How to play (What Neopets wants ye ta know):

1. Click on the pirates to begin.
2. Ye'll be sent ta the multi-player game lobby where ye can choose ta host a game er join one.
3. Armadas an ancient game played by two battle weary pirates after they was too old ta sail the seas.
4. Reliving mighty battles that consumed whole fleets on a small board is how they spent their days.
5. There are two possible moves in Armada. Ye can click on yer piece an' then click on any adjoining empty space er ye can "jump" any adjoining space.
6. A jump will actually move yer piece ta the new space. Non-jump moves create a new piece.
7. All of your opponent's pieces that are adjacent to your move are taken captive and brought into your Armada.
8. Ta win ye need ta have a larger fleet than yer opponent does when all spaces are filled or one of ye has no further moves.
9. Be careful... Those jumps can look good at first but have some dire consequences!
10. Enjoy!

How to play (What Pirates DON'T want ye ta know):

1. Rule number 8 is on'y true if ye happen ta be Player
2. Player 1 can on'y win Armada if he has the largest fleet AND player 2 fills the last moveable space in the game.

The simple fact is, if Player 1 (the host) can make a move, then Player 2 (the guest) must also have a move. If not, then player 2 automatically wins the match! That's the big secret. So shhh, don' tell anybody.

All Possible Ways to end Armada and the outcome:

1. Player 1 gives up: Player 2 wins automatically.
2. Player 2 gives up: Player 1 wins automatically.
3. Player 1 fills the last space in the Armada board: Player 2 wins automatically.
4. Player 2 fills the last space in the Armada board: Player with biggest Armada wins.
5. Player 1 blocks off all spaces that Player 2 can move too: Player 2 wins automatically.
6. Player 2 blocks off all spaces that Player 1 can move too: Player with biggest Armada wins.

So as ye can see Player 1 can on'y win Armada if he has the largest fleet AND player 2 fills the last moveable space in the game.

Cap'n Tony's Strategies fer successful Armada competition

So ye think yer ready ta do battle wit' de ol' Cap'n's eh? Pay attention lads n' lasses cause I'm on'y gonna post these once.

1. Combat Readiness Pose: If yer gonna start, start aggressively! I a'ways start with the ol' zig zag maneuver. This technique puts ye in prime attack position while providin' ye an adequate defense agin' yer oppoonent. No matter what yer opponent does make these two moves first from either of yer fleets.
   A. First select the adjoining space closest to the island diagonally from the inner corner of yer fleet. Using the lower right hand group for my example and O to represent each ship your fleet should look like this on the first move:
   
   

   O
   	O	O	O
   	O	O	O
   	O	O	O

   
   B. On yer next move select the space diagonally and outward from that space toward whichever enemy fleet ye wish to assault.
   
   

   	O
   O					OR			O
   	O	O	O				O		O	O	O
   	O	O	O						O	O	O
   	O	O	O						O	O	O

   
   
2. Now that ye've achieved yer combat readiness pose ye should be ready to attack! One important thing to note aboot Armada. DO NOT attempt to think ahead of yer next move. It may look like a chess or checker game but there is a different factor in this game than that. Armada isn't aboot taking pieces, its aboot getting real estate! He/she that gets more o' yer opponents pieces while sacrificin' fewer WINS the big picture game. This third move is really dependant on yer opponent, they can either attack yer outward most piece (second move) or not.
   A. If yer opponent attacks, then they have made an error because they can only take the one piece ye've baited them out with. Ye on'y have ta JUMP to the adjacent spot beside move two ta now have 3 more ships than yer opponent:
   
   

   	X									X
   	X								X
   O					OR			O
   	O	O	O						O	O	O
   	O	O	O						O	O	O
   	O	O	O						O	O	O

   
   ATTACK BY JUMPING WITH YOUR FIRST MOVE PIECE
   
   

   	O						>	O	O
   	O	O					^	O
   O	>	^			OR		O
   	O	O	O					O	O	O
   	O	O	O					O	O	O
   	O	O	O					O	O	O

   
   This position gives yer opponent a definite disadvantage, your opponent had to jump to attack. If the left pattern is formed, he/she must jump to take the one exposed ship. While if the right patters is formed the opponent still has to jump for two but you have a safe spot and one well defended ship to reclaim what he takes and be up 4 vessels against him. From here its now just about strategy basics, i.e. REAL ESTATE.
   
   B. If yer opponent does not attack the next move is simple. JUMP and take one or two vessels. At this point your opponent must defend his position before he can mount another chance at an attack. But if ye can count and make moves that will GIVE YE MORE SHIPS than yer opponent can take back, he/she will be blocked off from attacking that route in aboot 4 or 5 moves.
3. If ye've followed me strategy up until now then yer opponent will usually select the 'I Give Up' button by the time this leg o' the board is filled; usually they'll be outnumbered close ta 3-ta-1. Fer those opponents that don't give oop ye need ta keep this in mind. As ye fill the board yer gonna run inta places where yer boats fill the board three abreast and any aggressive jumps ye make'll cost ye more ships than ye take.
   
   

   O

   O

   O

   
   When this happens move oop one adjacent space in the center on'y, never on the right or left because this on'y exposes 1 er 3 ships ta yer opponent ta take instead o' all 4 should they attack next round.
   
   

   	O	X			X	O
   O	O	O		O	O	O

   
   
4. Player 1 rules on'y: By now ye've probably figured oot that Player 2 has a distinct advantage o'er the host player as far as winin' the game. Here are things ye want ta remember PLAYER 1 if ye want to increase yer chance of winnin' the game and movin' on in the tournament rankings:
   A. Always provide Player 2 someplace to move. I recommend leavin'em on'y one place ta go so ye can maintain damage control on yer fleet. Never fully block them in; that's an automatic loss fer ye.
   B. When there is on'y one more space left on the board JUMP to it so that ye leave player 2 a place to MOVE adjacently to, never fill it usin' a one space MOVE.
   
   
5. Player 2 rule: Just one rule fer ye, THERE'S NO EXCUSE FER YE LOSIN' ARMADA! If ye have fewer ships in yer fleet than player 1 and there is on'y one space left. JUMP to it. And if player 1 figures out what yer doin' keep on JUMPIN' until one of two things happen. Player 1 messes oop and MOVES into the space givin' ye the automatic win. OR, ye jump enou' around the board ta take more of Player 1's pieces that ye can win legitimately and then MOVE into the last space.