So it is not very clear, do you decide which defenses you will go through or the ones your opponent will have to go through?
In qualifications and eliminations, you pick the defenses on your side of the field, which your opponent has to breach. That’s so you can strategize and try to disadvantage your opponent.
In practice, you pick the defenses on the opposite side of the field so you can guarantee you get the defenses you want to practice against.
I interpreted it as you choosing the ones for your opponent to go through (so the ones on your side of the field). It’s like you’re fortifying your castle against the enemy.
From what I have read in the rules, it seems that you chose the defenses on your side that the opponent must pass through. You can chose to go through the defenses on your side or not as you may pass through your team’s secret passage through the neutral zone.
5.5.10 Selecting Defenses: The specific DEFENSES used during each MATCH are selected by a combination of the audience and the ALLIANCES. One (1) DEFENSE from each of the four (4) DEFENSE groups, A, B, C, and D are on the FIELD each Qualification and Playoff MATCH.
This means you pick what your opponents have to travel across. Check out that section for more information!
5.5.10:
the Red ALLIANCE selects the Blue
ALLIANCE DEFENSES. This provides each ALLIANCE with a predictable set of DEFENSES on which to
practice.
You pick which defenses you cross.
This being during practice rounds. You choose which ones your opponents cross in normal rounds
During practice matches.
In that case, the only part I see that pertains to this is in the beginning of parts 2,3, and 5
FIRST STRONGHOLD is a medieval tower defender game in which two (2) ALLIANCES of three (3) Teams
each select DEFENSES to fortify their OUTER WORKS before competing simultaneously to score points
while BREACHING the opponent’s OUTER WORKS and CAPTURING the opponent’s TOWER.
Where you select your own defenses.