Play a Private Naval Duel With a Friend

Create a private room and share one code

From the game screen, choose Private room and create an operation. The game gives the host an eight-character room code. Send that exact code to the other captain; they choose the same mode, enter it and join the room in their browser. The code identifies your match, so check every character before retrying if the room is not found.

After both players connect, each captain places an eleven-ship fleet on a 20 × 20 grid. The five classes cover thirty hull segments in total. Placement, heading and later movement all matter: this is not a static guessing board. When both deployments are valid, the operation can move into live turn planning.

Plan secretly, then watch both plans resolve

Every turn gives each captain three action points. Build a command queue with movement, rotation, sonar, fire or pass, then press Ready when the plan is final. Your opponent plans at the same time; clicking faster does not grant an extra turn. Resolution starts only when both players are ready, so the duel rewards prediction rather than reflexes.

That fixed order creates the mind game. A friend may rotate or move away before your shot reaches its coordinate. A sonar order reads positions after movement, but it reports contact categories instead of giving away exact cells. Review the moving ships guide and sonar briefing before the first serious rematch.

Make the first match readable for both captains

For a clean first duel, agree that each player will finish the field manual before sharing the room. Start by using one action for information and the remaining points for movement or fire. Keep notes on misses, temporary wakes and damaged hull segments; a wake marks a vacated cell, not a ship's current position. Damage travels with the hull, so yesterday's hit can reappear elsewhere after the target maneuvers.

A battle ends when one fleet is completely destroyed, or immediately when a captain surrenders. There is no turn cap or score tiebreak. If both fleets are destroyed during the same resolved turn, the match is a draw. Read the full WAKE TACTICS strategy guide for opening, pursuit and endgame decisions.

The familiar coordinate hunt of a Battleship-style game is only the starting point here. Moving hulls, simultaneous commands, sonar and temporary wake trails make each private match a contest of inference between two captains rather than a race to click first.