Welcome aboard to the electronic battleground of an electronic battleship! You are a naval commander, in this vast digital game, guiding your fleets into the battle that will be remembered for all time in maritime history.
Keep your ships ready as it is time to float through the guide on how to play electronic battleship. Plan your moves, synchronize your attacks, and may the best strategist win! Let the electronic battleship begin!
1. How To Play Electronic Battleship?
This game is said to be very similar to the game ‘Basilinda’ founded by E.I. Horsman in 1890. But originally, it is said to have originated with the French game L’Attaque played during World War I.
It was later also reported that many Russian officers during the war have engaged in playing this game.
It was then in the year 1931 when Milton Bradley Company had introduced and published commercials for the very first version of Battleship as a pencil and paper game, also known as, ‘Broadsides’.
By the year 1967, the company had made a variant of the game using plastic pegs and boards. This was created by Ed Hutchins. Later, the company produced the groundbreaking microprocessor-based Electronic Battleship, which produced a variety of sounds, in 1977.
10 years later, a variant of the game, known as Electronic Talking Battleship was released.
Finally, the current version of Electronic Battleship was launched in 2010 by Hasbro, which had acquired the previous company, bringing more firepower to the ships.
2. Electronic Battleship Game
Before getting to know how to play electronic battleship, let us look at what the game’s contents and objectives are.
2.1 Objective
The objective is very simple! Destroy your opponent’s fleet of ships before they get to destroy yours!
2.2 Game contents
Once you open the box, you will find a four-piece folding game unit with tray lids, 10 combat crafts that are grey and red, blue pegs, red pegs, and white pegs, a label sheet, and 4 rubber feet.
2.2.1 Assemble your game unit!
Once you have located the contents, this is how you will assemble your game unit:
Firstly, you will need 3 alkaline batteries AA. The packaging does not contain this.
Second, you will keep your center module and apply different label sheets to it. This module also has a red button which is the switch on/off button for the game.
The green label Advanced Weapon sheet should be put where the red button is located and the red label should be put on the other side.
Now, locate the two battle grids, one green and the other red.
The green battleship label along with two rubber feet should be attached to the back of the green battle grid. The red battleship label along with two rubber feet should be attached to the back of the red battle grid.
Then, put both grids on the side of the centre module where the advanced weapon sheet was put. The green grid is attached to the green label sheet and the red grid is attached to the red label sheet.
Finally, locate an upright target grid and put it in between the two grids, with the green side of the grid facing the switch on/off button. Label both tray lids with the storage tray labels.
Once the entire game unit is assembled with the labels, the last step is to use the combat crafts and pegs.
The pegs will be placed in each of the storage trays equally, that is, each tray should have 34 red pegs, 64 white, and 10 blue. The reg pegs signify HIT, blue signifies SCAN, and white signifies MISS.
2.2.2 Where to use combat crafts?
There are 10 combat crafts, five ships are grey and five ships are red. In a two-player game, each player will get 5 of them. These 5 crafts consist of a battleship, destroyer, submarine, carrier and patrol boat.
Once the crafts are removed from the plastic frame, each of them is assembled by inserting the peg on the underside of the gun turret into the body.
3. Ins and Outs of Electronic Battleship
The contents were checked! Assembling the game, checked! So what now?
Now let’s explore how to play electronic battleship!
Before giving it a quick start, make sure to settle up your game. To do so, lay both grids flat and lift the target grid until the rubber feet are gripping the surface. Give it a tap to make sure the game unit is locked.
Then, you look for the ‘Command panel’. This has 16 buttons in the two rows.
The first row consists of buttons that can be used in the advanced game. It also consists of the ‘repeat’ button.
In the second row, there are alphabets from A-I that are numbered from 1-9.
To enter a coordinate, you will have to press the alphabet first and then the alphabet which has that number. For instance, for the coordinate of G2, press the alphabet G first and then the alphabet B, as the number 2 is written with B.
There is a ‘Cancel’ and ‘Fire’ button as well on the panel.
3.1 Does the game have a custom layout?
Yes! Electronic battleships do have a custom layout.
In a custom layout, the player can decide what fleets they want to include in their game. They can either choose the classic ones, which are the planes or aircraft or design their fleet.
They also have the option to determine the size of the grid! The original size is 10 by 10, however, if the player wants a smaller or larger size they can customize it accordingly.
Then, place the ship on the grid and input its coordinates. While placing, do not forget to fit its pegs into the holes. The coordinates input should only be the first and last coordinates of the ships. For example, if a ship is placed from C2, C3, C4, C5, and C6, then for the input press only C2 and C6. At last, press FIRE.
In case, a mistake is made, you can press the CANCEL button and re-enter the coordinates.
While placing the ships, do not place them diagonally or off the grid. Also, be careful that the ship’s coordinates are not overlapping with each other.
3.2 Modes of the Game
It has two modes. One is the classic game which can either be played solo or with another player and two is the advanced game which can only be played among 2 players.
In a classic layout, either one player or with another player, every shot will either be a miss or a hit. This is the mode, where you can learn the basics before moving further.
Whereas in an advanced layout, there can only be two players and here both will have access to special weapons. It also has pre-programmed configurations.
Either way, the ultimate goal is to destroy the other player’s fleet and win!
4. Rapid Launch!
Let us launch into the game! So what to do first? Simply, switch on the red button to turn the game on. Depending on the players, press 1 for a single player and 2 for a player game.
Now choose the layout. You can either go with a custom layout by pressing 1 or go for an automatic layout by pressing 2. The automatic layout will let you choose from 30 layouts. Accordingly, place the crafts on the battle grid.
Then comes the action! Attack your enemies! Take alternate turns and hit your opponent’s ships. Place a red peg on the target grid if hit. If missed, a white peg should be used. The one whose his or her ships gets destroyed wins!
4. Electronic Battleship Classic Mission
The classic mission consists of a solo and a two player battleship. Let’s explore the differences between the two:
| SOLO MISSION | TWO PLAYER MISSION | |
| On your marks | The player will be playing from the green side of the grid and will be pressing 1 for single-player | Both players will sit at either side of the grid and will be pressing 2 for two-player |
| Get set! | The player will choose either a custom or advanced layout depending on how challenging they want it to be | The player will choose either a custom or advanced layout depending on how challenging they want it to be |
| GO! | The computer plays first and chooses its formation. In its turn it’ll stimulate the attacks resulting in either hits or misses | Both the players will be given a tag of either Player 1 or Player 2. On each turn, they will stimulate the attacks resulting in either hits or miss |
| A red peg will be put on the grid, if it is a hit and a white peg will be put when it is a miss, however, the computer does not tell which fleet was attacked | A red peg will be put on the grid, if it is a hit and a white peg will be put in when it is a miss. The opponent will inform about the fleet that was attacked | |
| WIN! | The game ends when one of the player’s fleets is destroyed. | |
5. Electronic Battleship Advanced Mission
In the electronic battleship advanced mission makes the game even more interesting. Not only will it challenge you more and make you the best strategist but also the special weapons will add power to your battle!
Once you have chosen the number of players and layout, you choose the advanced mode to begin the game.
Firstly, in each turn, the player gets to attack three times! That is correct! One of these attacks also consists of using a special weapon. Here is where the first row of the control panel is useful. Each button represents one special button.
The first button represents the battleship. It consists of powerful missile salvos that can attack up to 5 spaces at once. After choosing the weapon, you will have to input the coordinates for the missiles. Make sure to choose target coordinates of a 5-space X-shaped area on the grid for the missile hits. Place a peg on each coordinate for easier input. Once the weapon is fired and the opponent’s fleet is attacked, replace the peg with a red one signifying a hit.
The battleship can be used two times in one game.
The second button represents the attack plane. They go on air raids attacking in a straight line until the enemy’s fleet is found. After choosing the weapon, to input the coordinates make sure to place the plane on either top, bottom, left, or right. Press 1 for a vertical attack and 2 for a horizontal one. Place a peg on each coordinate. Once it is fired, the plane will find its target. If not, then a buzzer will be heard indicating no attacks.
The attack plane can be used two times in one game.
The third button represents the tank. They attack at least 4 spaces. To input the coordinates make sure to place them at either the top left or bottom left for a better attack. Place a peg on each coordinate. Once fired, replace it with a red peg.
The tank can be used four times in one game.
The final button represents a battle scan. This finds the target within 3 x 3 locations. Battle scan has no limit and can be used until you have the fleets remaining in the game. To input the coordinates, put a blue peg in the center and surround it with white pegs. If hit, then replace it with a red peg.
Finally, the game ends when one of the player’s fleets is destroyed.
6. Is there a virtual battleship?
Yes! A virtual battleship is exactly how you play an electronic battleship. The only different thing is that it is a computerized version.
Firstly, choose a platform on which you would like to play, either an app or an online battleship platform. Then, log in or sign up depending on the requirements, and select the mode you would like to play in.
Place your fleets using the mouse by dragging them to the desired locations on your grid and start the game. Take turns and do not forget to destroy other player fleets to win!
And of course! Do not forget to enjoy this pleasurable experience! Virtual battleship comes with sound effects, animations as well and interactive features that enhance the experience.
7. Finn
Well, there you have it ladies and gentlemen! Now you know how to play electronic battleship, then why not challenge your friends and prevail in this titanic electronic battleship fight?
May you be the best strategist and claim your victory every round! Till then, bon voyage!
