Dreadnoughts & Battlewagons provides a low complexity shipto-ship combat system allowing players to explore historical and hypothetical encounters during the age of the super dreadnought.

Each counter depicts a single ship or the information markers required to denote a ship's damage, special ship movement, or configuration. Ships are rated for weight of fire, range, structural integrity, maneuver, speed, and special capabilities.

The Battle of Coronel simulates the 1 November 1914 meeting engagement off the coast of Chile between the German East Asia Squadron of Vice Admiral von Spee and the British 4th Cruiser Squadron under Rear Admiral Cradock. The historical outcome was the loss of Cradock's largest ships.

The Battle of Falkland Islands simulates the encounter between von Spee's squadron and a much more powerful British naval force on 8 December 1914. This time the British exacted a heavy revenge, virtually obliterating the German squadron.