior attacking skill and coordination. Pay close attention to how the war map updates after every attack, and adjust your strategy as needed to try to maximize your clan stars!
There are two main activities you can do during battle day: scout and attack enemy war bases.
How many times I can attack in a clan war?
You can only attack 2 times during battle day, so make each attack count! Use scouting and clan chat to plan your attacks in advance. You can choose any opposing player to attack, but keep in mind that you cannot attack the same target with both attacks.
Who should I attack? What is the recommended target?
The main goal of attacking in a clan war is to earn stars for your clan by earning them in battle. It is important to attack targets that you think you can defeat. If you fail in your attacks, not only will you not earn stars for your clan, but you will also not earn any bonus loot!
During battle day, you will always have a recommended target visible on the war map. The recommended target shows you the closest match for your attack strength based on the defense strength of your opponents. Base layout isn’t taken into consideration, though, nor is your favorite attacking style, so it is a good idea to also check a few bases above it and a few bases below it to see if you can find a target you like better.
Before attacking, it is also a good idea to view replays of your clan’s earlier attacks on that target, if they exist. It might provide you valuable information about traps, defending Clan Castle troops, and the effectiveness of certain attack strategies.
What determines the best attack against a War Base?
The best attack is the one that has scored the most stars against that base. Only that best attack will count towards the clan’s total stars shown at the top of the war map.
Do I need to build an army to attack in a clan war?
Yes. Your attacking army must be trained and prepared in your village just like you’d do for a normal multiplayer attack. It is up to you if you would rather find a good target for your regular army composition, or if you would instead train an unusual army to take out a specific base with a certain weakness. One thing is for certain, however: there are no second chances. Remember to check that your Heroes are awake, that your spells are ready and that you have your Clan Castle full before using one of your precious clan war attacks.
How can I view attack replays?
The best attack performed against an allied or enemy War Base can be viewed via the replay button shown when you tap a town hall in the war map. The button will not be shown if there has not yet been an attack performed against that War Base.
In addition, every attack made by every participant in the war can be reviewed and replayed by pressing the the blue and white star button shown near the top of the screen, and selecting the War Events tab.
Do I lose my shield if I attack in clan war?
No, you don’t lose your shield. Consider it as if you’d attack a single player village.
Does an active shield protect me in a clan war?
No, your War Base can be attacked even if you have an active shield. A shield only protects your village from multiplayer attacks.