Updated for Town Hall 18 (October 2026).
Hog Gliders unlock at Builder Hall 9, from level 11 of the Builder Barracks. Each one is a Hog Rider on a hang glider: it flies straight at an enemy defense, crashes into it to deal damage and stun it, then fights on the ground as a Hog Rider. They arrive at level 15, go up to level 20 at Builder Hall 10, and two fit in each Army Camp.
How Hog Gliders work
Here is what happens after you drop one:
- The glider flies toward the nearest defense, moving fast (speed 24). As an air unit it can be shot by anti-air on the way in.
- If it reaches the defense, it crashes into it. The crash deals a chunk of damage and, through the Stunning Glide ability, stuns the defense for 5 or 6 seconds depending on level. This happens automatically; there is nothing to tap.
- Either way, a Hog Rider drops to the ground and carries on attacking defenses. If the glider is shot down before it reaches its target, there is no crash and no stun, but you still get the rider.
Both the glider and the rider go for defenses only. They ignore other buildings and do not turn to fight Guard Post troops or Zappies while any defense is left standing. They also skip the Guard Post itself, even though it counts as a defense for layout limits. Like the Hog Rider in the Home Village, the rider jumps over Walls instead of breaking them. Once every defense is down, both behave like normal troops and hit whatever is closest.
Hog Glider levels and stats
Research is done in the Star Laboratory with Builder Elixir; the Star Laboratory level matches the Builder Hall level it needs.
| Level | Crash damage | Glider hitpoints | Stun | Hog Rider DPS | Hog Rider hitpoints | Research cost | Research time | Star Lab / Builder Hall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 180 | 600 | 5.0s | 112 | 1,267 | Unlocked at this level | – | 9 |
| 16 | 220 | 650 | 5.0s | 112 | 1,267 | 4,000,000 | 5d 12h | 9 |
| 17 | 220 | 650 | 5.0s | 125 | 1,393 | 4,200,000 | 6d | 9 |
| 18 | 220 | 650 | 6.0s | 125 | 1,393 | 4,400,000 | 6d | 9 |
| 19 | 220 | 650 | 6.0s | 139 | 1,533 | 5,400,000 | 6d 12h | 10 |
| 20 | 260 | 700 | 6.0s | 139 | 1,533 | 5,800,000 | 6d 12h | 10 |
The rider hits once per second from 0.75 tiles, so its DPS and its damage per hit are the same number. Two gliders per camp is fixed; upgrades do not add more.
How to use Hog Gliders
Use them one or two at a time, on purpose. A defense can only be stunned once at a time, and each new crash restarts the stun instead of adding to it. Five gliders landing on the same cannon in quick succession waste most of their stun time. Pick a separate target for each glider, or send two or three together only at a high-hitpoint defense like the Crusher, where the riders need the whole stun window to finish it.
The stun is a tool for the rest of your army. Crash a glider into the Crusher just before your Raged Barbarians walk into its range, or into the Mega Tesla before your air troops reach it, and they get several free seconds.
Watch for Hidden Teslas. A Hidden Tesla that pops up near a glider’s flight path becomes the nearest defense, and the glider may swerve into it and spend its stun on a weak target. Riders are also fragile in a group: nothing heals them during a stage, and splash from the Crusher, Roaster, Lava Launcher or a Mega Mine adds up fast.
How to defend against Hog Gliders
Put cheap defenses on the outside, where a glider is likely to hit first, so the stun lands on a Cannon instead of your best defense. Keep that bait covered, though, because the rider that drops off can still destroy it and open the way for the next glider.
Anti-air on the approach is the best counter. Well-upgraded Firecrackers and Air Bombs can shoot gliders down before they crash, which cancels the stun. A Mega Tesla can knock out a glider and badly hurt the rider in one go. Hidden Teslas placed in a likely flight line make gliders crash early on a building you care less about. Since Builder Base 2.0, a Push Trap can also shove Hog Riders, which used to be immune because they jump.
What changed with Builder Base 2.0
Before May 2023, Hog Gliders were numbered from level 1 to 18, and you could fit three per camp from level 8. Builder Base 2.0 made every troop start at a minimum level when unlocked, so Hog Gliders now begin at level 15, and it set the camp size at two. Levels 19 and 20 came with Builder Hall 10. The longest stun dropped too: a level 18 glider stunned for 7 seconds before the update and stuns for 6 now.
For how surviving gliders and riders carry into Stage 2, see the Builder Base 2.0 guide.
Hog Glider FAQ
When are Hog Gliders unlocked?
At Builder Hall 9, when you upgrade the Builder Barracks to level 11. They are the second-to-last Builder Base troop, before the Electrofire Wizard at Builder Hall 10.
Do Hog Gliders target defenses?
Yes. Both the glider and the Hog Rider it drops go for defenses first, apart from the Guard Post.
What happens if a Hog Glider is shot down?
You lose the crash damage and the stun, but the Hog Rider still lands and keeps attacking.
How many Hog Gliders fit in an Army Camp?
Two, at every level.
Sources: Supercell release notes (Supercell, Builder Base 2.0 patch notes (May 2023)) and in-game data.
