Difference between revisions of "Play Battleship"
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#Give each player a battleship box. The standard Battleship game set comes with two boxes, one for each player. Each box opens to reveal two grids, one on each inside surface. | #Give each player a battleship box. The standard Battleship game set comes with two boxes, one for each player. Each box opens to reveal two grids, one on each inside surface. | ||
#*If your game set does not include two boxes, plenty of red and white pegs, and at least six ship pieces, it will be difficult to use. Try playing on graph paper instead, as described below, or finding an online version of the game. | #*If your game set does not include two boxes, plenty of red and white pegs, and at least six ship pieces, it will be difficult to use. Try playing on graph paper instead, as described below, or finding an online version of the game. | ||
| − | #Check that all the ship pieces are there. Ships come in various lengths, taking up a different number of squares on the grid. The two players should have identical collections of ships. The following is the typical list, but if you don't have all the pieces, just make sure both sides are even:<ref>http://www.hasbro.com/common/instruct/battleship.pdf</ref> | + | #Check that all the ship pieces are there. Ships come in various lengths, taking up a different number of squares on the grid. The two players should have identical collections of ships. The following is the typical list, but if you don't have all the pieces, just make sure both sides are even:<ref name="rf1">http://www.hasbro.com/common/instruct/battleship.pdf</ref> |
#*A single ship five squares long (the aircraft carrier) | #*A single ship five squares long (the aircraft carrier) | ||
#*A single ship four squares long (the battleship) | #*A single ship four squares long (the battleship) | ||
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#*If player 1 hit an empty square, without ships, player 2 says "Miss!" | #*If player 1 hit an empty square, without ships, player 2 says "Miss!" | ||
#*If player 1 hit a square with a ship in it, player 2 says "Hit!" | #*If player 1 hit a square with a ship in it, player 2 says "Hit!" | ||
| − | #*In most "official" rules that come with game sets, the player must also announce ''which'' ship was hit (for instance, aircraft carrier).<ref | + | #*In most "official" rules that come with game sets, the player must also announce ''which'' ship was hit (for instance, aircraft carrier).<ref name="rf1" /> However, many people do not play with this rule. |
#Keep track of shots as they hit or miss. If player 1 misses with a shot, she puts a white peg into that hole of her upper grid, and player 2 puts a white peg into that hole of his lower grid. If player 1 hits, both players use a red peg instead, with player 2 putting the peg directly into the hole on top of the ship where it was shot. | #Keep track of shots as they hit or miss. If player 1 misses with a shot, she puts a white peg into that hole of her upper grid, and player 2 puts a white peg into that hole of his lower grid. If player 1 hits, both players use a red peg instead, with player 2 putting the peg directly into the hole on top of the ship where it was shot. | ||
#*You don't need to keep track of your opponent's misses on your own lower grid, if you don't want to. You ''do'' need to keep track of your opponent's successful hits, however, so you know when a ship has been sunk. | #*You don't need to keep track of your opponent's misses on your own lower grid, if you don't want to. You ''do'' need to keep track of your opponent's successful hits, however, so you know when a ship has been sunk. | ||
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#Take turns shooting until one player has lost all their ships. Players alternate taking one shot at a time, whether or not that shot is successful. Whoever manages to sink all of her opponent's ships first wins the game. | #Take turns shooting until one player has lost all their ships. Players alternate taking one shot at a time, whether or not that shot is successful. Whoever manages to sink all of her opponent's ships first wins the game. | ||
===Playing Battleship on Graph Paper=== | ===Playing Battleship on Graph Paper=== | ||
| − | #Outline four 10 x 10 grids. Draw four boxes on the graph paper, each one 10 squares wide and 10 squares long. Have each of the two players take two boxes, labeling one "my ships" and the other "enemy ships."<ref>http://www.momsminivan.com/battleship.html</ref> | + | #Outline four 10 x 10 grids. Draw four boxes on the graph paper, each one 10 squares wide and 10 squares long. Have each of the two players take two boxes, labeling one "my ships" and the other "enemy ships."<ref name="rf2">http://www.momsminivan.com/battleship.html</ref> |
#Draw the outline of your ships on your grid. Hide the box labeled "my ships" from the other player, and draw a thick outline of five ships anywhere within its boundaries. Each ship is one square wide, and ranges in length: | #Draw the outline of your ships on your grid. Hide the box labeled "my ships" from the other player, and draw a thick outline of five ships anywhere within its boundaries. Each ship is one square wide, and ranges in length: | ||
#*Draw one ship five squares long (the aircraft carrier) | #*Draw one ship five squares long (the aircraft carrier) | ||
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#Play with the ordinary rules. Use the instructions above to play an ordinary game of Battleship. Instead of using pegs, draw successful hits with Xs and misses with dots, or use any system of symbols you find easy to understand. Use the box labeled "enemy ships" to keep track of the shots you've taken, and the box labeled "my ships" to keep track of your enemy's shots. | #Play with the ordinary rules. Use the instructions above to play an ordinary game of Battleship. Instead of using pegs, draw successful hits with Xs and misses with dots, or use any system of symbols you find easy to understand. Use the box labeled "enemy ships" to keep track of the shots you've taken, and the box labeled "my ships" to keep track of your enemy's shots. | ||
===Advanced Variations=== | ===Advanced Variations=== | ||
| − | #Try the original "salvo" rules. Once you've played the basic game for a while, you might want to try something a little more challenging. In "Salvo," take your turn by firing five shots at once. The opponent responds as normal, telling you which shots were hits and which were misses, but only after you've selected five squares to aim for.<ref | + | #Try the original "salvo" rules. Once you've played the basic game for a while, you might want to try something a little more challenging. In "Salvo," take your turn by firing five shots at once. The opponent responds as normal, telling you which shots were hits and which were misses, but only after you've selected five squares to aim for.<ref name="rf1" /> This version of the game was played at least as early as 1931. |
#Reduce the number of shots you get as you lose ships. Increase the tension, and reward the player who sinks the first ship, by adding this additional rule to the "salvo" rues above. Instead of firing five shots at a time, each player only gets to fire one shot for each surviving ship. For example, if player one loses the cruiser and is down to four ships, player one only gets four shots per turn. | #Reduce the number of shots you get as you lose ships. Increase the tension, and reward the player who sinks the first ship, by adding this additional rule to the "salvo" rues above. Instead of firing five shots at a time, each player only gets to fire one shot for each surviving ship. For example, if player one loses the cruiser and is down to four ships, player one only gets four shots per turn. | ||
| − | #Make the game even harder with advanced salvo rules. Play with the original salvo rules above, but don't tell the opponent exactly which shots were hits or misses. Instead, tell them ''how many'' of the shots hit, and how many missed.<ref>http://www.centralconnector.com/games/battleship.html</ref> This results in a complicated game, and is only recommended for advanced players. | + | #Make the game even harder with advanced salvo rules. Play with the original salvo rules above, but don't tell the opponent exactly which shots were hits or misses. Instead, tell them ''how many'' of the shots hit, and how many missed.<ref name="rf3">http://www.centralconnector.com/games/battleship.html</ref> This results in a complicated game, and is only recommended for advanced players. |
#*Because you don't know for sure which squares were hits, the ordinary red peg / white peg system probably won't work well for this variation. You may need a pencil and pad of paper for each player, to write down each salvo and the opponent's response. | #*Because you don't know for sure which squares were hits, the ordinary red peg / white peg system probably won't work well for this variation. You may need a pencil and pad of paper for each player, to write down each salvo and the opponent's response. | ||
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== Tips == | == Tips == | ||
