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Game guide
Battleship
Battleship is a classic two-player strategy game played on a 10×10 grid. Each player secretly places a fleet of ships, then takes turns calling out coordinates to find and sink the enemy fleet. This guide covers the rules, how a turn works and how a game is won.
Battleship is popular because it combines hidden information, logical deduction, and tactical decision-making into a game that is quick to learn but endlessly replayable.
Objective
The objective of Battleship is to sink all of your opponent's ships before they sink yours. You do not know where the enemy fleet is — you deduce it by calling coordinates and noting which shots are hits and which are misses.
The Grid
Each player has a 10×10 grid. Columns are labelled A through J (left to right) and rows are numbered 1 through 10 (top to bottom).
Each coordinate is written as a letter followed by a number, for example B4 or G7.
Ship Placement
Before battle begins, each player secretly places their fleet on their own grid. Ships occupy consecutive cells in a straight horizontal or vertical line. Ships may not overlap or touch each other.
The standard fleet consists of five ships:
| Ship | Size |
|---|---|
| Carrier | 5 cells |
| Battleship | 4 cells |
| Cruiser | 3 cells |
| Submarine | 3 cells |
| Destroyer | 2 cells |
Each ship's position is kept hidden from the opponent throughout the game.
Click a cell on your grid to place the selected ship. Use the Rotate button (or press R) to switch between horizontal and vertical orientation. Click a placed ship to pick it up and reposition it. Once all five ships are placed, click Confirm placement to lock in your fleet and signal that you are ready for battle.
Taking Turns
Players alternate turns. On your turn:
- Call a coordinate (for example, "C6").
- Your opponent checks if any part of their fleet occupies that cell.
- Hit — if a ship occupies that cell, the cell is marked as a hit. Your opponent confirms the hit.
- Miss — if no ship occupies that cell, the cell is marked as a miss.
- Sunk — if you hit the last remaining cell of a ship, the entire ship is sunk. Your opponent announces which ship was sunk.
You may not fire at the same coordinate twice.
Winning
The first player to sink all five of the opponent's ships wins the game. When the game ends, both fleets are revealed so you can see exactly where the enemy ships were hidden.
Strategy Tips
Hunting Patterns
- Checkerboard pattern: Ships occupy at least 2 cells, so you can skip every other cell in hunt mode and still guarantee you hit every possible ship.
- Concentrate fire: Once you score a hit, fire at adjacent cells to find the ship's full length and sink it before switching back to hunt mode.
- Work the edges last: Most players avoid the outer ring when placing, so the centre of the board usually pays off first.
Placement Tips
- Vary your placement: Predictable fleet positions are easier for opponents to exploit. Mix central and edge placements.
- Split the fleet: Clustering your ships lets one lucky hit lead an opponent straight to the next one. Ships may not touch, so spread them out.
- Do not always go horizontal: Alternate orientations so an opponent who finds one ship learns nothing about the rest.
Summary
Battleship is a game of deduction and patience. Place your fleet wisely, fire systematically, and use each hit to narrow down the enemy's position. The player who thinks more efficiently about the hidden information wins.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I play Battleship?
- Each player secretly places their fleet on a 10×10 grid, then takes turns guessing coordinates to hit the opponent's ships. The first player to sink all enemy ships wins.
- How do I play Battleship online with a friend?
- Create a playroom and share the link. Your friend can join instantly without signing up.
- What ships are in Battleship?
- The standard fleet includes 5 ships: Carrier (5 cells), Battleship (4 cells), Cruiser (3 cells), Submarine (3 cells), and Destroyer (2 cells).
- What does "sunk" mean in Battleship?
- A ship is sunk when every cell it occupies has been hit. Your opponent announces the sinking, so you know the whole ship is destroyed.
- Can ships touch each other in Battleship?
- No. Ships must have at least one empty cell between them, including diagonally. The board will not let you place a ship that touches another.
- Can I shoot anywhere on my first turn?
- Yes. There is no restriction on which coordinate you call first.