Hide your fleet, rain missiles on theirs
Play Battleship online free
The classic naval duel, sharpened: a hit earns another shot, and each ship carries a special weapon you lose the moment it sinks.
No sign-up, no download: play bots right now or share a 4-letter code with your friends.
Or download the app
Players
2
Length
10-15 min
Difficulty
Easy
Mode
Competitive
What is Battleship?
Two admirals, two hidden fleets, one sea of missiles. 2 players.
Also known as sea battle or sink the fleet.
Battleship on Apateon
How to play Battleship
- 1Hide your four warships on your own sea: carrier, battleship, submarine and destroyer.
- 2Take turns firing missiles at the enemy sea. Every hit earns you another shot.
- 3Each big ship carries one special weapon — radar, barrage or torpedo — usable while it is afloat. Sink the whole fleet to win.
Full Battleship rules
Deploy
- •Each admiral hides four warships on their own 8×8 sea: Carrier (4), Battleship (3), Submarine (3) and Destroyer (2).
- •Ships sit in a straight line, horizontal or vertical. They may touch but never overlap.
- •The battle starts when both fleets are at sea; a coin toss decides who fires first.
Fire
- •On your turn, aim at a cell of the enemy sea and fire a missile.
- •Water: the turn passes. Hit: the ship burns — and you fire again.
- •When every cell of a ship is hit it sinks, and both admirals see which ship went down.
Special weapons
- •Each big ship carries one weapon, usable once per game instead of a missile — but only while that ship is afloat.
- •Radar (Carrier): sweep a 3×3 square and learn how many hidden ship cells are in it. Ends your turn.
- •Barrage (Battleship): four missiles on a 2×2 square.
- •Torpedo (Submarine): runs along a row from the left edge and stops at the first ship it meets, revealing the water it crossed.
- •A barrage or torpedo that hits also earns another shot. Sink their big ships early to take their weapons away!
Victory
- •Sink the whole enemy fleet to win the battle.
Tips to win at Battleship
- •Fire in a checkerboard pattern: the smallest ship covers two squares, so none can hide between your shots.
- •After a hit, try the four neighbouring squares and then follow the line: ships only lie horizontally or vertically.
- •Use the Radar early and in the middle of the sea: knowing how many ship squares sit in a 3×3 block saves you a lot of misses.
- •Go after the big ships first: once the Carrier, Battleship or Submarine sinks, your rival loses its special weapon.
- •When deploying, do not park your fleet near the left edge: the torpedo runs along rows from there and stops at the first ship.
Why Apateon
One code for the whole night
One room, one 4-letter code, every game. Switch games without inviting anyone again.
No account
Type your name and play. No sign-up, no passwords.
Bots fill empty seats
Missing someone? A bot takes the seat so you can start right away.
Phone and web
Some play from the app, others from a browser — all in the same game.
If you like Battleship, try
FAQ
Is this the same as the classic Battleship?
Yes, the same sea battle known around the world as Battleship or Sink the Fleet. Apateon plays it on an 8×8 sea and gives each big ship a special weapon.
Can I play Battleship against the computer?
Yes. If you have no one to play with, a bot takes the other seat.
How many ships does each player have?
Four: Carrier (4 squares), Battleship (3), Submarine (3) and Destroyer (2).
How many people can play Battleship?
Battleship plays with 2 players. If you are short, Apateon fills the empty seats with bots.
How long is a game of Battleship?
A full game takes about 10-15 minutes.
Can I play Battleship online for free?
Yes. Battleship is free in your browser and in the Apateon app, with no sign-up.
Do we all need to be in the same place?
No. Everyone uses their own phone or computer, so you can play around one table or remotely, for example over a video call.