Quick Reference
The build at a glance
This is a Sniper-Village core build — the most reliable CHIMPS strategy in the game. The combo works because the Village gives the Sniper its MIB (Monkey Intelligence Bureau) camo detection for free, and a 4-0-2 Sniper shreds grouped bloons from round 6 onward.
The build has 6 towers total. You'll never need more — CHIMPS doesn't reward spreading thin, it rewards a tight core that survives the late game.
Step by step
Etienne is the safest pick: he has camo detection, drone global range, and a level 20 ability that buffs every tower in range. Place him on strong map terrain (high ground, near a long straight).
If you have Sauda unlocked and the map has lots of intersections, Sauda is faster early but weaker late. Pick Etienne for your first Black Border.
Save for a 0-0-0 Sniper by round 3. Place it on the strongest part of the map (longest straight path, ideally with curve). Don't upgrade yet — you need the full $1300 for the next step.
Etienne's level 1 UAV gives you camo detection for free, so don't worry about camo leads/ceramics yet.
Buy a 0-0-0 Monkey Village ($1000) and place it within Etienne's range of the Sniper. The village will buff the Sniper's range and pierce later.
This is the cheapest, most important upgrade in the build. Don't skip it.
Work toward 1-0-0 Sniper ($500) by round 12. This is the fastest strong tier-1 in the game and handles the early game solo.
Then start saving for 4-0-0 Sniper ($4500) — the first big spike. Get this by round 30.
The ceramic rush starts here. Your 1-0-0 Sniper will struggle — that's expected. Use Etienne's level 7 ability (drone strike) on dense groups.
If you're getting low on lives, micro the Sniper to strong positions. Don't sell — you can't.
4-0-0 Sniper (Deadly Precision) completely changes the build. It pops 8 bloons per shot with massive damage. This is the turning point.
Buy the 0-2-0 Village ($900) right after — bigger radius for the Sniper.
Place a 0-0-0 Dartling Gunner by round 42 ($720). Work toward 4-0-0 Dartling ($5400) — the MAD (Massive Air Damage) for ceramic/MOAB cleanup.
Around round 50, place a 0-0-0 Banana Farm ($1250). Upgrade to 2-0-0 Farm ($425) then 2-3-0 Farm ($3225) for steady income.
Place a 0-0-0 Ninja ($500) by round 60. Upgrade to 4-0-0 Ninja ($3000) for Grandmaster — this is your camo/MOAB cleanup tower.
Also get a Spike Factory ($925) to 0-2-5 for very late MOAB-class.
By round 95, you should have 2-3-0 Farms generating solid income. Save for the final upgrades:
• 4-0-2 Sniper (the BTD6 path 3 crosspath) is the final form — adds camo popping and stuns.
• 4-0-0 Dartling MAD handles round 100 bloons.
• Use Etienne's level 20 ability (UAV strike) on round 100 BAD.
The Sniper-Village core is the only CHIMPS setup that works on every map. Sniper scales with group damage (Deadly Precision + 4-0-0 crosspath), Village gives camo detection without wasting a path, and the rest of the towers fill gaps. The MAD Dartling handles the bloons the Sniper can't reach, and farms keep your income up for the final upgrades.
Common mistakes
- Buying a 0-0-0 Dartling before round 40. You can't afford it and you don't need it. Save the $720 for Sniper upgrades.
- Selling the Sniper at any point. You can't, but also: don't even think about it. The Sniper carries this build.
- Skipping the Village. Without it, the Sniper pops camo bloons but loses efficiency. The 0-2-0 buff is the difference between "struggling through round 60" and "clearing comfortably."
- Going 0-1-0 Sniper early. It's tempting, but the 1-0-0 path is strictly better for grouped damage. Don't deviate.
- Placing towers on weak terrain. Sniper range is huge but you still want a long straight. The middle of the map is usually wrong.
- Not using Etienne's abilities. His level 3 (drone strike) costs 60% of his energy. Spam it on dense rounds — 21, 24, 38, 40, 63, 75, 80, 95, 100.