Last Updated: August 21, 2026
Introduction
My early Horde Invasion runs ended the same way. A boss arrived from an awkward lane, and ten seconds later half my formation was frozen, flattened, or standing in the wrong postcode. Power was not the problem. I did not know what came next.
This is the Horde Invasion boss map I now keep beside my formation. It covers all 35 waves, element counters, and late-wave moves. Build the core with my Horde meta guide, then use this map before chasing a 1,015-kill clear.
The seasonal Horde format adds difficulty ranks, endless play after the clear threshold, and rotating balance. Read my Snowcub Water Tank build plan for the new investment rules. The wave order below remains my boss counter map.
Quick Answer
I select 15 Tatari, but only 10 reach the board. I plan a core of ten and five substitutes, cover all five elements across both players, bring healing, and save Candy for emergency redeployments.
The dangerous checkpoints are easy to remember:
- Waves 22 and 23 place Yeti before Volcano. Weak healing gets exposed here.
- Wave 30 combines Sandworm with Clown.
- At 16 seconds left in wave 31, I raise my Cheer-line support to temporary Lv.5 and never move it again.
- Wave 32 needs a disposable frontliner to catch Sailor's barrel.
- Wave 34 combines Volcano, Sandworm, and Yeti. Invincibility must cover Yeti's entrance.
- Wave 35 is a damage race against Climber, Garden, and Clown.
Before I Enter Horde Invasion
Horde runs for two hours, rests for one, then returns. I still enter with an underbuilt account. Element-restriction quests can pay Pinballs, and ranking rewards arrive after the session. A later rank improvement pays the difference.
I coordinate jobs before spending Candy. Between both players, I want healing, control, wide damage, boss pressure, and element coverage. My two-player formation guide shows how I split those jobs.
Temporary Lv.3, Lv.5, and Lv.7 unlock the three run skills. On a young account, I spread useful Tatari to Lv.3 before funding expensive Lv.7 upgrades. One useful unit stays at Lv.1 or Lv.3 as a cheap revive.
Waves 1-8: Learn the Boss Language
Wave 1 starts with neutral melee Two-headed Zobo. I use it as a board check. A weak front lane needs placement or healing before more damage.
Wave 2 brings Water Gnash and Goonch. It attacks from three spaces and hops across six lanes, so I chase it with Lightning.
Wave 3 is ranged Fire boss Tipsy. It boosts nearby Zobos, so I open its lane, pull it closer, and remove it with Water.
Wave 4 is Grass Shaman. Mask summons keep its shield active. I clear them with Fire and area damage; Poakie's Lava Oil is excellent here.
Wave 5 is Rock Roadhog. I answer its tire attack with Grass damage and move exposed Tatari away.
Wave 6 is Lightning Pop Star with Rocker summons, so my Rock counter takes the lane. Wave 7 is Water Yeti. Its entrance Blizzard punishes packed boards; I prepare Lightning damage and healing early.
Wave 8 is Garden. Despite its red appearance, it is Grass. I use Fire and open its lane briefly to pull its four-space attack closer.
Waves 9-16: Control Beats Panic
Wave 9 brings Lightning Shocker, whose shocks spread farther over time. I use Rock. Wave 10 brings Fire Volcano, which bursts into smaller forms several times. I keep Water on it after the first health bar disappears. The tiny Volcanoes do not respect early celebrations.
Wave 11 is Rock Climber. I use Grass and unstack fragile Tatari before its ground tremor. Wave 12 is ranged Sailor. I open its lane to pull the barrel closer, then restore the front.
Wave 13 introduces Sandworm, which drags back-row Tatari forward. Waveflutter stops it with Sleep; Sunfleur uses temporary Lv.5 Stun. I also allow the pull to move prepared attackers toward new spawns. Once moved backward, they need another Worm pull to regain that position.
Wave 14 is ranged Forge, so I answer with long-range damage. Wave 15 is Clown. It flies over units until 70 percent health, so ranged damage grounds it before melee finishes. Wave 16 is Manager. Damaging Clerk summons hurts the boss, making area damage and Lava Oil strong.
Waves 17-29: Use the Repeats to Prepare
The middle repeats bosses in tougher combinations. I pre-position counters from this order:
- Waves 17-19: Gnash and Goonch, Pop Star, then Roadhog.
- Wave 20: Shaman and Forge together.
- Waves 21-24: Tipsy, Yeti, Volcano, then Garden.
- Wave 25: Climber with Gnash and Goonch.
- Waves 26-29: Shocker, Sailor, Manager, then Forge.
Waves 22 and 23 check my healing. Yeti's freeze drains the formation, then Volcano arrives with several bodies. If this pair ends the run, I fund healing earlier next time. Floor-bound damage dealers contribute very little.
My core uses the Cheerling or Cheerlet line, Sonarbat, and a healer. We cross two Sonarbats because the partner buff is larger. One Ashlarva or Flutter buff and one Silversear prevent wasted duplicate utility.
Waves 30-35: My Exact Endgame Plan
Wave 30 combines Sandworm and Clown. I decide before it starts whether I want the Worm pull. For a pull, I remove Sleep or Stun and stage chosen Tatari. Otherwise, Waveflutter stays active.
Wave 31 brings Manager and Pop Star. At 16 seconds remaining, I raise my Cheer-line support to temporary Lv.5. This times Invincibility for wave 34. I leave that support planted afterward.
Wave 32 combines Sailor and Roadhog. I place a temporary Lv.1 frontliner in Sailor's lane, absorb the opening barrel, then retreat. That costs less than losing three invested backliners.
Wave 33 stacks Shocker, Tipsy, and Shaman. I remove Tipsy's buff, clear Shaman's summons with area damage, and keep Rock pressure on Shocker.
Wave 34 is the wall: Volcano, Sandworm, and Yeti. The wave 31 timing lets Invincibility meet Yeti's entrance Blizzard. If Volcano survives the clock, I open its lane and spend base health while both players finish killable targets. See the wave 34 survival guide for formation details.
Wave 35 ends with Climber, Garden, and Clown. I send Fire into Garden, Grass into Climber, and ranged damage into Clown until it lands. I spend every useful Candy before zero.
My Upgrade Order for T1 and T2 Accounts
Permanent Tier decides which base skills enter Horde. With a T1 or T2 roster, I use my strongest invested units instead of chasing an endgame list.
I unlock Lv.3 on healing, control, and useful counters. I raise healing before waves 22 and 23, then fund Lv.5 Cheer support for wave 31. Lv.7 comes after survival.
One Toucanzam or Pandarrior shared between players brings valuable Lv.7 buffs. I deploy Silversear late so its first attack lands on a useful wave. My boss slot follows permanent Tier and food investment.
Mistakes That Cost Me Late Waves
Spending every Candy as soon as it drops
I leave a reserve. A cheap revive or lane blocker at wave 32 has more value than an early upgrade that changes nothing.
Building ten Tatari with no substitutes
The selection starts with 15. I prepare five backups by job, since the run does not promise my preferred ten in a friendly order.
Moving Cheerlet after the wave 31 upgrade
That ruins the Invincibility timing for Yeti. Once I press Lv.5 at 16 seconds, I keep the support planted.
Fighting every boss in its starting lane
Ranged bosses become easier after I open a lane and pull them closer. Sandworm can also improve my formation when I choose its targets in advance.
FAQ
What is the maximum Horde Invasion kill score?
The full clear is 1,015 kills. Above 1,000 is already strong, and late-wave planning beats one unnecessary early upgrade.
Which Horde wave is the hardest?
Wave 34 causes sudden failures because Volcano, Sandworm, and Yeti arrive together. Yeti's entrance Blizzard is the immediate danger.
When should I upgrade Cheerlet to Lv.5?
Upgrade Cheer support at 16 seconds remaining in wave 31, then leave it in place. Invincibility will protect wave 34.
How do I stop the Sandworm pull?
Use Waveflutter's Sleep or Sunfleur's temporary Lv.5 Stun. Remove control when you want selected Tatari pulled deeper.
Do I need T4 Tatari for a full clear?
No. Coordinated roles, temporary upgrade timing, boss counters, and active movement can carry a no-T4 team past 1,000 kills.
Should I enter with a random partner?
Auto-match works, but coordination improves element coverage and Sonarbat placement. Agree on healing, control, and boss counters before entering.