Muddy Puddles

Why this map is hard

The challenge on Muddy Puddles is coverage. Only one lane is active per round, but the active lane changes every round, and each lane is short. A defence that only covers the inner lanes leaks every time the round moves to the outside, and a defence spread evenly across four lanes is weak everywhere.

The key insight is that the two middle lanes are used twice as often as the outer lanes. Build your strongest damage between the two inner lanes so it reaches both, and add range or map-wide towers to cover the outer lanes. The puddles give you water spots close to every lane, so water towers are the natural core.

Because the lanes are straight and vertical, towers placed between two lanes see a long stretch of both. That is the placement rule for the whole game: never put a tower beside an outer lane if a spot between two lanes is still free.

Best towers

• Monkey Sub (2-0-4 or 2-2-0): Subs in puddles between lanes are strong here. Advanced Intel (tier 2 top) lets them hit any bloon in range of another tower, so a few Subs in the centre can reach the outer lanes as long as some other tower sees them. A 2-0-4 First Strike Sub handles blimps with its ability.
• Monkey Buccaneer: a 3-2-0 Destroyer for the mid game, and a 0-5-2 Pirate Lord for late blimps. Admiral Brickell's Naval Tactics doubles their attack speed.
• Heli Pilot: with Pursuit (tier 2 top) a helicopter chases the bloons, so it covers every lane without you moving it. A 2-0-4 Comanche Defense or 5-0-2 Apache Prime is a strong main damage choice.
• Monkey Ace: flies over the whole map and works well for blimp damage, for example a 2-0-4 Spectre.
• Sniper Monkey: global range for cleanup, and 4-0-x Maim MOAB stuns blimps on whichever lane they use.
• Alchemist and Monkey Village: a central cluster with a 4-2-0 Alchemist and a 2-3-0 Village makes your best towers much stronger and lets everything in range pop every bloon type.
• Super Monkey: a Sun Avatar (3-x-x) or Sun Temple (4-x-x) between the inner lanes is a common late-game finish on lower difficulties.

Best heroes

• Admiral Brickell: the puddles are made for her. She buffs every water tower in range, gains camo detection at level 7, and her Mega Mine (level 10) handles a blimp on any lane.
• Etienne: his drones fly around the map and support every lane.
• Psi: his attacks reach bloons anywhere, which makes the moving lane irrelevant for him.

Easy and Medium

Place your first towers between the two middle lanes. Two Dart Monkeys, or a Sub plus a Dart, are enough for the first rounds. Then build Subs in central puddles with Advanced Intel and add a Heli Pilot so the outer lanes are covered. Get camo detection before round 24 and lead popping before round 28. On Medium, a 2-0-4 Sub or a Destroyer handles the first MOABs, and you need enough lead and camo damage for the camo-lead ceramics on round 59.

Hard

For Hard, put a 4-2-0 Alchemist and a 2-3-0 Village between the inner lanes, with Subs, Destroyers or Helis around them. Make sure the outer lanes are covered for rounds 76 and 78: if one of those lands on an outer lane, a Heli or Ace that chases the bloons is your safety net. Count the lane cycle forward from round 1 before a dangerous round so you know which lane it will use.

CHIMPS

Muddy Puddles CHIMPS has been done many times, including with a black border and in co-op. A typical water route:

1. Rounds 1 to 6: start with a Dart Monkey between the first two lanes, since round 1 uses the far-left lane and round 2 the second. Add a second Dart or a Sub to cover lanes three and four before round 4.
2. Rounds 7 to 15: place Admiral Brickell in a central puddle. Build Subs in puddles near the inner lanes and take them to 2-0-0.
3. Before round 24: a 0-0-2 Dart gives your Advanced Intel Subs camo coverage. Brickell herself gains camo detection at level 7.
4. Before round 28: 2-0-2 Subs for lead popping.
5. Rounds 30 to 50: a 3-2-0 Destroyer, then a 2-0-4 First Strike Sub before round 40.
6. Rounds 50 to 80: a 0-5-2 Pirate Lord, more Destroyers, and an Alchemist if one fits next to your boats. Use Naval Tactics on 63, 76 and 78.
7. Rounds 80 to 100: add more First Strike Subs, upgrade towards a Carrier Flagship if cash allows, and save Mega Mine and First Strike for 98, 99 and the BAD. Pirate Lord cannot hook the BAD, so your burst damage has to finish it.

A land alternative is a Heli route: 2-0-4 Comanche Defense Helis with a 4-2-0 Alchemist, later an Apache Prime, plus Snipers for cleanup and Maim MOAB stuns.

Impoppable

Impoppable is very doable with the same plan. Farms fit easily in the corners, and because only one lane is active each round you can see exactly where damage is missing. See our Impoppable guide.

Other modes

• Half Cash: Subs and Brickell are the most cost-efficient way to cover four lanes.
• Deflation: spend everything on Advanced Intel Subs and a Heli, since there is no income to fix a bad lane later.
• Military Only: Subs, Buccaneers, Helis, Aces and Snipers are all allowed, so this mode plays almost like normal here.

Dangerous rounds on this map

• Round 24: one camo green on whichever lane is active.
• Round 28: six leads.
• Round 40: the first MOAB.
• Round 63: a heavy ceramic rush on a short lane.
• Round 76: a dense rush of regrow ceramics.
• Round 78: rainbows, ceramics, a BFB and camo ceramics.
• Round 90: camo regrow fortified leads and three DDTs.
• Rounds 95, 98 and 99: DDTs and fortified blimps in large numbers.
• Round 100: the BAD.

For step-by-step video guides, check the BTD6 Master YouTube channel.

Frequently asked questions

Is Muddy Puddles hard?

It is an Expert map, but most players rate it as one of the easier Expert maps because only one lane is active per round.

How do the lanes work on Muddy Puddles?

Round 1 uses the far-left lane, and each round moves one lane right until it reaches the far right, then the order reverses. The two middle lanes are used most often.

How do you beat Muddy Puddles CHIMPS?

Build water towers in the central puddles with Admiral Brickell: Advanced Intel Subs, Destroyers, First Strike Subs and a Pirate Lord, plus a Heli Pilot or Ace to cover the outer lanes.

What is the best hero for Muddy Puddles?

Admiral Brickell is the best fit because of all the puddles. Etienne and Psi are good alternatives.

Where should I place towers on Muddy Puddles?

Between the two middle lanes. Those lanes are used twice as often as the outer ones, and a tower there sees both of them.

What is the difference between Muddy Puddles and Bloody Puddles?

Bloody Puddles has five lanes with two active per round, a jeep that blocks line of sight, and much less space, which makes it far harder.