If you're looking for something to play with one friend, you probably want a few boring things to be true. It's free. Nobody has to install anything. You can get started fast. And it's a real game, not a coin flip.
BattleTabs is our attempt at that. It's a turn-based 1v1 PvP game: you and one other person, taking turns, each trying to sink the other's fleet on a hidden grid. If you've played Battleship, you know the shape. We added one thing, which is that every ship has its own ability. Play free at battletabs.io.
Open a friendly battle and send the link. Your friend can open it in a browser, and if they're new the game walks them through a quick tutorial first. If you've already added each other, you can invite them straight from your friends list instead. Invites belong to accounts, not devices, so you don't both need to be on the same platform.
Friendly battles don't change your BTN skill rating, so a game with your sister or your coworker won't dent your ranked standing. They pay less than ranked, too. And if you want to learn the ropes first, you can practise against an AI before you play a person.
Turn-based means nobody needs fast reflexes, and it means a chat is easy to hold while you play. You can think, tease, and bluff. It also suits the Discord voice channel you're probably already sitting in, and BattleTabs runs there as an Activity.
There's real decision-making in it, too. You pick four ships out of a roster of more than 30. Each has an ability on a cooldown. One reveals a few tiles at once, one sinks a ship in a single shot but only on a tile you've already revealed, one copies the last ability your opponent used. Deciding when to spend an ability, and guessing what your friend is holding back, is where the matches get tense.
It's free to play. There's an optional membership called Battle Club, and you don't need it to play. More than 5 million people have registered, so if your friend's busy, you won't be short of opponents either.
Honest bit: it's strictly two players. If you want a party game for six, this isn't it. It's also not a fast reflex game. If you want something to chew on with one other person, though, it's a good fit.
Jump in from your browser, or find us on Steam. If you want the full rules, see how to play. If you specifically want the Battleship angle, there's a page on playing Battleship online with friends, and another on Battleship with abilities.
Yes. BattleTabs is free, and you can invite a friend with a link or from your friends list.
No. It runs in a browser, and there are also apps for Steam, iOS and Android.
No. Every match is 1v1.
Yes. BattleTabs runs as a Discord Activity.
Play now (web) · How to play · On Steam · Battleship with abilities · Answers