Editing Line of battle (section)

==Problems associated with the tactic ==
[[File:La Marine-Pacini-140.png|thumb|[[Antoine Morel-Fatio]], an illustration from ''{{lang|fr|La Marine}}'' (1854), showing a French [[squadron (naval)|squadron]] forming a line of battle]]

The main problem with the line of battle was that when the fleets were of similar size, naval actions using it were generally indecisive. The French in particular were adept at gunnery and would generally take the [[leeward]] position to enable their fleet to retire downwind while continuing to fire [[chain-shot]] at long range to bring down masts. Eventually so many vessels in a line would be damaged that they would be forced to retire for repairs while the French took few casualties and very little damage.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

Fleet commanders sometimes met with greater success by altering or abandoning the line of battle outright by breaking the enemy line and moving through it, as occurred during the [[Four Days Battle]], [[Battle of Schooneveld]], and the [[Battle of Trafalgar]]. Another tactic cut off and isolated part of the enemy's line while concentrating a stronger force on it (as happened during the [[Battle of Texel]] and the [[Battle of the Saintes]]).{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

If the opposing fleets were of similar size, a portion of the line might be overwhelmed by focused gunfire of the entire enemy line by a tactic known as ''doubling''. Ships broke through the enemy line and then, acting simultaneously with other vessels that remained on the original side, would engage the enemy fleet.{{sfn|Keegan|1989|p=277}}