Tower defence layouts that actually work

Most tower defence losses aren't about not having enough firepower. They're about where you put it. After way too many failed maps in Ironvale Siege, I started treating placement like a puzzle instead of an afterthought, and my clear rate shot up.

Rule one: lengthen the path. On any map with buildable tiles inside the route, use towers to force enemies into longer, windier paths. More time on screen means more time under fire, and it's often worth more than a flat damage upgrade.

Rule two: separate your damage types. A wall of identical towers melts weak swarms but stalls the second an armoured unit shows up. Mix single-target high-damage towers with splash, and keep a slow or freeze tower near the chokepoint so everything else has time to work.

Rule three: watch the wave preview. Games that telegraph the next wave are handing you free information. I used to ignore it and react; now I pre-position based on what's coming and barely scramble anymore.

None of this is clever, but doing all three consistently is what separated my frustrating runs from the satisfying ones.