All hands on deck! Battleship is the ultimate guessing game where you try to sink your opponent’s fleet before they sink yours. It’s quick to learn, endlessly replayable, and just as fun in its classic plastic board game version as it is in a simple paper-and-pencil format.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to set up Battleship, the official rules, strategies to help you win, and some fun variations to try. Plus, you can grab our free printable Battleship grids so you can start playing right away.

Objective

Be the first player to sink all of your opponent’s ships by correctly guessing their locations on the grid.

Number of Players

Battleship is played with 2 players.

Age

Recommended for ages 7 and up, though younger kids can play with help.

Skills Learned

• Strategic Thinking – Plan your attacks and anticipate your opponent’s moves.
• Logic and Deduction – Use the information from hits and misses to zero in on ships.
• Patience and Focus – Stay engaged over multiple turns without rushing.
• Tracking & Recording Moves – Keep accurate notes on every guess and response to avoid repeat shots and spot patterns.

Why We Like It for Families and Kids

• Easy to Learn – Even young kids can grasp the basic rules quickly.
• No Reading Required – Great for mixed-age groups.
• Portable and Flexible – Play with the classic board game or print out a grid and play anywhere.
• Encourages One-on-One Time – Perfect for siblings, parents, and grandparents to play together.
• Exciting Gameplay Moments – It’s a thrill when you score your first hit, even more exciting when you’re closing in on sinking a ship, and especially satisfying when it’s one of the big ones.
• Empowers Kids – They can make their own strategic choices and see the results, building confidence and decision-making skills.

What You Need

• Option 1: Branded Game – Battleship on Amazon (classic version with pegs and plastic grid)
• Option 2: Paper-and-Pencil Version – Two printed Battleship grids per player (download ours free) and two pencils or pens.

Setup

1. Each player gets two grids:
   • Primary Grid: where you place your ships.
   • Target Grid: where you record shots at your opponent.
2. Place your ships on your Primary Grid. The standard fleet includes:
   • Carrier – 5 spaces
   • Battleship – 4 spaces
   • Cruiser – 3 spaces
   • Submarine – 3 spaces
   • Destroyer – 2 spaces
3. Ships may be placed horizontally or vertically, but cannot overlap.
4. Keep your grid hidden from your opponent at all times.

How to Play Battleship — Step by Step

1: Grab a friend and your board (or printables)
Battleship is a 2-player game. Each player needs two grids: a Primary Grid (to place your ships) and a Target Grid (to record your shots).

2: Set up your fleet
Secretly place these ships on your Primary Grid (no overlaps; horizontal or vertical):

• Carrier (5) • Battleship (4) • Cruiser (3) • Submarine (3) • Destroyer (2)
  Keep your grid hidden.

3: Decide who goes first
No official rule—use a coin toss, rock-paper-scissors, or a die roll (highest starts).

4: Take the first turn

• The first player calls out one coordinate (e.g., “B7”).
• The opponent checks their Primary Grid:
  • If that space has part of a ship, they say “Hit!”
  • If it’s empty water, they say “Miss!”
• Both players mark the result:
  • The shooter marks the coordinate on their Target Grid (circle for miss, X for hit).
  • The defender marks the shot on their Primary Grid (X over a ship space if hit, or a dot if miss).

5: Rotate turns

• Now it’s the second player’s turn to call a coordinate.
• The process is exactly the same as in Step 4.
• In standard rules, turns alternate whether the shot is a hit or a miss.

6: Continue alternating turns and sink your opponent’s ships

• Keep alternating turns, calling coordinates, and marking results.
• When a hit completes all spaces of a ship, the defender immediately announces: “You sunk my [ship name]!”

7: Win by sinking all of your opponent’s ships

• The game ends immediately when a player has sunk all five of the opponent’s ships; that player wins.

Battleship Rules (Summary)

• Two players only.
• Ships must be placed entirely within the grid and may not overlap.
• Ships cannot be moved once the game begins.
• Players take turns calling one coordinate per turn.
• The defender must announce “Hit” or “Miss” after each shot.
• When the last space of a ship is hit, the defender must say, “You sunk my [ship name]!”
• All hits must be reported honestly.
• First to sink all opponent’s ships wins.

Scoring (Optional)

• Standard Play: Winner is the first to sink all ships.
• Tournament Play: Assign points for each ship sunk and play multiple rounds to determine an overall winner.

Variations to Try

• Keep Shooting on a Hit – Under this house rule, players keep taking shots until they miss. Speeds up the game and adds pressure when you’re on a roll.
• Diagonal Ships – Allow ships to be placed diagonally for extra challenge.
• Smaller or Larger Grids – Use a 6×6 grid for a quick game or a 12×12 grid for an epic battle.
• Fewer Ships – Speed things up by playing with only three ships each.
• Team Battleship – Pair up in teams of two and coordinate your attacks.

Tips for Winning

• Hunt and Target – Start by firing shots in a checkerboard pattern to locate ships, then target surrounding spaces once you get a hit.
• Spread Out Your Ships – Avoid clustering them together, which can give your opponent multiple hits in a small area.
• Think Probabilities – Aim at spots most likely to fit remaining ships.

Ready to Play?

Grab your free printable Battleship grids and start plotting your course to victory. Whether you play with the classic board game or the DIY paper-and-pencil version, Battleship is sure to deliver big fun for your next family game time.

Download Printable Battleship Grids

Battleship Game FAQS

Rules FAQs

Can ships touch?
Yes, in the standard rules, ships can be next to each other.

Can you play with more than two players?
Yes, you can team up and play in pairs.

Do you win if you sink the battleship?
No. You win only when you sink all of your opponent’s ships, not just the one called “Battleship.”

Do you have to say when a ship sinks in Battleship?
Yes. When the last space of a ship is hit, the defender must announce, “You sunk my [ship name]!”

How many hits to sink a Battleship?
The Battleship takes 4 hits—one for each space it occupies.

How to play Battleship with two players?
Each player secretly places their ships on a grid, then takes turns calling coordinates to try to hit and sink the opponent’s ships. First to sink all opponent ships wins.

Do you go again if you hit a ship in Battleship?
In the standard rules, no—turns always alternate. Some house rules allow extra shots after a hit, but that’s optional.

Ages FAQ

Is Battleship fun for adults?
Yes. It’s a light strategy game with enough deduction to keep adults engaged.

What age is the Battleship game appropriate for?
The classic board game is recommended for ages 7 and up, but younger kids can play with help.

Strategy FAQs

Where should I put my ship in Battleship?
Spread them out, avoid obvious patterns, and mix long ships with short ships in different areas of the grid.

What is the trick to Battleship?
Use a “hunt and target” approach: fire in a pattern to find a ship, then focus shots around the hit until it’s sunk.

What is the best guessing pattern in Battleship? / Where is the best place to guess in Battleship?
Start with a checkerboard pattern that covers half the spaces—ships can’t fit in single isolated squares, so this maximizes coverage.

Is Battleship a game of luck or skill?
It’s a mix—luck plays a role in finding ships, but skill comes in placing ships, tracking shots, and targeting effectively.

Is Battleship just guessing?
No. While the first shots are guesses, good players use logic and deduction to narrow down ship locations.

Variation FAQs

What’s the smallest grid you can use?
You can play on as small as a 6×6 grid for quick games.

History FAQs

What’s the history of the game Battleship?
It began as a pencil-and-paper game in the early 1900s, became a plastic board game in 1967, and has since spawned electronic and digital versions.

Did Milton Bradley create the Battleship?
Milton Bradley popularized the plastic peg version in 1967, but the pencil-and-paper version existed decades earlier.

What are some fun facts about the game Battleship?

• It started as a paper game.
• The plastic peg version was one of the first board games adapted to electronic format.
• It has inspired video games, apps, and even a feature film.

How old is the Battleship game?
The paper version is over 100 years old; the Milton Bradley board game has been around for more than 55 years.