Miss
The coordinate does not hit a ship. The cell is marked with a circle (○). The turn passes to the opponent.
Battleship rules
Battleship is a classic two-player strategy game. Each player secretly arranges their fleet on a grid and takes turns calling out coordinates to find and sink the opponent's ships.
Players2
Grid10 × 10
Ships6 per player
TypeStrategy
The Fleet
Each player receives the same fleet of 6 ships. Ships differ in length (number of cells they occupy).
| Ship | Size | Visual | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrier | 5 cells | 1 | |
| Battleship | 4 cells | 1 | |
| Cruiser | 3 cells | 1 | |
| Submarine | 3 cells | 1 | |
| Destroyer | 2 cells | 1 | |
| Patrol Boat | 1 cells | 1 |
Setup & Placement
The Grid
Each player has their own 10×10 grid. Columns are labeled A–J, rows 1–10. A coordinate like "B3" uniquely identifies a cell.
Example: 3-cell ship (blue)
Placement Rules
- Ships may be placed horizontally or vertically, but never diagonally.
- Ships must not overlap each other.
- Ships must not touch each other, not even diagonally.
- All 6 ships must be placed before the game begins.
How to Play
The game proceeds in alternating turns. Each player fires exactly one shot per turn at the opponent's grid.
Place Ships
Both players simultaneously and secretly place their 6 ships on their own grid.
Call a Coordinate
The active player calls a coordinate (e.g. "C7"). The opponent responds with "Hit" or "Miss".
Mark the Result
Hits are marked with ✕, misses with ○. Both players record the result on their tracking grid.
Announce Sunk
When all cells of a ship have been hit, the opponent must announce "Sunk!" and name the ship type.
Hit, Miss & Sunk
Hit
The coordinate hits a ship. The cell is marked with a red cross (✕). The ship is not yet sunk.
Sunk
Once every cell of a ship has been hit, the ship is sunk. The opponent must confirm which ship was destroyed.
Example Tracking Grid (Attacker's View)
Legend
Ship (own view)
Hit
Miss
Unknown / not yet fired at
Turn Rules
Players alternate turns. The following rules apply:
- Exactly one coordinate is called per turn.
- Cells that have already been fired at cannot be chosen again.
- A hit does not grant an extra turn. The opponent shoots next.
House rule: shoot again after a hit
Many families play like this: whoever hits or sinks a ship shoots again right away and keeps going until they miss. Games get faster and more exciting, but lucky hits count for more.
Switch it on in the lobby settings under "Shoot again after a hit". In the game a badge next to the turn indicator shows that the house rule applies.
Win Condition
The first player to sink all of the opponent's ships wins. All 17 cells of the opposing fleet must be hit.
Sink all 6 of your opponent's ships first to win!
Strategy Tips
Checkerboard Pattern
Start by firing in a checkerboard pattern. Since the smallest ship is 2 cells long, no ship can hide between two checkerboard squares.
Follow Up on Hits
After scoring a hit, fire at the four adjacent cells (up, down, left, right) to determine the ship's orientation and finish it off.
Spread Your Fleet
Don't cluster all ships at the edge or center. An unpredictable layout makes it harder for your opponent to hunt systematically.