Game: Armor Defense - strategy

A surprising game was recently posted over at Armor Game (Full-screen version, small-window version).  Gloriously, this game has the holy duality of being easy to pick up and difficult to master.  Further, unlike many "defense"-style games you can actively get involved in the fighting, rather than just set up and watch.  Unfortunately, the game can be a little painful the first few rounds so, after spending a lot of time with it, I decided to come up with a few pointers on how to get to the meat of the game where it gets really fun.

As with most defense games, there are three major concepts:

1. Keep defenses out of harm's way, yet close to the action.
2. Get money from taking out enemies that you spend to try to manage the increasing difficulty.
3. Put money into core improvements, or infrastructure -- not just more guns.  The game quickly loses its flavor if you only purchase more fighters

Tips:

• Rounds 1 and 2: with a little practice, you can handle this with just one Ruler.  You have to let the kids pass in front of him and then pick him up and drop him in front of them again for a second pass.  Put ALL your other money into upgrading your interest rate (in the lower left hand corner)
• Rounds 3 and 4: as bullies appear (characters who can knock you over), you must add another cheap attacker, the Toy Gun.  Put him on the hood of the bus.
  
• Your next purchase when you get the money should be a Ballooner -- he does splash damage and will help take out groups
• First boss: just set all three characters in front of the fort.
• Your next purchase will be another Ballooner and spread them out -- splash damage is great but if the enemies aren't grouped together, it doesn't mean much.  As they move across the screen they're more likely to group up.
• You should continue contributing to building interest.  Before the second boss, you should have this filled up to the max.
• With a little work, you can fit three characters on the hood of the bus -- this is ideal.
  
• Start to upgrade your Shooter and try to get him to level 3 before anyone else.  Then your Ballooner.  Then when the second boss shows up, just repeatedly set them behind the boss as he advances.
  
• This one is NOT obvious: once the bullies start becoming unmanagable, put your Ruler on the second floor of your base.
  
• Parents can be temporarily managed by giving them a low-level character to take all the way back across the screen again.  Once the parents get destroyed, you can move your character back to position.
  

That's a good start to what could become a much longer strategy guide.  Post some kind of response if you want more, or post your own hints.