Overview

Battleship is a classic two-player naval combat guessing game. Each player secretly positions their fleet of ships on a grid. Players take turns calling out coordinates to try to locate and sink each other’s ships. The first player to sink all of their opponent’s ships wins.

Components

• 2 Portable battle cases (each with an ocean grid and a target grid)
• 10 Plastic ships (5 per player)
• 73 Red “hit” pegs
• 168 White “miss” pegs

Fleet Composition

Ship	Size (holes)
Aircraft Carrier	5
Battleship	4
Submarine	3
Destroyer	3
Patrol Boat	2

Setup

1. Each player opens their battle case. The bottom grid is the “ocean grid” where you place your own ships. The top grid is the “target grid” for tracking your shots against the opponent.
2. Each player secretly places all 5 ships on their ocean grid by inserting the ships into the holes.
3. Ships must be placed either horizontally or vertically – never diagonally.
4. Ships cannot overlap (no two ships can occupy the same hole).
5. Ships cannot hang off the edge of the grid.
6. Once all ships are placed, players cannot move them during the game.
7. The grid uses coordinates: letters A-J along one axis and numbers 1-10 along the other.

Turn Structure

Players decide who goes first (e.g., by coin flip). Players then alternate turns.

On each turn:

1. Call a Shot: Announce a coordinate (e.g., “B-5”) that you have not previously called.
2. Opponent Responds: Your opponent checks their ocean grid and announces either:
   • “Hit” – if a ship occupies that space
   • “Miss” – if no ship occupies that space
3. Mark the Result:
   • Caller: Place a red peg (hit) or white peg (miss) on the corresponding space of your target grid.
   • Opponent: Place a red peg on the hit space of their ocean grid (if hit).
4. Announce Sinking: When all holes of a ship have been hit, the owner must announce “You sunk my [ship name]!”

Actions

Each turn consists of calling exactly one coordinate (in the standard game). The Salvo variant allows advanced players to fire multiple shots per turn (see Special Rules).

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The first player to sink all 5 of their opponent’s ships wins the game.

A ship is “sunk” when every hole on that ship has been hit (marked with a red peg).

Special Rules & Edge Cases

Salvo Variant (Advanced Play)

For experienced players, the Salvo variant allows multiple attacks per turn:

• On your turn, you may fire one shot for each of your ships that has not yet been sunk.
• At the start of the game, you fire 5 shots per turn (one per ship).
• As your own ships are sunk, you fire fewer shots per turn.
• Announce all coordinates before the opponent reports results.

Common House Rules (Not Official)

• Some play with a rule that ships cannot touch each other (even diagonally). This is not in the standard rules.
• Some play that you must announce which ship was hit. This is not standard.

Edge Cases

• You cannot call a coordinate you have already called.
• A ship must be entirely on the grid – no partial placements.
• Ships cannot be moved after initial placement.

Player Reference

Ship Sizes

| Ship | Size | |——|——| | Aircraft Carrier | 5 | | Battleship | 4 | | Submarine | 3 | | Destroyer | 3 | | Patrol Boat | 2 |

Total hits needed to win: 17 (5+4+3+3+2)

Grid Coordinates

• Columns: A through J
• Rows: 1 through 10
• Call format: “Letter-Number” (e.g., “B-5”)

Turn Checklist

1. Call one coordinate
2. Opponent says “Hit” or “Miss”
3. Mark your target grid (red = hit, white = miss)
4. Opponent marks ocean grid if hit
5. Announce if ship is sunk