Battleship Online: From the Grid Game to Real-Time Naval Combat
"B4? Hit. B5? Sunk!" Battleship is one of those games everybody knows: first on squared paper, then as a board game, then on screens. Today you can play it online in two very different ways: the classic turn-based version, and real-time naval combat games. Here's how to find your way, and how to win in both.
The rules of classic Battleship
The idea fits in a few lines:
- Each player secretly places their fleet on a grid (often 10 by 10, with letters and numbers).
- Players take turns calling a square to fire at.
- The opponent answers "miss", "hit" or "sunk".
- The first to sink the whole enemy fleet wins.
The usual fleet has several ships of different sizes, from the aircraft carrier to the small patrol boat. Exact rules vary between versions, so check the ones on the site you play on.
4 tips to win the grid game
- Fire in a checkerboard pattern. The smallest ship covers at least two squares: firing at every other square covers the whole grid with half the shots.
- Start in the middle. Many players avoid the edges when placing ships. It's not a rule, but it's a common habit.
- After a "hit", circle around. Fire at the four neighboring squares to find the ship's direction, then keep going in a line.
- Vary your placement. Don't stick all your ships together, and change the layout every game: a regular opponent will end up spotting your habits.
Where to play classic Battleship online
Many online board game sites and apps offer free Battleship, against the computer or a friend. It's ideal for a calm, two-player, turn-based game.
The other naval battle: real-time combat
The genre has also moved toward action. In real-time naval combat games, there's no grid and no turns: you steer your ship, you aim yourself, and cannonballs fly while you maneuver.
That's the case with Dovion, a free multiplayer naval battle .io game you play in your browser. You get the spirit of Battleship (guess where the enemy is, aim where they'll be) but live, with dozens of ships on the same sea.
What changes in real time
- You aim at a path, not a square. Cannonballs take time to travel: you have to shoot where the enemy is heading. Our guide to dodging shots shows the other side.
- The map matters. Islands block shots and work as cover.
- Your ship evolves. You start in a small Chaloupe (rowboat) and level up to unlock stronger ships, split into 9 lineages.
- There are events. Caravans, corsairs, bosses: the sea is never calm for long.
Which one to pick?
- You want to think calmly, two players, turn by turn: classic Battleship.
- You want action, reflexes and progression: real-time naval combat.
To discover more games in the genre, read our picks of online ship games and .io ship games. And if you want to play with a friend, Dovion lets you create a private room.
Ready to go from "hit, sunk" to live combat? Play Dovion for free, no download, on PC and mobile.