A deep dive into the gameplay of BattleTabs.
In a previous article, we discussed the general gameplay and future roadmap, but what’s the game like? BattleTabs is a fresh take on the classic board game Battleship. With aspects of play similar to those familiar with Hearthstone, players experience a fast-paced battle with ship skills and special abilities, creating an opportunity to customize their fleet and playstyle.
All players start the game with the starting fleet called “Battle Attacker,” which is considered “a great starting fleet with strong attacks.” This fleet has unlimited energy available to battle, meaning you can use these ships repeatedly without worrying about a cooldown. Some ships will have limited uses before being “reenergized” to use again. Players can temporarily or permanently reenergize units using gems. Unlocking new ships for your fleet is made possible by playing the game. That’s right, you unlock a second set of boats by earning your first three wins.
But what if I want to have a custom fleet? What if unlocking the “Rogue” set isn’t everything I wanted and more? No worries, you can unlock a custom fleet by researching the tech from the tech tree. During your battles at sea, you will earn gold, trophies, and research points. These research points can be spent on various nodes in the research tree. Examples of unlocks range from emotes, cosmetics, gold, and gems to in-game abilities such as custom fleet slots or ships!
The Ships
So, let’s talk about some of the ships. Specifically, let’s focus on the first set of vessels we all start with. The “Battle Attacker” set consists of four ships: Sailboat, Sea Monster, Kayak, and Raft. Like in Battleship, these ships each have a specific number of spaces they take up and a shape they make. The Sailboat, for example, is 1x3, whereas the Raft is a large 2x2 square. Unlike Battleship, the differences don’t stop there. Each ship also has a unique ability. These abilities will be the difference between victory and defeat, so knowing what each ship does is essential.
Sailboat
The Sailboat is a pretty straightforward ship. As far as size goes, 1x3 is like the submarine from Battleship, making it easier to place on the game board between the rocks than most, but once found by an opponent, its position can often quickly be figured out and sunk. The unique ability is a single attack that strikes a line in a 1x3 pattern, making it a devasting attack when all three shots hit. The attack takes four turns to recharge before being used again, so make sure those shots count!
Sea Monster
Where other boats in this game resemble the straight ships we recognize from Battleship, this one is where we begin to see some of the fun deviations. This boat is C-shaped, taking up a 3x2 footprint. As a more significant piece on the board, finding a place that isn’t so obvious gets tougher, although certain rock formations allow you to wrap the monster around a peninsula. The Sea Monster boasts a powerful attack, though some argue it comes at a significant cost. On command, the Sea Monster will attack four enemy tiles and conceal one friendly tile. The caveat is that all the tiles the Sea Monster affects will be completely random. It cannot be aimed. After two turns, the ability can be used again.
Kayak
Remember the destroyer from Battleship? The Kayak is your BattleTabs equivalent. At 1x2, this ship is tiny but packs a punch. With its sleek profile, finding your Kayak will be challenging, but don’t expect it to last long once located. Even a lucky blast from the Sea Monster can spell instant doom for the Kayak. With a two-turn cooldown, the Kayak can unleash a 1x2 attack, quickly finishing off the rest of that boat you just found in the fog of war.
Raft
This massive boat takes up a 2x2 square and can be challenging to hide among the rocks. While limited by its size to more open sea areas, the Raft’s unique ability can be devastating for enemies, blasting a 2x2 area every five turns. When using Raft’s devastating attack, make sure the shots count.
Playing the Game
Okay, so now what? Now that you’re ready to start taking on some challengers and earning gold and research points, it’s time to battle. These matches will be against live players or AI challengers, so be prepared for anything. Starting the game will consist of you placing your ships around your side of the board. You’ll have a limited time to decide, allowing you to set the boats wherever they fit your liking. The game will start once you and your opponent have decided on your initial setups and selected ready.
You will be able to see the ships and sizes of your opponent’s fleet and can keep track of areas where their ships could and couldn’t fit. This can help identify possible locations and places to target. Misses can be frustrating, but if they can be used to help eliminate entire areas where your opponent can place their fleet, they help immensely.
Don’t be discouraged if you are defeated at the end of a match. You’ll always earn a little bit of gold and research points. Winning the game will always earn you more gold and research points. If you feel like you need more gold or gems, head over to the store. Once daily, you can grab some free gold and check out the updated items for sale in the shop. If you need even more gold, you can purchase more using their in-app purchases. You can also buy gems the same way. Also available for sale is the monthly Battle Club pass, which grants you several bonuses, from faster research to more fleets.
When it comes to playing games, for me, they have to be fun. The wins have to mean something. Whenever I find myself sweating my opponent’s last shot or hoping and praying I’ve got my shot aimed properly to sink my opponent, BattleTabs creates a satisfying and intense competition. I’ve barely scratched the surface of this game so far, and I can easily see myself spending many more hours trying to master it and unlock everything. I hope to see you out there in the high seas and may the best admiral win!
BattleTabs: Getting Started On Your Path to Victory was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.