17th Century wargame fleets

Clearly, computer wargame fleets need to be divided into squadrons as were real fleets. We should be able to define formations for the squadrons. We should also be able to give overall guidance for fleet formations, but the squadron is the real unit that matters. Squadrons need to be divided into divisions. Divisions can be given their orders, as well. Some Dutch divisions in the First Anglo-Dutch War could be tasked with rescuing crews from sinking ships, for example. Squadrons should be however large they were. Divisions are another question. Often, we do have any records as to how squadrons were divided into divisions. Michiel De Ruyter's squadron at the Battle of Scheveningen is one of the exceptions. In The First Dutch War, Vol. V, there is a listing of all of his captains. We know the ships for most of them. In that case, divisions could be three or four ships. That is not a bad size for a division, in any case. A 104 ship Dutch fleet would consist of 26 four ship divisions, for example. That just happens to have been the size of the Dutch fleet at the Battle of the Gabbard. One question is what to do when ships in a division take damage and are slowed or dismasted? One possible answer to that is that the divisional ships should take the damaged ships in tow, as that is what happened in the real world, unless they were really being pressed.