What is Battleship?

Battleship is a classic two-player naval strategy game where opponents try to sink each other's fleet by guessing the location of ships on a hidden grid. Originally a pencil-and-paper game dating back to World War I, Battleship has evolved into a beloved digital strategy game that combines luck, logic, and tactical thinking.

The game takes place on two 10x10 grids: one for your own fleet and one for tracking your attacks on the enemy. Players take turns calling out coordinates to "fire" at their opponent's grid, trying to locate and destroy all enemy vessels before their own fleet is sunk. The tension builds with each shot as you narrow down possible ship locations and try to outsmart your opponent.

At Sinkships, you can play against sophisticated computer opponents with five different difficulty levels, from casual beginners to tactical admirals. The game preserves the classic strategic elements while adding modern features like probability-based AI, responsive controls, and real-time feedback.

Game Setup and Objective

The Game Board

Each player has a 10x10 grid identified by coordinates. Columns are labeled A through J (left to right), and rows are numbered 1 through 10 (top to bottom). This gives you 100 possible locations where ships can hide. You'll have two grids visible during gameplay:

• Your Fleet Grid: Shows your own ships and where the enemy has attacked you (hits and misses)
• Targeting Grid: Tracks your shots against the enemy fleet, marking hits, misses, and sunken ships

The Fleet

Both you and your opponent command a fleet of five ships, each with a different size:

• Carrier: 5 grid spaces - The largest and most powerful warship, but also the easiest to find
• Battleship: 4 grid spaces - A formidable vessel that provides strong offensive capability
• Cruiser: 3 grid spaces - A versatile medium-sized ship that balances firepower and maneuverability
• Submarine: 3 grid spaces - Stealthy underwater vessel that's hard to detect
• Destroyer: 2 grid spaces - The smallest ship, difficult to locate but vulnerable once found

In total, your fleet occupies 17 squares on the grid, leaving 83 empty spaces - that's only 17% coverage, which means most of your shots will miss if you're just guessing randomly!

Primary Objective

The goal is simple but challenging: locate and sink all five enemy ships before they destroy your fleet. To sink a ship, you must hit every single grid space it occupies. Once all segments of a ship are hit, it's considered sunk and removed from play. The first player to sink all five enemy vessels wins the battle.

Ship Placement Phase

Before the battle begins, both players must position their five ships on their grid. This setup phase is crucial because good placement can make the difference between victory and defeat. Here's how it works:

Placement Rules

• Orientation: Ships can be placed either horizontally (left to right) or vertically (top to bottom), but not diagonally
• Spacing: Ships cannot overlap each other - each grid square can only contain one ship segment
• Boundaries: Ships must fit completely within the 10x10 grid - no part can extend beyond the edges
• Adjacent Placement: Ships can touch each other edge-to-edge, though strategic players often leave gaps

How to Place Ships at Sinkships

Desktop Users: Click on a ship in the fleet list to select it, then click on your grid where you want the ship's front to start. Click again to rotate between horizontal and vertical orientations. You can also drag ships directly onto the grid and drop them in your desired position.

Mobile Users: Tap a ship to select it, then tap the starting position on your grid. Tap the rotate button to change orientation. You can also tap and hold to drag ships into position with your finger.

Quick Setup: If you're not sure where to place ships or want to start quickly, use the "Random Placement" button. The computer will automatically position all five ships according to the rules, giving you a valid setup instantly.

Strategic Considerations for Placement

While you can place ships randomly, thoughtful placement improves your chances of survival:

• Corner Protection: Placing ships in corners means they have fewer adjacent spaces that opponents might search
• Edge Strategy: Ships along edges reduce the number of directions enemies can search from
• Scattered vs. Clustered: Spreading ships across the board makes them harder to find, while clustering can sometimes create defensive patterns
• Avoid Patterns: Don't place all ships horizontally or vertically - mix orientations to be less predictable
• Protect Small Ships: Your destroyer is the hardest to find, so consider placing it in an unusual location

Once you've positioned all five ships, confirm your setup to begin the battle. Remember, you cannot move ships once the firing phase starts!

Playing the Game: Taking Turns

How Turns Work

Battleship is a turn-based game. At Sinkships, you always take the first shot, then the computer opponent responds. This alternating pattern continues until one player's entire fleet is destroyed.

Making Your Attack

On your turn, select one grid coordinate on the targeting board to attack. Click or tap any square that hasn't been fired upon yet. The game will immediately tell you the result:

• Miss: Your shot hit empty water. The square is marked with a small splash or dot, indicating this location is clear
• Hit: You struck part of an enemy ship! The square is marked with a hit indicator (typically fire or an X). You don't know which ship you hit yet, just that something is there
• Sunk: When you hit the final segment of a ship, you'll receive a "Ship Sunk" notification telling you which vessel was destroyed

Responding to Hits

When you score a hit, your next shots become critical. The enemy ship extends in one of four directions from that hit (up, down, left, or right). Try adjacent squares to determine the ship's orientation, then continue in that direction until you sink it completely.

For example, if you hit at E5, your next shot should test E4, E6, D5, or F5. Once you get a second hit, you know the ship's direction - if E6 also hits, the ship runs vertically, so continue to E7, E8, etc.

Computer's Turn

After your shot, the computer immediately takes its turn. You'll see the result on your fleet grid - either a miss marker on empty water or a hit marker on one of your ships. The computer's strategy depends on the difficulty level you selected:

• Ensign (Level 1): Fires at random locations with no pattern
• Lieutenant (Level 2): Uses a checkerboard pattern to efficiently search the board
• Commander (Level 3): Employs probability calculations to target likely ship locations
• Captain (Level 4): Combines probability with hunt-and-target algorithms
• Admiral (Level 5): Uses advanced probability analysis and optimal search patterns

Tracking Information

Pay attention to the information displayed during the game:

• Ships Remaining: Shows how many enemy vessels are still afloat vs. how many you've sunk
• Shot Count: Tracks the total number of shots fired by each player
• Hit Percentage: Your accuracy rate - good players maintain 25-35% hit rates
• Turn Indicator: Clearly shows whose turn it is to fire

Winning and Losing

Victory Conditions

You win the game when you successfully sink all five enemy ships. The game immediately ends and displays your victory statistics, including total shots fired, accuracy percentage, and time elapsed. Efficient victories use fewer shots and demonstrate superior strategic thinking.

Defeat

If the computer sinks all your ships first, you lose the battle. Don't be discouraged - review what happened, analyze the computer's strategy, and try again. Each game teaches you something new about search patterns and ship placement.

Statistics and Improvement

After each game, study your performance metrics:

• Shots to Win: Top players can win in 40-60 shots against moderate AI
• Hit Ratio: Aim for at least 25% hit rate - higher is better
• First Ship Sunk: Faster early victories indicate good search strategies
• Ships Lost: If you lost ships, consider different placement strategies

Essential Tips for Beginners

Search Strategy Fundamentals

• Don't Fire Randomly: Use a pattern like checkerboard spacing to cover the board efficiently
• Finish What You Start: When you hit a ship, immediately focus on sinking it before searching elsewhere
• Think About Ship Sizes: After a hit, consider what size ship could fit in the available space
• Use Process of Elimination: Track which ships have been sunk to know what you're still hunting
• Corner and Edge Focus: Start searching less common areas first

Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

• Firing at squares immediately adjacent to confirmed misses
• Abandoning a hit before sinking the entire ship
• Placing all ships along one edge or in predictable patterns
• Ignoring the checkerboard principle for initial searches
• Not considering which ships remain after scoring sinks

Game Controls and Interface

Desktop Controls

• Mouse Click: Select grid squares to fire or place ships
• Right Click: Rotate ships during placement (some browsers)
• Keyboard Arrow Keys: Navigate grid squares
• Space/Enter: Confirm selection
• R Key: Rotate selected ship

Mobile Controls

• Tap: Select squares or ships
• Drag: Move ships during placement
• Pinch: Zoom in/out on game board (if enabled)
• Two-Finger Tap: Rotate ship orientation

Game Options

• Sound Toggle: Turn sound effects and music on/off
• Difficulty Selection: Choose AI opponent level (1-5)
• New Game: Start over with fresh ship placement
• Statistics: View your gameplay history and win rate

Frequently Asked Questions

Can ships touch each other?

Yes! Ships can be placed directly adjacent to each other, even sharing edges. However, they cannot overlap - each grid square can only contain one ship segment.

Can I move my ships after placing them?

No, once you confirm your ship placement and start the game, ships remain locked in position for that entire battle. Choose your setup carefully!

What happens if I close the game mid-battle?

Your current game progress is automatically saved in your browser. When you return to Sinkships, you can resume where you left off, provided you haven't cleared your browser data.

How does the difficulty level affect gameplay?

Higher difficulty levels use more sophisticated algorithms. Easy opponents fire randomly, while harder opponents use probability calculations and hunt patterns to find your ships more efficiently. See our AI Difficulty Guide for detailed explanations.

Is there a time limit per turn?

No, you can take as long as you need to plan your shots. However, faster decision-making helps you improve your intuition and pattern recognition skills.

Next Steps: Improving Your Game

Now that you understand the basics, you're ready to start playing! For beginners, we recommend starting with Ensign or Lieutenant difficulty and working your way up as you develop your skills.

Once you're comfortable with the fundamentals, explore these advanced resources:

• Strategy Guide - Learn advanced tactics, probability theory, and winning patterns
• Tips and Tricks - Quick tactical advice for immediate improvement
• Official Rules - Complete rulebook and special situations
• Beginner's First Game - Step-by-step walkthrough of a complete game
• Understanding AI Opponents - How each difficulty level thinks and plays

Ready to begin your naval career? Start Playing Now!