Be the first to land a ship in your enemy's dock. The docks are squares marked by an anchor. A player can also win by completely eliminating the enemy's fleet.
 
On a turn, a ship may sail forward, turn, or attack. Ships can not sail backwards or sideways, but only in the direction their prow is facing. Nor do ships sail straight forward, but at a 45 degree angle.
 
A ship can move forward one space diagonally to an empty square. A normal ship may stay within the same space and make a 90 degree turn to face a different compass direction. For example: a north-ship may turn to face the east or west.
 
Ships attack and sink other ships (let them be enemies or friends) by firing a broadside discharge of the cannons arranged along the port or starboard sides. So for a ship to attack another ship it must have one of its sides to the other ship. During an attack, a ship will plow through the other ship to the vacant square beyond. (e.g. captures are made by sideways, orthogonal jumps.) If a ship can attack another ship, it is forced to do so. Multiple shots are NOT possible.
 
In contrast to Chris Huntoon's original 8x8-game play on the 6x6 board results in shorter battles. The game is made 'Silent' (by omitting sounds and music) as sailing itself happens to be silent.
 
"Silent Armada" includes several variants for the 6x6 board:

• Armada with Spy-Ships
  A spy-ship may block normal foreign ships and it may sink a foreign spy-ship.
• Armada with Lead-Ships
  Each armada has one lead ship which is more mobile than a normal ship: it can turn also by 180 degrees.
• Armada with Spanish Lead-Ship
  Here only the spanish armada has a lead ship.
• 5 Spanish Leaders vs 6 English Comrades
  The spanish armada consists of five lead ships (and no normal boats). To the contrast England has "only" six normal ships. In this variant Zillions has problems to understand the different forces. It believes that Spain has an advantage - however, England will typically win.
• Armada with asymmetric docks
  This is a difficult situation for Spain, as its dock lies more central on square e1.
• Armada with multiple docks
  Each armada has two docks, namely on the a- and on the e-file.