Military Only

Military Only is a Medium mode where you can only place Military Monkeys and your hero. You play rounds 1 to 60 with 150 lives and base prices. Military towers have huge range, but they are expensive and some need water, so the early game and the camo-lead rounds decide most attempts.

Military Only rules

• Allowed towers: Sniper Monkey, Monkey Sub, Monkey Buccaneer, Monkey Ace, Heli Pilot, Mortar Monkey and Dartling Gunner.
• Heroes: any hero.
• Rounds: 1 to 60, ending with the BFB.
• Lives and prices: 150 lives, Medium prices.
• Still allowed: Monkey Knowledge, Powers, selling, Continues and Military Insta Monkeys. Banana Farms cannot be placed because they are Support towers.

Unlocking and rewards

Military Only unlocks after Medium Standard on the map, and beating it unlocks Apopalypse. The first win pays the Medium amount of Monkey Money: 125 Beginner, 250 Intermediate, 375 Advanced and 500 Expert, plus a silver Military medal. Round 100 in freeplay gives a Military Insta Monkey.

Why Military Only is hard

• Expensive start: with $650 you can only afford a Sniper Monkey or a Monkey Sub at the start. The other land towers cost more than your starting cash.
• Water dependency: Subs and Buccaneers are the cheapest strong options but need water. On dry maps you lean on Snipers, Heli Pilots, Monkey Aces, Mortars and Dartlings.
• Camo and lead together: you need specific upgrades for both, and round 59 sends 50 camo Leads at once.

Rounds to watch

• Round 24: first camo Green. Leaking it only costs a life, but you should fix camo soon after.
• Round 28: six Lead bloons.
• Round 33 and 36: camo groups.
• Round 40: the MOAB.
• Rounds 45 to 47: camo Purples, fortified Leads, fortified Ceramics and camo Pinks.
• Round 50: two MOABs, fortified Leads and Ceramics.
• Round 51 and 53: camo Ceramics, then camo Pinks with three MOABs.
• Round 59: 50 camo Leads plus regrow Ceramics. The main wall in this mode.
• Round 60: the BFB.

Best towers and crosspaths

Camo and lead upgrades

• Sniper Monkey: Night Vision Goggles (0-1-0) for camo, Full Metal Jacket (1-0-0) for Lead. A 1-3-0 Bouncing Bullet Sniper is a common answer to round 59.
• Monkey Buccaneer: Crow's Nest (0-0-2) for camo, Hot Shot (0-2-0) for Lead. 0-2-2 Buccaneers handle round 59 well.
• Monkey Sub: Heat-tipped Darts (0-2-0) pop Lead. 2-2-0 Subs make good support for round 59.
• Mortar Monkey: its explosions pop Lead, and Signal Flare (0-0-3) removes camo from bloons.

Main damage

• Water maps: Triple Guns Subs (2-0-3), Destroyer Buccaneers (3-2-0) and Monkey Subs with Advanced Intel carry most games cheaply. Admiral Brickell boosts this style.
• Land maps: Apache Dartship Heli Pilots (4-0-0), Spectre Monkey Aces (0-0-4) and Dartling Gunners give strong mid-game damage. Bouncing Bullet and Semi-Automatic Snipers fill gaps.
• MOABs: Maim MOAB Snipers (4-0-0) stun blimps, Fighter Plane Aces (3-0-0) shoot down MOABs from anywhere, and First Strike Capability Subs (0-4-0) hit the round 60 BFB hard.

Best heroes for Military Only

• Quincy: a cheap land hero that covers the early rounds while you save for Snipers.
• Admiral Brickell: the best choice on water maps, boosting Subs and Buccaneers.
• Striker Jones: supports Mortar Monkeys.
• Sauda: camo detection and strong early damage on land maps.

Military Conscription and Advanced Logistics make Military towers cheaper and are worth unlocking before you grind this mode.

Step-by-step game plan

1. Start with your hero plus a Sniper Monkey on land, or a Monkey Sub on water maps.
2. Add a second Sniper or Sub by round 10.
3. Buy Night Vision Goggles or Crow's Nest before round 24.
4. Add lead popping (Full Metal Jacket, Hot Shot or Heat-tipped Darts) before round 28.
5. Build toward a main carry (Apache Dartship, Spectre, Triple Guns Subs or Destroyers) around round 35.
6. Prepare a Bouncing Bullet Sniper or 0-2-2 Buccaneers for round 59.
7. Finish with MOAB damage for round 60.

Common mistakes

• Saving for a Heli Pilot or Monkey Ace too early and leaking the first rounds.
• Buying camo detection on one tower that only sees part of the track.
• Ignoring round 59 until it arrives.

Which maps to start with

Beginner maps with plenty of water next to the track, such as Lotus Island, are the easiest because cheap Subs and Buccaneers carry the game. Dry maps with line-of-sight blockers are the hardest. For map-specific routes, see our videos on the BTD6 Master YouTube channel.

Frequently asked questions

Which towers are Military Monkeys in BTD6?

Sniper Monkey, Monkey Sub, Monkey Buccaneer, Monkey Ace, Heli Pilot, Mortar Monkey and Dartling Gunner.

How do you beat round 59 in Military Only?

Use 1-3-0 Bouncing Bullet Snipers or 0-2-2 Buccaneers, supported by 2-2-0 Subs, so that you have both camo detection and lead popping.

What is the best hero for Military Only?

Admiral Brickell on water maps and Quincy or Sauda on land maps.

How do you get camo detection in Military Only?

Night Vision Goggles (0-1-0) on a Sniper Monkey and Crow's Nest (0-0-2) on a Buccaneer are the cheapest options. A Signal Flare Mortar (0-0-3) also strips camo from bloons in its blast.

What does Military Only unlock?

It unlocks Apopalypse on the same map.

Can you use Banana Farms in Military Only?

No. Banana Farm is a Support tower, so only income from pops, round bonuses and heroes is available.