---
key: mechanic/tactics-defense--t083
type: mechanic
id: tactics-defense--t083
lang: en
title: Tower defense
summary: >-
  The player places defenses along enemy routes, splitting a budget between
  coverage, damage types and upgrades.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/tactics-defense--t083/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/tactics-defense--t083.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/tactics-defense--t083.md
aliases: []
tags:
  - Tactics and defense
  - Mechanics and variants
sourceIds:
  - source-32d0598945d8807a
  - source-71403440f270db22
sources:
  - id: source-32d0598945d8807a
    title: OpenRA
    url: 'https://www.openra.net/'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-71403440f270db22
    title: Bloons TD 6
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/960090/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: tactics-defense
    id: t083
    title: Tactics and defense
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/tactics-defense/#t083'
    categoryIds:
      - mechanics
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Tower defense
    description: >-
      The player places defenses along enemy routes, splitting a budget between
      coverage, damage types and upgrades.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/rpg-bloons-td6-05.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: Bloons TD 6
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/960090/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/960090/ss_ab05c1ce749ecc1a6e76a8efc4d4dd21f534d091.1920x1080.jpg?t=1782123772
      credit: Ninja Kiwi / Ninja Kiwi
      rights: © Ninja Kiwi / Ninja Kiwi. All rights reserved.
      caption: Towers defend the route against another wave
      alt: Towers defend the route against another wave
      markers:
        - x: 79
          'y': 4
          label: The round counter tracks the continuing session
    tips:
      - Test multiple viable tower layouts at the same budget.
    examples:
      - title: Bloons TD 6
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/960090/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original bilingual editorial overviews authored for gamemechanics.pro on
  2026-10-20 and reviewed on 2026-10-21. Scenarios are hypothetical design
  examples; prototype checks describe work to perform, not completed playtests.
  Primary sources support the stated techniques and implementation context, not
  every proposed variant.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/tactics-defense
---
# Tower defense

id: tactics-defense--t083
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/tactics-defense--t083
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/tactics-defense--t083/

The player places defenses along enemy routes, splitting a budget between coverage, damage types and upgrades.

## At a glance

![Towers defend the route against another wave](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/rpg-bloons-td6-05.webp)

[Bloons TD 6](https://store.steampowered.com/app/960090/) · © Ninja Kiwi / Ninja Kiwi. All rights reserved.

1. The round counter tracks the continuing session

- Test multiple viable tower layouts at the same budget.

- [Bloons TD 6](https://store.steampowered.com/app/960090/)

## How it works

The player places defenses along enemy routes, splitting a budget between coverage, damage types and upgrades.

## Variants

### Mechanic variants

<a id="t083-variants"></a>

- A tower covers a limited route segment. <a id="t083-v1"></a>
- Slowing increases time spent under fire. <a id="t083-v2"></a>
- Armor calls for a different defense type. <a id="t083-v3"></a>
- Selling enables rebuilding between enemy waves. <a id="t083-v4"></a>

## Design example

A slowing tower before a bend gives artillery time to hit a dense group.

Prototype check: Test whether two viable defense layouts exist for the same budget and a known enemy wave.

## Context and limits

Tactics and defense turn positioning, action order and preparation into limited resources. Each overview separates player actions, state changes and alternative rules. Examples are hypothetical design scenarios, not claims about a named game. A prototype check states an observable question for the next iteration. Existing detailed references remain separately linked from the direction map.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original bilingual editorial overviews authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-20 and reviewed on 2026-10-21. Scenarios are hypothetical design examples; prototype checks describe work to perform, not completed playtests. Primary sources support the stated techniques and implementation context, not every proposed variant.

- [OpenRA](https://www.openra.net/) (id: source-32d0598945d8807a)
- [Bloons TD 6](https://store.steampowered.com/app/960090/) (id: source-71403440f270db22)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors