Alternate Bloons Rounds

Alternate Bloons Rounds, usually called ABR, is a Hard mode that swaps the normal rounds for a completely different and much harsher set. You still play rounds 3 to 80 with 100 lives and Hard prices, but camo bloons show up on round 5, the first MOAB is fortified, and many rounds are built to surprise you. Even the pre-round hints are replaced by sarcastic, mostly useless comments.

ABR rules

• Round set: rounds are replaced with the alternate set, which brings stronger bloon types earlier and often packs them densely.
• Rounds: 3 to 80, ending with two ZOMGs.
• Lives, prices and cash: 100 lives, Hard prices, $650 starting cash.
• Still allowed: every tower, Monkey Knowledge, Powers, farming, selling and Continues.

Some rounds are designed with fewer bloons than you would expect, so they pay less cash. ABR also has its own preset freeplay rounds up to round 140.

Unlocking and rewards

ABR unlocks after Hard Standard and is the gate to Impoppable, and through it to CHIMPS. The first win pays the Hard amount of Monkey Money: 200 Beginner, 400 Intermediate, 600 Advanced and 800 Expert, plus a gold ABR medal.

Why ABR is hard

Your round knowledge from Standard does not apply. Camo, Lead, Purples, Ceramics and blimps all arrive far earlier, and several rounds are almost entirely fortified or camo. You need a broad defence early, which leaves less room for farming.

ABR round-by-round danger list

• Round 5: camo Reds and a camo regrow Red. You need camo detection almost immediately.
• Round 7: camo Blues and the first Blacks.
• Round 10: the first two Leads.
• Round 11 and 14: camo Greens, then camo regrow Greens.
• Round 15: the first Purples.
• Round 20: six regrow Blacks.
• Round 22: 16 Purples. Magic-heavy defences struggle here.
• Round 24: a single camo Lead.
• Round 27: a huge camo rush of 100 Reds, 60 Blues, 45 Greens and 45 Yellows.
• Round 28 and 30: regrow Leads, then nine camo Leads.
• Round 32 and 35: first Ceramics, then camo Blacks with regrow Whites.
• Round 36: 80 camo regrow Yellows.
• Round 40: a fortified MOAB.
• Round 42: camo regrow Rainbows.
• Round 46: eight fortified Ceramics.
• Round 50: four MOABs and two fortified MOABs.
• Round 51: 28 camo fortified Ceramics.
• Round 53: 120 camo Pinks and three fortified MOABs.
• Round 54: the first BFB.
• Round 59: 50 camo regrow Leads with 20 camo fortified Ceramics.
• Round 60: a fortified BFB.
• Round 63: Ceramics, fortified Ceramics and 40 camo Ceramics with five MOABs.
• Round 67 and 69: camo regrow fortified Ceramics, then camo regrow Blacks and Purples with camo Ceramics.
• Round 71: 30 regrow fortified Ceramics and ten fortified MOABs.
• Round 76: ten BFBs.
• Round 77: eleven fortified MOABs and five fortified BFBs.
• Round 78: a giant mixed rush with fortified and camo Ceramics.
• Round 79: 500 camo Rainbows, four fortified BFBs and the first ZOMG.
• Round 80: two ZOMGs.

Best towers and crosspaths

• Early camo: a Ninja Monkey, a Dart Monkey with Enhanced Eyesight (0-0-2) or a Wizard with Monkey Sense (0-x-2) before round 5. A Monkey Village with Radar Scanner (0-2-0) covers wider areas later.
• Lead: Bomb Shooters, Wizard Fireball (0-1-0) or Mortar Monkeys before round 10.
• Purples: keep sharp or normal damage, such as Ninjas, Dart Monkeys or Druid thorns, for rounds 15 and 22.
• Area damage: Ring of Fire Tack Shooters, Glaive Ricochet Boomerangs and Wall of Fire or Dragon's Breath Wizards.
• Support: an Alchemist with Berserker Brew (3-x-x) is extremely efficient against the fortified rounds.
• MOABs: MOAB Mauler Bomb Shooters, Maim MOAB Snipers, Fighter Plane Aces and First Strike Capability Subs. You need real blimp damage by round 40 for the fortified MOAB.
• Stall: MOAB Glue and Arctic Wind help with rounds 76 to 80.

Best heroes

• Sauda: camo detection from the start solves the round 5 problem immediately.
• Quincy and Obyn Greenfoot: reliable starts with Ninja or Druid openings.
• Etienne: global camo detection from level 8 helps on the many camo rounds.
• Benjamin: works if the map lets you farm despite the early pressure.

Step-by-step game plan

1. Open with your hero and a tower that has or will soon have camo detection.
2. Secure camo before round 5 and lead before round 10.
3. Add sharp damage for round 15 and 22 Purples.
4. Farm lightly from about round 12 if your defence holds.
5. Build an Alchemist buff and area damage for the round 27 camo rush.
6. Have blimp damage that can kill a fortified MOAB before round 40.
7. From round 50, invest heavily in fortified ceramic and blimp damage.
8. Save abilities or Powers for rounds 76 to 80.

Common mistakes

• Using a Hard Standard opening with no camo for the first 20 rounds.
• Relying only on fire or plasma towers and leaking Purples.
• Farming as greedily as in Standard.

Which maps to start with

Long Beginner maps give the most room for error. For complete ABR routes, see our videos on the BTD6 Master YouTube channel.

Frequently asked questions

What is Alternate Bloons Rounds in BTD6?

A Hard mode that replaces the normal rounds 3 to 80 with a different, harder set featuring early camo, Purples, fortified bloons and earlier blimps.

When does camo first appear in ABR?

On round 5, with camo Reds and a camo regrow Red.

What does ABR unlock?

Beating ABR unlocks Impoppable on the same map, which in turn unlocks CHIMPS.

Is ABR harder than Hard Standard?

Yes. It uses the same lives and prices, but almost every round is harder and you cannot rely on Standard round knowledge.

What is the final round of ABR?

Round 80, which sends two ZOMGs right after round 79's first ZOMG.