Experiments

I have run a series of experiments, using the Battle of the Kentish Knock scenario, in Privateers Bounty. The main results are clear:

There is power in sailing in a group (close to a line formation), at right angles to an enemy formation, "crossing the T".

At least for the Dutch, it is hazardous to "mix it up", in a melee, where there plentiful opportunities for large enemy ships to fire continuous broadsides.

Large, heavily armed ships are greatly superior to many smaller ships (300 to 400 tons, burden).

Seemingly, the Dutch would be "shot to pieces", if they tried to fight in a single line sailing parallel to a single English line.

For the losing side, ships that suffer severe mobility damage can be given up for lost, as they will be run down and sunk.

A lot of detailed maneuvering, down to the single ship level, is not useful, when there are still large numbers of ships still mobile and fighting. Formation maneuvering is what matters.