Ahoy is a lightly asymmetrical game in which players start in a playing area composed of a few tiles, with each tile being divided into a 2x2 grid that features water, land, and various icons.

When playing with only two, one player controls The Bluefin Squadron and the other The Mollusk Union, and you'll compete to control different areas of the revealed terrain, with exploration revealing new lands over which to fight. When you add a third or fourth players, they each act as smugglers who are trying to pick up various items and deliver them to indicated areas. If the items or areas aren't visible, then you better start exploring to turn them up