Battleship strategy

When I play Battleship I never like to call coordinates along the edges because I feel my chances are not as good of getting a hit. For the sake of argument, let's say there is just the minesweeper. In the middle there are more ways to orient the minesweeper. If I get a miss it at least eliminates four possible placements. A miss along the edge eliminates three, and in the corner just two.

To give us something to sink our teeth into, here is the question. Again, for the sake of simplicity, let's say the game is played with just the minesweeper. For placing my ship, is there any algorithm I can use to place it so that any given coordinate will have a 2/100 chance of being a hit?

On a more practical note, in the real game, my strategy is to never place ships next to each other, and I tend to stay away from the edges when placing ships. My reason is that if my opponent gets a hit it will be more easy to locate the orientation of the ship if it is bounded by an edge. He is more likely to waste a turn finding that out of if the ship is in the middle of the board. Opponents never seem to catch onto this strategy of mine. Most people just call coordinates seemingly at random. My strategy for calling coordinates is very geometrical, striving to eliminate as much territory with each call as possible, if it is a miss. As a simplified example, if I called A2 and B1 there is no reason to call A1, because nothing can fit there.

That is very similar to the strategy that I employ. Never put ships on the periphery and never together. Start dropping bombs in the center and proceed outward diagonally until you get a hit. Do diagonals one space apart in the hopes of hitting the destroyer (mine sweeper). My 5 year old has figured this out as well. Was pretty proud that she figured that out on her own.

Interesting side story from my residency days. I was moonlighting in an ER in Pungo, NC one night when we got an ambulance call telling us that they had a 2 yo "respiratory code blue" they were bringing in. The child had stridorous respirations. I went to intubate and as I inserted the laryngoscope I saw something gray in the trachea. preventing the insertion of the ET tube. With ringed forceps I removed the battleship from the game "Battleship". Kid did fine. Thank god it wasn't the destroyer, I have a hell of a time hitting that in the game!

Quote: Wizard

Opponents never seem to catch onto this strategy of mine.

Until now !! *diabolical laugh*

Quote: DrJohn

With ringed forceps I removed the battleship from the game "Battleship".

Good story Dr! I see you you're new, I hope you'll stick around. SOOPOO is our resident physician, but I'm sure he will welcome your company.

Quote: Wizard

Good story Dr! I see you you're new, I hope you'll stick around. SOOPOO is our resident physician, but I'm sure he will welcome your company.

Not new at all just don't post too often. In fact met you at the first "Wizard meet" at Palace Station. I won the trivia contest and was awarded with an autographed copy of your book.

Thanks to you I now travel to Vegas about every 6 weeks from NC in order to play tiles!! Not profitable, but a lot of fun!

Quote: odiousgambit

Until now !! *diabolical laugh*

D'oh!

Quote: DrJohn

Not new at all just don't post too often. In fact met you at the first "Wizard meet" at Palace Station. I won the trivia contest and was awarded with an autographed copy of your book.

Thanks to you I now travel to Vegas about every 6 weeks from NC in order to play tiles!! Not profitable, but a lot of fun!

Ah! Sorry I didn't make that connection. I'm glad you're enjoying tiles. Where do you usually play? Coming for new year's?

Let me try to answer my own question about placing the minesweeper so that every grid has a 2/100 chance of being a hit.

1. Choose one of the four edges at random. Let's say the top row, as an example.
2. Chose a row at random among 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, each with 20% chance.
3. Choose a column at random, each with 10% chance.
4. Place the front of the minesweeper on that grid.

Quote: DrJohn

Never put ships on the periphery and never together.

You would then be easy to beat after playing a few times. Your opponent would essentially would know your ships are in an 8 by 8 grid instead of 10 by 10. If your opponent randomly made shots you would be correct, but that is not what happens. By the way, DrJohn--- I am the WoO anesthesiologist... are you one, too?

Quote: Wizard

On a more practical note, in the real game, my strategy is to never place ships next to each other, and I tend to stay away from the edges when placing ships. My reason is that if my opponent gets a hit it will be more easy to locate the orientation of the ship if it is bounded by an edge. He is more likely to waste a turn finding that out of if the ship is in the middle of the board. Opponents never seem to catch onto this strategy of mine. Most people just call coordinates seemingly at random. My strategy for calling coordinates is very geometrical, striving to eliminate as much territory with each call as possible, if it is a miss. As a simplified example, if I called A2 and B1 there is no reason to call A1, because nothing can fit there.

In fact (when playing against the computer especially), you should try to put 2 spaces between each ship, because after a successful hit, an unsuccessful hit can later "kill two birds with one stone" by being an already attempted unsuccessful hit on a future hit. Example, if you have the battleship from C3 to C7 and the sweep from E2 to E3 and the opponent calls E3 (hit), they may attempt D3 for another hit. While it's will not be a hit, if later in the game they call C3, they will know that a ship can't "go that way", as they've already used up that spot. Basically, it maximizes how many shots an opponent has to take AFTER the first strike.

Ah! Sorry I didn't make that connection. I'm glad you're enjoying tiles. Where do you usually play? Coming for new year's?

I have been playing mostly at Mirage, Wynn and Encore. Sometimes @ Palazzo. Am I coming for New Years? Heavens, no. I was just there last week. What kind of degenerate do you think I am? I won't be there til January 8th! :)

Staying at the Wynn with my friend "The Whale". (Not due to his size, but rather because he enjoys the $500 slots. His host really seems to like him for some reason.) Please feel free to join me for tiles. Playing with the Wizard is a gift horse that I shall look anywhere but in the mouth!

Quote: SOOPOO

By the way, DrJohn--- I am the WoO anesthesiologist... are you one, too?

No, Family Practice.

New Battleship (tm) slots at the Silverton.

Quote: teddys

New Battleship (tm) slots at the Silverton.

That's just awesome. How's the gameplay? Is there any component of player strategy in any of the bonuses? If so, it'll be illegal here in lame ol' MN...

And...we've reached the apotheosis of Battleship kitsch:


Movie comes out May 18th in the U.S.

Quote: rdw4potus

Quote: teddys

New Battleship (tm) slots at the Silverton.

That's just awesome. How's the gameplay? Is there any component of player strategy in any of the bonuses? If so, it'll be illegal here in lame ol' MN...

No strategy except to be in the best position to tackle a waitress for a drink order.