Yes, the fortress strategy is awesome. red=chain=multitarget=like extra firerate, yellow=extra damage, black=extra "everything", amps=more efficient everythin. It's so awesome it turns maxed beacon storm into a source of free exp when combined with anger management.
(The labyrinth equivalent is the turret, which is the same thing but with only one tower.)
The opening moves:
Use "optimal dual gem combining" (see bottom of post) to make a grade 5 red/yellow gem.
Place in tower.
Depending on mana remaining, build a grade 3 or 4 orange gem and/or the first and second amplifier(s). Set the orange gem to "least hp". (the orange gem should be closer to an entrance than the kill gem; having it nex
Then, anger the first wave with grade 1's so its armor is about 3/4ths your gem's minimum damage.
Mid game fortress management:
Most of the time, your amplifiers should be around 2 grades lower than the damage gem.
Add more amplifiers when the cost per amplifier is roughly equal to the cost per gem.
Attach low grade secondary towers as desired...or even secondary traps, depending on the map.
(sample secondary tower: red/blue/black/orange, grade 5, while killgem is grade 8 and amps are grade 6. do note that purple becomes pretty useless at this stage; if you've angered so much you need purple, you're probably doomed anyways.)
midgame anger management:
When the managain per monster exceeds 45 (after multiplying), switch to grade 2's for angering.
72+: grade 3
120+: grade 4
260+grade 5
-this will maximize the net managain per anger.
late game mode
(only if black is available).
Add a small amount of black to the killgem.
start combining the amplfier gems together. (continue using the optimal combining strategy). as you pull them out, replace with pure black gems.
End with 6 pure black in amps, 2 red/yellow in amps, and one red/yellow in a tower.
late game angering:
If you just want to beat the level, skip this section.
Depending on how fast you set this up, you may be able to anger some of the waves with 15 grade 5's. or more. "But what about the beacons?" -if you're to the point where your gem is able to pummel the mobs produced by x15 angering, the beacons won't be a problem. Except shield beacons. You'll want some traps here and there to get rid of the shields.
end-game mode:
(Do not attempt this unless your managem is at least grade 8 AND you have black. White just doesn't cut it. )
Remember that orange tower that you've been using to supplement your mana gain?
Combine it with a red/black gem, stick in a trap, surround with 6 black amplifiers.
optimal gem strategy.
Create a grade 1 red, and a grade 1 yellow. combine these.
duplicate the dual gem.
combine one of the duals with a grade 2 yellow, the other with a grade 2 red.
Combine these into a grade 4 gem.
duplicate the grade 4.
combine one with a grade 4 red, the other with a grade 4 yellow.
combine the...
duplicate the (even grade gem).
combine one with a pure yellow, the other with a pure red.
combine.
repeat.
