In a standard game of battleships, what is the minimum number of strikes you will need to make to guarantee hitting at least one boat?

Battleships is played on a 10x10 Grid,
You are allowed:-
1 Battle Ship (4x1)
2 Cruisers (3x1)
3 Destroyers (2x1) and
3 Submarines (1x1)

NOTE:-These rules are slightly different than those of the board game, I am using these so that all members can give the same answer.

I have played Battleships with rules that allowed a diagonal orientation of ships greater than 1x1.  Is this allowed, or must the ships be placed in horizontal and/or vertical directions?  Or does it not matter?

Checking within a grid layout there would be a difference if diagonals are allowed.  A battleship laid diagonally has 20 cells around it in which no other ship may be placed whereas in the x or y orientation there are 14.  So I guess diagonals are out.

Edited on July 24, 2005, 5:12 am

Posted by brianjn on 2005-07-24 04:58:27