The four actions that make a defense
Every stage uses the same four actions from the game description: dig sand, pile it into walls, carve trenches, and pack them hard.
A wall only works when it covers the whole approach. Height without width leaves a gap. A trench without a wall does not stop the main surge. Packing is what turns a loose pile into something that can take the hit.
Build order before START ROUND
- Place the main sand line where it can cover the water's path to town.
- Add thickness. If you can see through the pile, it is not a wall yet.
- Cut a trench so water that gets past the face has a catch.
- Pack the sections that will take the first impact.
- Check both ends. Corners fail when the middle looks finished.
- Start the round.
When the beach gets wider
Clearing a stage pulls the sea back. The beach becomes wider and the next waves are bigger, so the same short wall no longer covers the approach. Extend the line before you add decorations or a second vehicle.
On the full beach, the official late-game materials are gravel, boulders, clay, and concrete. Haul gravel, drop boulders, sculpt clay, and pour concrete when those options are actually available. They are for walls that have to take a monster wave, after sand and trenches are already in place.
During the wave
If you are playing with other people, one player can patch the wall while the wave is hitting. Solo, you do the patching yourself between impacts. Do not tear down a wall that is still holding just because the first surge passed. The game can send a bigger wave after the sea pulls back.
Choosing the next improvement
| Situation | Next action |
|---|---|
| The wall has a visible gap | Close and pack that gap before spending coins |
| Digging is too slow to cover the new beach | Buy the next shovel or digging machine you can afford |
| You can dig fast but cannot move material across the wide beach | Save toward the dump truck and the late materials |
| The wall covers the beach but washes apart | Pack it harder and switch the face to gravel, clay, or concrete when those materials are unlocked |