Sinking ships - template for printing & rules

• Rules of the Game - sinking ships
• game variants
• Tips to win

Sinking Ships is a classic of strategy games and still very popular - especially on rainy autumn evenings, when smartphones and TV should stay off. Here you can download a template for playing and printing. We also explain the rules of the game and also give tips for a successful naval battle.

According to the genre, the game "sinking ships" is a war game, since military and strategic elements can be part of the game. Often the game is also referred to as "naval battle", "fleet maneuvers" or even "cruiser warfare". In itself, however, it is a harmless game for two players.

You need:

• sink our template for ships
• two pencils
• 1/2 h playtime

Here you can download our template as a PDF and print it: Sinking Ships - Template

Rules of the Game - sinking ships

Each player receives the box template with two playing fields - a field for their own ships and a field for the opposing ships. Then the ships are hidden and secretly drawn with the pencil on the own playing field.

Rules for the placement of the ships:

• Do not place the ships over the corner
• Do not place ships diagonally
• Do not place ships together
• Each player places 10 ships (4x1, 3x2, 2x3, 1x4)

After that, the game can already begin. With scissors-stone paper or a coin toss you can draw who starts from both players.

Player 1 now names the coordinates to be shot first. For example: A1. Player Two now checks to see if there is one of his ships or part of a ship in this space. If not, was shot next to it. Player 2 tells the attacker whether they shot, hit or even sunk a ship. If nothing was hit, it's Player 2's turn and he chooses coordinates.

Important: If a ship has been hit or completely sunk, the player who has selected these coordinates may aim again.

During the game, the selected coordinates are always drawn on the own field and on the opponent's field, even if they have gone into the empty water. So you keep the overview. Shipped ships are painted.

The winner is who in the end has completely sunk all the enemy's ship.

game variants

Number of ships : The number of ships and the size of the ships is of course variable. In this way you can try different game variants.

Salvo Shots: Players are allowed to shoot multiple times in succession. They have so many shots at one time disposal as they still have undrafted ships. With this method, the game is faster.

Larger pitches: The pitch is also flexible in size. Just add columns and rows to make the field bigger. At the same time, of course, you can also adjust the number of ships.

Tips to win

Of course, there are tricks and tips on how you can strategically be smart when playing games.

After scoring the area: If you have hit a ship, you should then shoot on adjacent fields to learn the orientation of the ship and, if necessary, to sink the ship immediately afterwards. The likelihood is that in this way you will completely sink the ship after a targeted shot.

Shooting Patterns: You can use a pattern at the beginning of the game - shoot at fields diagonally, always two spaces apart or more. This will help you discover the map faster than by working one field at a time.

Placement of Own Ships: Beginners or players who have seldom or never played "sink ships" have preferred coordinates to shoot at:

• most shoot at the edge
• it is shot more on left and center fields, less on the right fields
• it is shot more on the upper and middle rows, less on the lower

Therefore you should place your own ships exactly in the other fields.