1 Game Overview
Battleship is a classic two-player guessing game of naval combat. Each player hides five ships on a secret 10x10 grid and takes turns calling out coordinates to find and sink the enemy fleet. The player who sinks all enemy ships first wins.
2 What's in the Box
- 2 plastic game boards with peg grids (each player has 2 sections: ocean and target)
- 5 ships per player: Carrier (5 holes), Battleship (4), Destroyer (3), Submarine (3), Patrol Boat (2)
- White pegs (misses), red pegs (hits)
3 Setup
- Each player sits with their board upright as a screen, hiding their setup from the opponent.
- Each player places their 5 ships horizontally or vertically (not diagonally) on their ocean grid. Ships cannot touch each other.
- Younger player calls first shot.
4 How to Play
- On your turn, call out a coordinate: a letter (A-J) and a number (1-10). Example: "B-7"
- Your opponent checks their ocean grid. "Hit" if a ship occupies that square; "Miss" if not.
- Mark your target grid: white peg for miss, red peg for hit.
- Your opponent marks their ocean grid with the appropriate peg.
- When all squares of a ship have been hit, the opponent announces "You sank my [ship name]!"
5 Winning
The first player to sink all five of their opponent's ships wins.
6 Strategy Tips
- Hunt in a cross pattern. Ships occupy multiple squares. Once you get a hit, target adjacent squares to find the rest of the ship.
- Don't place ships near edges. It's predictable. Hide them in the middle or at odd angles from edges.
- Keep ships apart. Bunching ships together means one hit can give away multiple positions.
- Diagonal hunting. Skip every other square in a checkerboard pattern to find even 2-square patrol boats efficiently.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you set up Battleship?
Each player secretly places their 5 ships on their own grid. Ships can be placed horizontally or vertically but not diagonally and cannot overlap. Once placed, ships cannot be moved during the game.
What are the 5 ships in Battleship?
The standard Battleship set includes: Carrier (5 spaces), Battleship (4 spaces), Cruiser (3 spaces), Submarine (3 spaces), and Destroyer (2 spaces).
What happens when all spaces on a ship are hit?
When all the spaces occupied by a ship have been hit, the ship is sunk. You must announce it by saying "You sank my [ship name]!" Sinking all five of your opponent's ships wins the game.
Is there strategy in Battleship?
Yes. A common strategy is to hunt using a "checkerboard" pattern first (calling every other coordinate), since even the smallest ship (2 spaces) cannot hide in gaps larger than one space. Once you get a hit, target adjacent squares to find the full ship.
How many shots per turn in Battleship?
In standard Battleship, each player calls one coordinate per turn. Some variant rules allow more shots per turn, but one shot per turn is the official rule.
7 Grid Coordinate System
Each player's grid is a 10x10 square. Columns are labeled A through J (left to right). Rows are numbered 1 through 10 (top to bottom). Every square is identified by a letter-number pair.
- A1 = top-left corner
- J10 = bottom-right corner
- E5 = approximate center
Players call shots using this coordinate system: "B-4", "G-7", etc. The letter always comes first.
8 Ship Placement Rules
| Ship | Length (Squares) |
|---|---|
| Carrier | 5 |
| Battleship | 4 |
| Cruiser | 3 |
| Submarine | 3 |
| Destroyer | 2 |
| Total squares occupied | 17 of 100 |
Placement rules: Ships must be placed horizontally or vertically (not diagonally). Ships cannot overlap each other. Ships cannot extend off the grid. Official rules do NOT require ships to have any space between them, but many house rules require at least 1 space gap.
9 Probability Math: Where to Shoot First
Ships occupy 17 of 100 squares (17% coverage). But not all squares are equally likely to contain a ship. Squares near the center can be covered by more ship positions than corner squares.
- Most likely squares: Central squares (E5, E6, F5, F6 area) have the highest probability of containing a ship because ships can be oriented in more ways through the center.
- Least likely squares: Corners and extreme edges. A 5-length carrier has fewer valid positions near corners.
- Checkerboard opening: Shoot only "white squares" of a mental checkerboard pattern (every other square, like a chess board). The smallest ship (Destroyer, 2 squares) must occupy at least one of these squares. This finds every ship with 50 shots maximum instead of 100.
Hunt vs Target Mode
- Hunt mode: Before any hits, use the checkerboard pattern to efficiently search. Fire at squares spaced every 2 (for 2-ship detection).
- Target mode: Once you get a hit, switch to targeting adjacent squares to find the ship's orientation, then sink it before returning to hunt mode.
10 Variants
Salvo Variant
In Salvo, each player fires multiple shots per turn, one shot per surviving ship. If you have 5 ships, fire 5 shots. If 3 ships remain, fire 3 shots. This speeds up the game considerably and rewards aggressive tactics. Some versions require you to announce all shot coordinates before any results are revealed.
Electronic Battleship
Electronic versions replace the manual peg board with a unit that announces hit/miss/sunk results, tracks shots, and sometimes adds special attacks or aircraft carriers with extra mechanics.
11 Wrong House Rules
- "Ships must have a space between them" (UNOFFICIAL): Official rules allow ships to be adjacent. Requiring separation is a common house rule that makes hiding ships easier.
- "You can move ships during the game" (WRONG): Once placed, ships cannot move for the entire game. Period.
- "You must call the shot before revealing results" (VARIANT): This is the Salvo variant, not standard play. Standard Battleship reveals hit/miss immediately after each shot.
12 History of Battleship
Battleship originated as a pencil-and-paper game played during World War I. Players drew grids on paper and called out coordinates to find the enemy fleet. The game became popular in France (called "Touche-Coule") and Russia (called "Morskoy Boy") before arriving in America.
Milton Bradley published the first commercial version of Battleship in 1931 as a pad-and-pencil game called "Broadsides, the Game of Naval Strategy." The classic plastic version with the iconic pegged boards launched in 1967 and became one of Milton Bradley's best-selling games.
Electronic Battleship arrived in 1977, followed by numerous updates. The 2012 film "Battleship" (starring Liam Neeson) was loosely inspired by the game. Hasbro (which acquired Milton Bradley) continues to publish new Battleship variants. The game remains one of the most recognized board games worldwide.
13 More Battleship FAQ
Can ships be placed diagonally in Battleship?
No. Ships must be placed horizontally or vertically only. Diagonal placement is not allowed in official rules.
Do you have to say which ship was sunk?
Yes. When all squares of a ship are hit, you must announce which ship was sunk: "You sank my Battleship!" This helps opponents track remaining ships and focus their search pattern.
What is the best opening strategy in Battleship?
The checkerboard (or diagonal) pattern is mathematically the most efficient opening. Fire every other square in a checkerboard pattern. The smallest ship (2 squares) must occupy at least one "white" checkerboard square, so this guarantees a hit within 50 shots at most.
Can ships touch each other in Battleship?
Yes, by official rules, ships can be placed adjacent to each other (touching sides). They just cannot overlap. Many players house-rule a 1-square gap, but this is not part of official play.
How many total shots does it take to guarantee a win?
In the worst case, you need to fire 100 shots to hit every square. In practice, using the checkerboard search pattern, you'll find every ship within 50 shots in hunt mode, then sink them in additional targeted shots. Expert play often wins in 40-60 total shots.
🎲 House Rules
Play Battleship your way?
Save your house rules and share a link or QR code — friends can pull them up at the table.