A level clear and a restricted badge attempt have different goals
First Stand asks you to survive level 1.1. One Gun Wonder uses the same level but adds a single-tower rule and prohibits abilities. A plan for one objective is therefore not automatically a plan for the other.
The developer describes 59 levels across five worlds, with a boss in each world. Official badges identify four particular level labels: 1.1, 2.1, 3.1 and 4.1. Use those labels as documented reference points, not as a complete unlock order or a map of all boss encounters.
Read each milestone by the objective you want
| Level label | Survival-only badge listed | Additional restricted objective |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | First Stand | One Gun Wonder: one tower and no abilities. |
| 2.1 | No separate survival-only badge in these six listings | Bare Hands: survive without building a tower. |
| 3.1 | Holding Ground | Specialist: one tower type and no abilities. |
| 4.1 | No separate survival-only badge in these six listings | Fire and Lightning: named tower types and a specific ability exception. |
Pick the achievement before you pick the loadout
At 1.1 and 3.1, the published records distinguish a simple survival objective from a restricted one. Extra towers or an ability can conflict with the restricted badge even though that extra rule does not appear in the survival-only description.
At 2.1, Bare Hands describes a special no-building objective. It does not make every ordinary attempt at level 2.1 a no-tower challenge. Likewise, Fire and Lightning’s restrictions belong to that badge description; they are not evidence that the campaign always bans other defenses at 4.1.
| Illustrative plan | What the written objectives establish |
|---|---|
| Level 1.1 with two towers | The tower count conflicts with One Gun Wonder. First Stand’s description contains no additional tower-count condition. |
| Level 3.1 with one tower type and an ability used | Using the ability conflicts with Specialist. Holding Ground’s description adds no ability prohibition. |
| Level 2.1 after building and selling a tower | The act of building conflicts with Bare Hands, even if the final field is empty. |
| Level 4.1 with a defense outside Flamers / Tesla coils | That choice conflicts with Fire and Lightning’s named list; it is not proof that the level itself is unplayable. |
Level 1.2: inspect a larger recorded setup before copying it
September 27 recording; selected chapter opening reviewed October 24. The 9/9 Sentry and 2/2 Howitzer counters belong to this save. Full run and outcome unreviewed.
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After learning the first Sentry controls, a larger setup adds a second question: which road segment is each tower actually covering? The opening of DraculDaculDRAC’s 18:01 chapter shows a Level 1.2 preparation screen with several separate aim regions, Sentry and Howitzer in the toolbar, and Start Battle still available. Selected scenes were reviewed October 24 from this September 27 recording.
The visible counters are 9/9 for Sentry and 2/2 for Howitzer. Keep those numbers attached to this recorded save; they do not establish the starting allowance for your account or a required build for Level 1.2. The reviewed preparation scene also does not show a winning outcome for the arrangement.
- 01
Match the level and your own unlocks
Confirm the level label first. Compare the defenses available on your current toolbar with the recorded save before trying to reproduce the number of placements.
- 02
Inspect one target at a time
Select a placed defense and follow its aim region toward the road. Use the Sentry and Howitzer references to distinguish a bullet direction from a shell landing area; do not assume nearby towers share a target.
- 03
Judge the attempt from its result
Record the goal and read the result after the battle. A full toolbar and several visible aim regions describe preparation, not proof of a clear or a Flawless result.
Check these details before starting the attempt
Choose whether this run is for ordinary survival or a specific badge. Match the exact level label, then use the badge reference to check its tower and ability conditions before selecting a loadout. After playing, check the survival result and badge award separately.
Read To spawn, Alive and Killed as three different counters
The recorded level 1.1 screen puts base health beside three enemy counters: To spawn, Alive and Killed. Before the battle at 0:18, these show 2K, 0 and 0 respectively, with base health at 72/72. Zero enemies alive at that moment does not mean the level has been cleared: the screen still has a Start Battle button and enemies remain in the To spawn field.
At 0:48, the same fields show 1.18K to spawn, 728 alive and 84 killed while base health is 64/72. To spawn describes enemies yet to enter, Alive describes those currently present, and Killed records defeated enemies. Read the base-health value separately to see the condition of the objective you are defending.
For a practical progress check, look at both To spawn and Alive, then the result screen when the attempt ends. Do not use one empty counter or the size of the killed count as a replacement for the actual result. The abbreviated 1.18K display is also too coarse to reconstruct an exact enemy ledger, and the Killed number is not the Scrap payout.
| Field | 0:18 · before the battle | 0:48 · during the battle |
|---|---|---|
| To spawn | 2K | 1.18K |
| Alive | 0 | 728 |
| Killed | 0 | 84 |
| Base health | 72/72 | 64/72 |
A dated interface example
These values come from the September 28 creator recording, reread on October 20. They explain the displayed fields; they are not a current enemy-count requirement or a claim about every level.
Which level guide should you follow next? Match the task first
Write a one-line target before borrowing a build: the mode you selected, the exact level label and the result you want. “Campaign, 3.1, survive” and “Campaign, 3.1, earn Specialist” name the same level but allow different plans. This is a way to choose a relevant guide, not a recommended campaign order.
A guide is most useful when it solves your actual problem. If your goal is to understand aiming, a clear view of the target and incoming route may matter more than the final victory. If you want a restricted badge, you need the actions across the run as well as its ending. A brief result clip cannot establish which towers or abilities were used earlier.
| Your task | Evidence to look for in a guide | Question to answer after the run |
|---|---|---|
| Clear a level you have selected | Matching level label, visible setup and a survival result. Check whether the shown setup is available in your own game. | Did this attempt survive, and where did the defense struggle? |
| Earn a named restricted badge | Matching level plus a record of towers built, types used and abilities activated throughout the attempt. | Did the actual actions fit the objective, and is the badge in your inventory? |
| Practice a placement or aiming change | The same route segment and a visible before-and-after change. Record any other change that could affect the comparison. | Did the specific targeting problem improve? |
| Try Challenges or Endless | The mode label and the objective shown for that mode. Campaign badge descriptions do not supply those rules. | Which result does this mode actually measure? |
Original guide-matching diagram, not a game screenshot. The two level 3.1 examples compare published objectives; neither is a recorded winning setup.
Keep separate notes for a clear, a badge and a technique test
Use a short record you can compare next time: level and mode; chosen objective; starting setup; one change made; result; next question. Record the goal before starting so that a successful survival run does not become an assumed badge demonstration afterwards.
For example, an illustrative 3.1 attempt may use Sentries and a Howitzer and finish with survival. That tells you something about the clear you observed. It also conflicts with Specialist’s one-type requirement. If you next attempt Specialist, label it as a different task and reassess the setup instead of treating the first result as proof of badge eligibility.
If a run ends unsuccessfully, keep the most informative moment: where bugs passed the defense, which target was selected or which action crossed a badge restriction. That gives the next attempt a specific purpose. Check the current level-selection screen for what is available to you; the four labels in the badge records do not establish every unlock prerequisite or the order of all 59 levels.
Do not use a badge label as a boss-location marker
The five-world description establishes that bosses are part of the campaign. It does not identify their names, encounter levels or mechanics. A badge at 3.1 or 4.1 is evidence of an objective at that label, not evidence that the level is a boss fight.
When comparing a strategy with your own run, first match the exact game, level label and objective. A recommendation for a different mode or an unrestricted clear may not answer a restricted campaign attempt. The records here do not assign enemy weaknesses, wave schedules or rewards to specific encounters.
Keep campaign badges separate from Challenges and Endless
Challenges, Endless mode and leaderboards are listed as game features alongside the campaign. The six badge descriptions use named level labels; they do not provide a Challenges rotation, an Endless scoring rule or a mode-unlock requirement.
Use the badge rules for the named achievement you selected. If you switch to a separately labelled mode, read that mode’s current objective before carrying over a campaign restriction or comparing a leaderboard result.
Use the Level 1.4 screenshot as visual context
GAMES.GG’s September 26, 2026 article contains a capture labelled Level 1.4. It can help identify the interface and the kind of route shown in that dated report. The image remains at its publisher; this site links to it rather than hosting a copy.
That single frame does not show a full successful run or establish the best positions, wave sequence or resource requirement for the current level. Treat it as visual context, separate from the official badge objectives above.
To spawn is zero: is the level finished?
An empty To spawn counter means no further arrivals are shown in that field; it does not describe bugs already on the map. The recorded HUD keeps Alive separate. If the first counter reaches zero while the second is still positive, keep watching the existing swarm and the outpost rather than treating the spawn counter as a victory signal.
The reverse case also matters. Before Start Battle in the reviewed September 28 recording, Alive is 0 but To spawn is 2K. The scene is preparation, not a finished encounter. Later, at 0:48, 728 bugs are shown alive while 1.18K remain to spawn. Those two pressures coexist; the 84 in Killed does not cancel either of them.
Use the small decision table to read the state, then let the actual result screen settle whether the attempt succeeded. Even a pair of zeroes is not a substitute for that result: the reviewed scenes do not establish the exact instant when every level ends or how its UI updates.
| Visible state | What still needs attention | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| To spawn > 0; Alive = 0 | Arrivals are still listed, or the battle has not started. | Read the current battle controls and watch for the next arrivals. |
| To spawn = 0; Alive > 0 | Bugs already present remain a threat. | Follow the remaining group and base health; keep its route covered. |
| Both counters > 0 | The field contains bugs and more are listed to arrive. | Watch the active approach while retaining coverage for new arrivals. |
| Both counters = 0 | The counters alone do not show the final award or navigation state. | Read the result label and available next action. |
Choose your next reference
Level 1.4 and 1.5: compare the result rows, not only the total
Two later results in the September 28 recording show why a campaign comparison needs more than the largest number. At 16:42, Level 1.4 shows Survived with 108/108 base health. At 18:18, Level 1.5 also shows Survived, with 103/108 health. Both survived; the condition of the defended base is different.
The reports show the same abbreviated kill count, 9.6K, and the same Kills reward of 110. Their Stipend rows both show 12. The Level bonus changes from 20 to 40, which accounts for the Total changing from 142 to 162 in these two screens: 110 + 12 + 20 versus 110 + 12 + 40. The larger total is therefore not evidence that the second attempt kept more base health.
Keep the separate reward row separate too. The 1.4 report labels it Flawless, while the 1.5 report labels it Level finished; both show +1 beside that row. Neither number belongs inside the displayed Total above it. Your time also differs, at 0:59 and 1:11. These are report timers, not the positions of the scenes in the YouTube video.
Use this comparison to decide what your next attempt is trying to improve: completion, remaining health, or a particular reward row. These selected historical screens establish the displayed outcomes, not a complete level payout table, a fastest-farming recommendation or a rule for later levels.
| Recorded field | Level 1.4 · 16:42 | Level 1.5 · 18:18 |
|---|---|---|
| Result | Survived | Survived |
| Base health | 108/108 | 103/108 |
| Kills reward | 110 | 110 |
| Stipend | 12 | 12 |
| Level bonus | 20 | 40 |
| Total | 142 | 162 |
| Separate +1 row | Flawless | Level finished |
| Your time | 0:59 | 1:11 |
Sources & limitations
Source dates are listed below. Developer descriptions can change during Alpha. These reference notes are not a report of an independent playtest.
- Horde Defenders — official Roblox experience Checked 2026-10-01. Live game record for place 93237333081860 / universe 10766114988: developer, manual aiming, elevation, named heroes, campaign scope and advertised modes. The earlier refund notice is now absent.
- GAMES.GG — original Level 1.4 gameplay report Checked 2026-09-27. External reference for a dated capture labelled Level 1.4. The screenshot is not rehosted on this wiki.
- First Stand — official Roblox badge Checked 2026-10-12. Survive level 1.1.
- One Gun Wonder — official Roblox badge Checked 2026-10-12. Survive level 1.1 with a single tower and no abilities.
- Bare Hands — official Roblox badge Checked 2026-10-12. Survive level 2.1 without building a single tower.
- Holding Ground — official Roblox badge Checked 2026-10-12. Survive level 3.1.
- Specialist — official Roblox badge Checked 2026-10-12. Survive level 3.1 with only one kind of tower and no abilities.
- Fire and Lightning — official Roblox badge Checked 2026-10-12. Survive level 4.1 with only Flamers and Tesla coils, and no ability but the Cryo beam
- Horde Defenders — official game records, September 30 Checked 2026-09-30. Current game description: manual aim, elevated range and damage, named heroes, 18 towers, 59 levels across five worlds, modes and Workshop.
- Horde Defenders — official badges records, September 30 Checked 2026-09-30. Six enabled badge records, their named levels, tower restrictions and ability conditions. These descriptions do not expose hidden award logic.
- Random Roblox Games R US — recorded tutorial and tower panels Checked 2026-10-03. Selected level 1.1 tutorial, battle-result and Sentry/Howitzer panel scenes. The description links the exact Roblox experience. This recording predates the September 29 game update; it is not an independent current-build playtest, a complete upgrade catalogue or a guaranteed winning build.
- Horde Defenders — official game records, October 15 Checked 2026-10-15. Official identity, advertised content and game metadata rechecked. The description and metadata are unchanged from October 14; latest returned game update remains October 6. The timestamp alone is not a changelog.
- Horde Defenders — official badge records, October 15 Checked 2026-10-15. Six enabled badges; level, tower and ability restrictions are unchanged from October 14. Public descriptions do not expose hidden award checks or establish a winning build.
- Random Roblox Games R US — saved battle and desktop-tree frames reread October 20 Checked 2026-10-20. Saved frames actually viewed on October 20: To spawn / Alive / Killed and base health at 0:18 and 0:48; tutorial Scrap wording at 0:48; LOST reward entries at 0:51; desktop tree controls, Scrap balances and Sentry counters at 1:26, 1:27 and 1:29. This is a historical frame review, not a current game test, full-video review or new reward formula. The same 1:26 and 1:27 tooltips visibly give +0.48 shots per second for Rate of Fire I and +0.16 damage per bullet for Firepower I; the calculator is editorial arithmetic, not measured DPS.
- DraculDaculDRAC — YouTube check, October 24 Checked 2026-10-24. YouTube metadata returned 666 cumulative whole-video views and an available embed response on October 24. Published September 27. Selected opening and Level 1.2 setup scenes were visually reviewed; the full run and a winning result for that setup were not verified.
- Random Roblox Games R US — later result and fragment-panel review, November 12 Checked 2026-11-12. Visually reread the saved Level 1.2 frame, existing Howitzer radius image, 14:15 Fragmenting Shells frame, and newly extracted 16:42 / 18:18 results. The later results show Level 1.4 Survived with 108/108 health, rewards 110 + 12 + 20 = 142, Flawless +1 and time 0:59; Level 1.5 Survived with 103/108 health, rewards 110 + 12 + 40 = 162, Level finished +1 and time 1:11. The fragment panel shows +4 fragments per shell. This is selected historical footage, not a current playtest or a complete reward formula.