maxgamr 
Well, there are some games that can clearly be classified as ‘kids play’, and for the most part, Bloons Tower Defense is exactly that. It has all the makings of a kids-friendly game, with the multi-colored balloons, fun sounds, vibrantly rendered maps with holiday themes, and easy to learn patterns and strategy. But there is one single map in the dozens of maps provided that is absolutely diabolical….. That map is the Farmyard challenge map. Playing this map in ‘Normal’ mode on the ‘Hard’ setting, with EVERY UPGRADE TURNED ON was incredibly difficult to beat. I dread to recount the attempts it took me to successfully complete this challenge, but I was hell bent on beating it. I found this map to be worthy of a detailed post because it was the only map that gave me any significant difficulty to complete. To clarify, once I realized that I could not complete the EXPERT maps without my upgrades turned on, I decided to let the notion of ‘not needing upgrades’ go, and turn the upgrades on for good. Once I had the upgrades turned on, I was able to walk through every single expert and advanced map and challenge with ease – except, of course, for the Farmyard challenge…….
This post will recount the strategy development and key decisions required to complete the Farmyard challenge. I will point out specific tower locations and logical reasoning for each tower positioning.
The following screenshot is my level 59 layout preparation. This is a balanced defense layout to prepare for the BFB attack in EITHER DIRECTION. I emphasize ‘either’ direction because from my multiple failures and subsequent research, I’ve found conflicting information about the Farmyard challenge map. This post will serve to refute the documentation found elsewhere. In fact, I feel so strongly about the accuracy of the details in this post, that I welcome any response that can PROVE that the information in the post in incorrect. When I say prove, I mean – print screens with timestamps – ideally, fully captured video starting from level 45, all the way through level 60 with timestamp information.
After researching, I found the following post (taken from wiki.answers.com). After many failed attempts in using this strategy, I feel strongly that the author is incorrect in stating that the BFB will take the OPPOSITE path of the first MOAB (assuming that the author is suggesting the path of the FIRST MOAB, since the author was not specific). Regardless of what the author states here, the experience I had with this map is the BFB on level 60 will take the WEAKEST path between the two paths.
(Post from wiki.answers.com)
First you have to notice which path the MOAB takes. Then once you’ve beaten level 59, erase all of your towers and line the OPPOSITE PATH THE MOAB TOOK with fully upgraded tac shooters and buy a fully upgraded monkey beacon with some spike factories towards the end of the path. Be sure to leave yourself some money to use to the monkey storm. As the round goes, you need to use the explosive pineapples on the track in front of the BFB. once you think the time is right, use the monkey storm (if you don’t have enough money just delete some of the towers at the beginning of the path). I also had 7 banana republics and a bunch of lives, but i didn’t lose any of them.
The author in the post above does list several valid strategies, but the most important assumption – the BFB path, is the most critical. In several attempts to apply the logic from the author’s post above, I found myself selling off the towers on the initial MOAB path, only to find that the BFB would take the path where I sold all my towers. Just to make sure I didn’t make any mistakes in remembering which path the original MOAB took, I retried the same strategy and continued to find the BFB coming down the weakest path.
After being unbelievable frustrated, I decided to go the route of a balanced set of defense for each path. This left me with the initial difficulty of balancing the tower defense as I progressed to level 60, but once there at level 60 having to quickly identify the BFB path and frantically sell off every irrelevant tower and upgrade everything on the BFB’s path.
You’ll see in the completed snapshot below, the delta between the preparation layout and the ‘sell-off’ / ‘build-up’ in the finale.
I will get into the detail of this accomplishment at a later time. For now, if I could get a response from the author or anyone else with a different opinion, I would love to debate this. Thank you!
