Strategy:Half Cash

This article was last updated for: version 50.2

Half Cash is widely seen as the 2nd most difficult game mode, only after CHIMPS. However, there is a much more limited amount of strategies in Half Cash compared to CHIMPS, due to the former not allowing the purchase of powerful and expensive towers, making it much more frustrating for many players.

For purposes of clarity, the following definitions will be made for this article:

Early-game = Rounds 3-40
Mid-game = Rounds 41-60
Late-game = Rounds 61-80

General tips

Preparation

• When attempting Half Cash, it is recommended that most of the Monkey Knowledge upgrades have been acquired. Particularly important Monkey Knowledge upgrades include Bonus Monkey!, More Cash, Mana Shield, Military Conscription, and Veteran Monkey Training. The tips given in this article assume that the player has already obtained most Monkey Knowledge upgrades.
• To obtain the Monkey Knowledge upgrades, it is recommended to beat other game modes on many maps before touching Half Cash. Hard Standard is the optimal game mode, as that game mode grants large amounts of Player XP for Monkey Knowledge points and is relatively simple to complete.
• Take note of the most difficult rounds in Half Cash, which are listed below.

The most challenging rounds in Half Cash

Round #	Bloons spawned	Reasoning
40	MOAB ×1	The MOAB is the hardest challenge of the early game, made even more difficult by the limited money in Half Cash. Without a Hero well-suited for this round, a solid single-target damage option, and towers for the Ceramic insides, the MOAB can end a run completely.
63	Lead ×75 Ceramic ×122	This infamous round has 3 tight Ceramic waves with 40, 40, and 42 Ceramics respectively. If placed towers perform poorly against grouped Bloons, many sell-and-rebuys may need to be performed. Doing so may create a dead-end with Round 64's rush of MOABs (including Fortified).
75	Lead ×14 Fortified Lead ×14 Fortified MOAB ×3 BFB ×6	The 6 BFBs in 3 separate packs, especially the last dense pack of 3 BFBs, fortified MOABs, and Leads (which block projectiles) require a very well-rounded defense suited for blimps and Bloon clumps. Careless ability usage can make defeating Round 76's Regrow Ceramics impossible.
78	Rainbow ×150 Ceramic ×75 BFB ×1 Purple ×80 Camo Ceramic ×72	Without a solid Camo popping power or reliable decamo, the densely packed Camo Ceramics will simply pass through unscathed, with each Ceramic wave being even denser than those of Rounds 63 and 76.

Gameplay

• Attempt to place down towers that can be upgraded into solid mid-game and/or late-game options. Despite the ability to sell towers, every penny in this game mode can be crucial to victory, including the lost ones from selling towers.
• The utilization of the hero is of utmost importance, as the limited amount of cash to purchase other towers makes the hero surge in value. Place them down early, use their ability/inventory when needed, and place down towers that synergize well with them or complements their weaknesses.
• Cheap support options are pivotal to defeating Half Cash. They include Jungle Drums, Berserker Brew, and Stronger Stimulant.
• Since no Super Ceramics come in Half Cash, towers that do well against grouped Bloons but struggle to Super Ceramics surge in value here compared to CHIMPS. Such towers include Recursive Cluster, M.O.A.R Glaives, and Ring of Fire.

Towers & heroes suited for most maps

Name	Portrait	Reasoning & how to use
Corvus		Corvus's early-game and mid-game power in CHIMPS shine spectacularly in Half Cash, thanks to Half Cash ending at Round 80. With his spellbook being suited for every type of round in the mid-game thanks to its variety of spells, he is by far the most versatile hero in Half Cash and remains extremely potent on Expert maps. Spear performs well against Bloons in the early-game, while Ancestral Might trivializes Round 40. In the mid-game and late-game, Trample, Malevolence, and Ember perform well against Bloons, while Ancestral Might, Repel, and Frostbound are solid against MOABs. In the late-game, Overload can wipe out large amounts of RBE, but it is not recommended to use it at the end of Round 75, as it places his spellbook on cooldown for Round 76. Place Corvus near the start of the track so that he can constantly farm mana. His main downside is his expensive placement cost.
Obyn Greenfoot		For players not wanting to micro Corvus, Obyn is the next best early game carry. His high damage and pierce attacks and Brambles can deal with a lot of rounds up to the 30s, where a player is then encouraged to buy additional defenses.
Quincy		Quincy serves as viable alternative, being the cheapest hero and can often carry the early game with an Alchemist buff, and in the later stages help with MOAB-Class Bloons.
Psi		Psi is an all around pick to handle strong Bloons for cheap, their main weakness is multiple weaker Bloons and inability to handle MOAB-Class Bloons until reaching level 14.
Benjamin		While not helpful in the early game to defend the rounds, Benjamin's ability to make money efficiently makes him capable of allowing players to afford much better defenses in the later rounds. Biohack lets towers double their DPS to clear tougher rounds, and can restore lives from leaks made during Biohack downtime. His Trojan can also affect early MOABs that would normally be a problem to produce no children.
Destroyer, Aircraft Carrier		Destroyer excels against both Bloons and blimps, wiping out the mid-game with relative ease. Using 3-2-0 crosspath, granting it a 3-2-0 Berserker Brew, and placing it at a spot where it is surrounded by the track on both sides (to trigger both of its guns) maximize its potential. Aircraft Carrier's planes perform well against Bloons and blimps as well, being powerful into the late-game.
Glue Hose, Glue Strike		A Glue Hose's large range and incredible attack speed can slow many Bloon rushes to a crawl, allowing many normally pierce vulnerable defenses to beat important rounds like 63, 76 and 78. Glue Strike ability is highly useful to slow down dense rushes.
Airburst Darts, Triple Guns, Armor Piercing Darts		Airburst Darts is one of the best options for the latter-part of the early game and early mid-game on nearly every map with water. It can obtain nearly map-wide coverage and Camo detection from other Camo-seeing towers with the 2-0-2 crosspath, and Berserker Brew maximizes its potential. Upgrading it to Triple Guns improves its power by 50%, making its power able to be carried further into the game. Armor Piercing Darts's extra pierce and extra MOAB and Ceramic damage to all darts, in addition to bonus overall damage on the non-airburst darts, make its power immense during the late-game.
Dragon's Breath, Summon Phoenix		Dragon's Breath, with the 0-3-2 crosspath, pops all Bloons except for Purples and hyper-dense ones extremely reliably, in addition to dealing some MOAB damage. It performs well for its price throughout the mid-game and late-game, and can save up for more expensive towers like Bloon Area Denial System. Summon Phoenix improves on Dragon's Breath by granting the Phoenix ability, which clears most rounds with ease, in addition to granting an extra flame attack. Two Summon Phoenixes allow for one Phoenix to be present at all times, greatly enhancing its reliability.
Bloon Area Denial System		Bloon Area Denial System effectively guarantees victory on most maps, with its immense damage to both Bloons and blimps wiping out nearly all rounds with ease in tandem with its knock-back on Bloons. Berserker Brew and Stronger Stimulant both greatly amplify its power, and both of its crosspaths can be used, with 2-0-4 granting wider coverage and marginally better damage and 0-2-4 granting innate Camo detection and better knock-back. Its relatively expensive price and Buckshot's unreliability often require another tower, such as Dragon's Breath, to save up for it.
Velociraptor		Velociraptor is powerful against both Bloons (being able to one-shot Ceramics at power 16+) and MOABs. It also benefits from its flexibility, as the beast can be moved, including to the intel range it gains from other Handlers placed within the main Handler's range whose beast is merged into it. To maximize its power, obtain a max (24)-power Velociraptor, which has much better damage and reliability than lower powers and can be done by merging 2 other Velociraptors.
Artillery Battery		Artillery Battery does exceptionally well against Bloons and some damage to MOABs. Its Bombardment ability grants it a large burst in power, making it able to take down large MOAB rushes and hyper-clumped Ceramics. Heavy Shells grants it the ability to pop Black Bloons, so they are not a problem. Artillery Battery's best crosspath is 2-4-0, which grants it +1 damage, much more pierce, and more blast radius. As with Velociraptor, the ability to re-target it grants it flexibility and makes few rounds true dead-ends. Berserker Brew helps it a solid amount, mainly by significantly increasing its MOAB damage.
Recursive Cluster		Recursive Cluster wipes out large clumps of Bloons with ease, being especially powerful on rounds such as 63, 76, and 78. Both crosspaths have use, as 2-0-4 has does much better against dense Bloons thanks to its greatly improved pierce and +1 damage, but 0-2-4 is more reliable and stronger against blimps. Berserker Brew is optional on the 2-0-4, but a massive boost for the power of 0-2-4.
Big Iron		3-2-0 Big Iron is a mildly expensive but effective single target popper of higher tier Non-MOAB-Class Bloons such as Rainbows and Ceramics on rounds such as 35 and 38, and provides some supporting fire for early MOABs.

Early game (rounds 3-40)

• Due to the limited amount of starting cash, the first rounds of Half Cash closely resemble those in CHIMPS, except the player can leak lives and therefore does not need pixel-perfect positioning of towers. The recommendations assume that Bonus Monkey! and More Cash have been obtained by the player.
  • For most maps, the first few rounds can be completed with 2 0-0-0 Dart Monkeys, with a 3rd dart dropped before Round 4. Ideally, at least one of the darts is on Strong.
  • Most likely, Round 4 will require the player to tank some Bloons. With Mana Shield and Pre-game Prep, the leaks become much more manageable.
  • Dart + Sniper works well on maps where a lack of range is a problem. Sniper on Strong to chip the Greens, and Dart to clean up.
  • Maps containing water can use Dart + Sub, Dart on Strong to chip away the Greens, and Sub to clean up the remaining bloons.
  • Dart + Engineer can be used similarly to three 0-0-0 Darts, the main difference is that Engineer is more "concentrated" damage than two Darts.
  • Dart + Boomerang start is optimal on several maps, such as Infernal. On Infernal in particular, upgrade the Boomerang to x-x-1+.
  • Save up for the hero as soon as possible by dropping barely enough towers to defeat the first few rounds. If the money becomes almost enough for the hero but the current round is too difficult, sell a tower or two to afford the hero. For maps of mid-Advanced difficulty and below, it is possible to save enough money to place Geraldo and get Rare Quincy Action Figure before Round 17.
• By the start of the mid-early game, Round 21-30, the hero should have been obtained, unless the hero is Captain Churchill. Low-cost towers (<$1500) that have good early-game power and can upgrade into solid late-early/mid-game towers are optimal here.
  • Sentry Gun does good overall damage, and transitions well into each of its succeeding upgrades.
  • Grape Shot is solid on nearly all maps with water, especially ones where its attack can activate on both sides. It can be upgraded into Destroyer later on to become a mid-game powerhouse.
  • Full Metal Jacket deals solid damage towards Bloons that spawn multiple insides. It is the standard solution to Rounds 28 and 30, as it pops down the Leads to Greens, minimizing their threat.
  • Crossbow performs relatively well in this part of the game, solves all Camos in the 30s on most maps, and can be upgraded to Sharp Shooter if desired. 2-0-3 is better for raw damage and is optimal with clean-up towers, but 0-2-3 is more reliable and does higher single-target damage. This also applies to Sharp Shooter.
• The late early-game, Rounds 31-40, requires more powerful options. Proper utilization of the hero is also often needed, especially for the MOAB. Save the hero's ability (or money for Geraldo's inventory and mana for Corvus's spellbook) for the MOAB, and use spare cash to buy single-target damage options such as base/0-1-0 Druids or Bloon slowdowns such as 1-1-0 Glue Gunner.
  • Double Gun is a powerful tower for this part of the game when using the 2-0-3 crosspath, spawning sentries that shoot 2 projectiles at once and pin Bloons.
  • Sprockets is also a strong option with the 3-0-2 crosspath, which grants it extra pierce and the ability to pin Bloons.
  • Airburst Darts is an extremely solid option on nearly all maps with water. With the 2-0-2 crosspath and 0-0-2 Dart Monkey(s) as Intel, it can also take care of Camo rounds. Pairing it with Berserker Brew amplifies its power, and it is one of the few good early-game options that do well against the MOAB. It transitions smoothly to its succeeding upgrades, Triple Guns and Armor Piercing Darts.
  • Wall of Fire can mostly wipe out all Bloons below Ceramics (except Purples), and takes care of the Leads on Rounds 37 and 38. The 1-2-0 crosspath grants it reliability, while 0-2-2 allows it to take care of the Camo rounds at the cost of reliability. It can be upgraded to Dragon's Breath, and if doing so, use 0-2-2.
  • Druid of the Jungle deals solid damage towards Bloons that spawn multiple insides. It is the standard solution to Rounds 28 and 30, as it pops down the Leads to Greens, minimizing their threat.
  • Crossbow performs relatively well in this part of the game, solves all Camos in the 30s on most maps, and can be upgraded to Sharp Shooter if desired. 2-0-3 is better for raw damage and is optimal with clean-up towers, but 0-2-3 is more reliable and does higher single-target damage. This also applies to Sharp Shooter.

Mid-game (rounds 41-60)

• The mid-game features both dense Bloons (on rounds such as 49) and threatening blimps (such as those of Round 54). Therefore, the defense is required to have both single-target and grouped-target popping powers.
• As the hero levels up, they become immensely valuable in the mid-game. Proper utilization of their ability/inventory is key in the mid-game (and late-game), and getting towers that work well with them or covers their weakness becomes pivotal. For example, Overdrive pairs well with Geraldo (Sharpening Stone and Jar of Pickles) and Admiral Brickell pairs well with Destroyer (Naval Tactics and +1 Pierce at Level 8).
• Berserker Brew and Stronger Stimulant are worth it in almost all cases for the most expensive and powerful towers in the mid-game.
• Jungle Drums should be obtained in this part of the game, as its ~17.6% buff to towers in its range becomes well worth it.
• For rounds 41-50, good towers that do solid all-around damage should be obtained. These towers ideally do not fall off later on in the game and can save up for more expensive options.
• At this point, all early-game towers that serve no purpose and cannot be upgraded into anything desirable can be sold. This allows for the earlier purchase of powerful towers and for purchasing more of them.
  • Triple Guns works exceptionally well on nearly all maps with water space. It is best used in a similar fashion compared to Airburst Darts, with 0-0-2 Dart Monkeys giving it Camo Intel and Berserker Brew amplifying its power. Armor-Piercing Darts can be obtained here as well, solidifying its power.
  • Dragon's Breath guarantees the defense of any non-MOAB, non-Purple Bloon passing through its Wall of Fire with the 0-3-2 crosspath. It also does some MOAB damage, especially when given a 3-2-0 Berserker Brew.
  • Destroyer performs exceptionally well for its cost during both the mid-game and late-game, especially in a spot that allows both of its guns to activate and paired with Berserker Brew.
  • Velociraptor can start to be builded on. It is not particularly powerful at low powers, but steadily gains power as more beasts are merged into it. One power 24 Velociraptor can be obtained by Round 50, and it one-shots Ceramics, does good MOAB damage, and gains flexibility from its ability to be repositioned. It remains useful for the rest of the game.
  • Artillery Battery can be purchased in the late 40s, and performs exceptionally well. Its Bombardment ability and flexibility from its re-targetability make it suitable for the most challenging rounds, and it retains its power throughout the game.
• Rounds 51-60 features either the continued save-up into an expensive late-game tower or the purchase of a cheaper late-game tower. These recommended cheaper late-game towers are listed below.
  • Aircraft Carrier does good all-around damage, with its planes breaking down MOABs for its aerial darts/grapes and main attack to clean up.
  • The full setup for Neva-Miss Targeting (2-0-3 + Berserker Brew + Camo support) can be obtained around here, and the setup shines on nearly all maps.
  • Comanche Defense works very well on maps with one lane per round. Its mini helis do good overall damage, and its shoving capability provides some support.
  • Recursive Cluster, despite being purchasable in the 40s, only shines here and beyond due to rounds becoming more clumped. It cleans up large amounts of grouped Bloons, easing the pressure on other towers.

Late game (rounds 61+)

• Round 63 is a troubling round that the player must have adequate preparation for. Grouped popping powers, such as Recursive Cluster, are crucial to defeating this round. The hero's abilities/inventory should also be saved for the start of this round to make sure that the round can be defeated.
• Carefully manage the abilities of towers/heroes, especially at the end of Rounds 63, 74, 75, and 77. Dangerous rushes of Bloons/blimps occur at the start of the round after each of them.
• The rounds after 64 and before 75 are relatively simple, so some light farming can be done in these rounds.
• If not going for an expensive tower to carry the load for the remainder of the game, continue building the recommended late-mid-game towers listed in the section above.
• If going for an expensive tower that largely carries through the game, attempt to get it before Round 75, arguably the most challenging round in Half Cash.
  • Bloon Area Denial System guarantees victory on most maps with a Berserker Brew/Stronger Stimulant. Get 2-0-4 if Camo support has been obtained, or 0-2-4 if not.
  • If no selling-and-rebuying has been performed and Neva-Miss Targeting is present, Spectre can be obtained at the start or in the middle of Round 75, and guarantees victory. If Rare Quincy Action Figure has been obtained in the early-game, Spectre can be afforded earlier. Give it Camo support for Round 78.
  • With Come On Everybody!, The Bloon Solver can likewise be obtained at the start/middle of Round 75. If going for it, give it Camo support, and spend every remaining dollar on towers for Round 80 if no water is present for First Strike Capability.
• For Round 80, there are several simple ways to guarantee victory.
  • First Strike Capability performs a simple one-shot of the ZOMG.
  • MOAB Eliminator one-shots the ZOMG with Big Bloon Sabotage. Without this Monkey Knowledge, let it hit the ZOMG at least 5 times before using the ability.
  • Pirate Lord instantly hooks in the ZOMG.