Vtech Electronic Talking Battleship Command Manual -

The original manual explicitly details two game modes. Here is the breakdown:

Let’s walk through a game as prescribed by the Vtech Electronic Talking Battleship Command Manual.

Step 1: Setup Press Set Up. The computer says, “Position Carrier. (5 spaces).” Look at your left grid (Your Fleet). Press the starting coordinate (e.g., A1) and then the ending coordinate (e.g., A5). The five red lights will illuminate in a row. Press Set Up again to confirm. Repeat for Battleship (4), Cruiser (3), Submarine (3), Destroyer (2). Vtech Electronic Talking Battleship Command Manual

Step 2: Start Press Start/Reset. The computer says, “Enemy fleet approaching. You fire first.”

Step 3: Fire Press B then 4. The computer pauses. Computer attacks back automatically

Step 4: Computer’s Turn The computer will beep, move a cursor over your grid, and fire. You will see a red (hit) or green (miss) light on your left grid. Important: The manual notes that the computer cheats slightly on Easy mode to keep the game moving.

Step 5: Sinking When you score the final hit on a ship, the computer announces the sinking. The corresponding ship light on your console will go out. The original manual explicitly details two game modes

Step 6: Winning The first player to extinguish all five opponent ship lights wins. The fanfare plays, and the unit automatically resets for another game after 10 seconds.

VTech games were famous for their educational and special features. The Battleship Command often included:

The unit typically requires 4 "AA" batteries (check your specific model's battery compartment, usually on the bottom or back).