Battleship is a simple game, but, not being able to see the position of the enemy fleet, victory is not a foregone conclusion. A little luck is required to land the first shot, but you can adopt a strategy to choose where to shoot and increase your chances of winning. Also learn how to arrange your ships to avoid your opponent's hits.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Hit with Higher Chance
Step 1. Shoot in the center of the board
Statistically, you are more likely to hit a ship if you aim for the center of the board, so start there.
The four-by-four square in the center of the board is likely to contain an aircraft carrier or battleship
Step 2. Split the board in two to increase your odds
Imagine you see a chessboard, where half of the squares are black and the rest are white. Each ship covers at least two squares, so it means that each of them must touch at least one black square. Consequently, if you randomly shoot only the odd or even squares, you will minimize the number of turns it takes to hit all the boats.
- When you hit a ship, stop shooting randomly and try to target it.
- To imagine the black and white squares, look at your board and think that its diagonal, from the top left to the bottom right, is made up of black squares. The squares from the top right to bottom left corner will be white. You can count from the corners to make sure you shoot the right colored squares.
Step 3. Switch section of the board after two missed shots
If you don't hit twice, try shooting in a different area. It is more likely that you missed the ships by a good margin and not a single square.
Method 2 of 3: Sinking the Ships You Hit
Step 1. Shoot in a restricted area after hitting a ship
Once you have landed the first shot, you must only fire in the squares immediately adjacent. Since ships are 2 to 5 spaces long in Battleship, it can take several turns to sink the one you hit.
Step 2. Shoot around the square you hit
Start with the square above, below or to the side of the first to reveal the ship's position. If you miss, try the square on the opposite side. Keep trying until you have sunk your opponent's boat. Remember that players are required to announce when a ship has been sunk.
Step 3. Repeat the strategy to hit other ships
After you have sunk your opponent's first ship, resume shooting randomly (or in the center of the board) to find another one. After the first shot, shoot around the ship you discovered to sink it. By playing this way, you will minimize the number of turns it takes to sink the enemy fleet and consequently have a better chance of winning.
Method 3 of 3: Placing Your Ships in a Way to Protect Them
Step 1. Position the ships so that they do not touch each other
If two boats come into contact, your opponent could sink them one after the other. To reduce the chances of this happening, don't hold them so close. Try to leave a square or two between each of your ships, so that it is more difficult to find them.
Step 2. Try to position the ships so that they touch, but don't overlap
Some players think placing boats in contact is a bad strategy, but others see it as a winning idea. This way, your opponent may not understand what kind of boat he just sank.
Remember that keeping two ships close can help you, but it is a risky strategy, as it can lead to your opponent discovering multiple ships in a row
Step 3. Pay attention to your opponent's moves
If you often play against the same person, you can increase your chances of winning by placing your ships in the spots on the board that rarely hits. Try to take note of the boxes it targets most often and avoid them.
For example, does your opponent have a tendency to start hitting on the right side of the board, in the center or in the lower left corner? Know the squares he prefers to target and not place ships inside them
Advice
- Vary your attack strategy by always changing the first square hit. For example, start from A-3, B-4, C-5 etc.
- If you have found the smaller ships in the enemy fleet, expand your search network to cover only the boxes where a larger ship might be. Don't shoot where only a two-space ship might be if your opponent has none left.
- People often aim for the center. Avoid placing your ships there.
