How to beat the computer at Battleships
Battleships is a game of probability. The player who searches the grid more efficiently, and hides their fleet less predictably, usually wins.
This guide covers how to search, how to finish a ship once you have found it, and how to place your own fleet.
Search on a checkerboard
The smallest ship is two squares long, so you never need to fire at every square to find it. Fire at every second square in a chequerboard pattern, and any ship, even the destroyer, must cover at least one of the squares you fire at. This halves the number of shots you need to find the fleet.
Hunt, then target
As soon as you get a hit, change mode. Fire at the four squares next to the hit until you find the direction the ship lies in. Then keep firing along that line until you sink it. Once it is sunk, go back to the chequerboard search.
Use the sizes
Your opponent has a carrier (5), a battleship (4), two ships of three (the cruiser and the submarine) and a destroyer (2). Once the large ships are sunk, you can skip gaps that are too small for what is left. Count the squares in a gap before you waste a shot on it.
Hide your fleet well
Good opponents search the middle and the squares near the edge of the board in predictable patterns, so vary where you hide. Do not always put ships in the same places, and avoid lining all five up in rows. Put one ship against an edge, one in the middle and mix up the directions.
Do not be predictable
The computer's higher levels work out where your ships are most likely to be. If you place the same way every game you make that easier. Use Shuffle if you cannot decide, as a random layout is hard to beat.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Battleships strategy?
Search every second square in a chequerboard pattern, then when you get a hit, fire at the neighbouring squares until you find the ship's direction and sink it.
Where should I place my ships?
Mix it up. Put some against the edge, some in the middle and vary the direction. A layout that is not predictable is the best defence.
Can ships touch in Battleships?
In this game they can. Ships can sit right next to each other, but never diagonally.
How do I beat the computer at Battleships?
Use the chequerboard search and the hunt-and-target method, and place your fleet differently each game. Higher levels do not fire carelessly, so efficiency decides the game.
Put it into practice
Start against Trevor, the friendliest opponent, and work your way up the ladder of ten computer players to Pete, the hardest. It’s free and works in your browser.
Play Battleships now