Battleship Game

Although popularized in the United States as a commercial board game, first published by the Milton Bradley Company in 1931, Battleship is known throughout the world as a pencil and paper game and predates the First World War in this form.

The game is played on four square grids, two for each player. The grids are typically square — often 10×10 — and the individual squares in the grid are identified by letter and number. On one grid, the player arranges his own ships and records the shots by the opponent. On the other grid, the player records his own shots.

Before play begins, each player arranges a number of ships (usually an aircraft carrier, battleship, destroyer, 2 cruisers, 2 submarines) secretly on the grid for that player. Each ship occupies a number of consecutive squares on the grid, arranged either horizontally or vertically. The number of squares for each ship is determined by the type of the ship. The ships cannot overlap (i.e., at most one ship can occupy any given square in the grid). The types and numbers of ships allowed are the same for each player. These may vary depending on the rules.

After the ships have been positioned, the game proceeds in a series of rounds. In each round, each player has a turn. During a turn, the player announces a list of target squares in the opponents' grid which are to be shot at. If a ship occupies one of the squares, then it takes a hit. When all of the squares of a ship have been hit, the ship is sunk. After the target list has been given, the opponent then announces which of his ships have been hit. If at the end of a round all of one player's ships have been sunk, the game ends and the other player wins. If all of both players ships are sunk, the game ends in a tie.

The number of target squares that a player may shoot at in a given turn is determined by the condition of the players' own ships at the beginning of the round. Each player has as many shots as he or she has vessels afloat in each turn. Thus each time a player's ship is entirely destroyed, that player has one fewer shot on all subsequent turns.

A fun game. Here are some of the different Battleship versions available today:

Battleship: is the classic game of naval combat! Can you successfully command your own fleet of five ships? Track down your enemy in unfriendly waters; secretly plot your plan of attack, then fire! Your opponent will return fire in hopes of gaining victory. Destroy all five ships in your opponent's fleet before your own vessels are found and sunk and you'll rule the ocean!

Battleship Folio Edition: bring the battle with you! Everything you need is included in the zippered case. Convenient storage compartments keep the pegs and ships secure during travel and play. Setup only takes a few seconds, and when you're done simply fold up the game and zip the case.

Battleship Fun On The Run: take this classic game with you on the go! This version of the two-player strategy game is designed for easy travel with two self-contained trays that easily hold all included pieces.

Battleship Advanced Mission Electronic: the classic Naval Combat game updated with advanced gameplay and exciting strategic options! Experience the action-packed thrills and the explosive sounds of real-life warfare when you sign up for the advanced mission challenge! Requires 2 "AA" batteries (not included). Features: 4 different game styles (solo or 2-player), Arsenal of unique weapons, Central intelligence system with voice control, and Folding laptop design for easy storage.

Battleship Electronic Handheld: a portable version of the classic naval combat game. Find and sink the computer's naval fleet before he finds and sinks yours! Features: 3 skill levels, Manual or automatic ship positioning, Automatic scoring, High score, Sounds effects and victory tune, and Automatic shutoff.

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