Since the update changed how quake spells work, they have become much more useful in battles and new strategies have sprung up that make use of them. One new way of attacking that takes advantage of the new quake spell mechanics is referred to as the "Zap-Quake Strategy". This strategy can be used with different types of armies and even air attacks benefit from the use of quake spells if used correctly.
If you have already checked out my post on the Dragoon Strategy, you will already be familiar with how to perform the attack. If you haven't already looked at my Dragoon Strategy post, I highly suggest you check it out because I will not be going into all the details of the Dragoon attack here; I will mostly only be pointing out the ways this attack will differ from a normal Dragoon attack and some of the benefits and drawbacks to each. So, if you haven't read my post on how to perform a Dragoon Attack , I will post the link here so you can check that out first.
http://soyouwannaclash.blogspot.com/2016/02/zap-quake-strategy.html
Battle Preparation:
There are only a few differences in how you start the raid when using the Zap-Quake strategy. Using this strategy will result in you having no extra spells to help your dragons and balloons once they are deployed, which is a really uncomfortable feeling the first few times you attempt this style of attack. But in place of the normal heal, rage, and/or haste that you are used to, you will be taking 2-4 lightning spells and 1-2 quake spells. The idea is the same as when players used to use lightning spells to take out air defenses before sending in their air troops, but instead of using 3 lightning spells you can now use only 2 lightning spells and a quake can finish it off. This is a major difference because instead of using 3 lightning spells that would take 6 spell spaces, you can take 2 light and a quake and only use 5 spaces, which gives you room to take an extra dark spell (or another quake if you opt to use the "Double Zap-Quake Strategy").
To begin the battle, you will want to have already chosen which air defense(s) you will use your spells on. Preferably you will have done this prior to attacking, while scouting the base beforehand. The key to this strategy is choosing the best air defense to remove from the battlefield. In a base that is asymmetrical, you will likely find an air defense that will be more difficult for your dragons and loons to reach than the others; this is almost always going to be the best one to take out. If there isn't an air defense that really stands out as more protected, see if there are any that have been placed away from other defenses and/or buildings near the center of the base. These are usually designed this way so that your air troops will go around the air defense instead of through it, allowing it to pick them off while your troops attack all the buildings nearby. These kinds of air defenses are ideal targets for this strategy because removing them from the battle gives your air troops a much higher chance of survival. It is a different situation when attacking symmetrical bases. There will likely not be any air defense that is any more difficult to reach than the others. In this scenario, you will choose the air defense based on which side you are planning to attack from. Look for which side has the most storages, the cc, and other high hit point buildings and attack from the opposite side. This way, when you encounter all the high hit point structures, you will have most likely already gotten rid of most or all of the air defenses.
Execution:
Once you have chosen an air defense to target with your spells, you will hit it with 2 lightnings (or possibly 3 if you have low level lightning spells and are attacking someone with high level air defenses). If you are unsure how many lightnings you will need, scout the enemy base and tap on their air defenses and see how many hit points they have. Then, check your lightning spells to see how much damage they do; if 2 lightning spells will do enough damage to put the air defense under 15-25% (depending on the level of your quake spell), then you only need 2. But if they do not put the air defenses under that percentage, you will have to take an extra one. This is extremely important to make sure of, because it will be a total waste if you use all those spells and the air defense is still standing (and still able to hit your troops until they can reach it to finish it off).
One final important consideration is deciding whether to only take enough spells for 1 Zap-Quake, or taking enough spells for 2. If you take only enough for 1, you will be able to also take your choice of heal, rage, or haste spells; but if you take enough for 2 Zap-Quakes, you can take out a second air defense. Both strategies have their benefits and drawbacks; having the extra supporting spells like heal/rage/haste can really give your troops a boost if things begin to go awry, but using being able to destroys a second air defense right from the get-go can also really boost your attack, so this choice is completely up to you.
Pro Tips:
1. If you are really good at judging the range of your spells, it is possible to take out 2 air defenses with a single set of Zap-Quake spells! You have to really know the exact range of you spells to make this work, so it is definitely taking a risk because you may wind up missing slightly and end up not destroying either air defense! The only real way to get 2 air defenses with a single set of Zap-Quake spells is if the air defenses are butted right next to each other or are within one tile of each other. Any further than that and your lightning spells will not do enough damage to them to allow the quake to finish them off (since the lightning spell does significantly more damage in the center of it's range and less damage the further from center you go). However, some players will opt to take 4 lightning spells and drop 2 directly on each air defense, then simply use a single quake spell to finish off both air defenses if they are in range. While this takes up more spell space, it greatly increases the chances of destroying both air defenses.
2. Another tip involves attacking TH-9 bases that have an Archer Queen. If she happens to be located directly next to one of the air defenses, you can sometimes take her out as well when you take out the air defense. To do this, simply wait and watch as she walks around patrolling the area of her altar; eventually (if she is close enough) she will step right on top of the air defense and stand there. As soon as she approaches the air defense, drop both of your lightning spells right on top of her and the air defense. In many cases if timed accurately, you will be able to destroy the air defense and kill the enemy Queen at the same time!!! It is a good idea to just sit and watch her patrol while scouting the base to get familiar with how she patrols and how long she stands still when she stops. Needless to say, pulling this off will go a very long way in helping your attack succeed, because she can take out balloons in 1-3 hits and do substantial damage to dragons as well.
