Parallel lines exchanging broadsides were an established tactical model, but British admirals had challenged it repeatedly before Trafalgar. Camperdown, Cape St Vincent, and actions involving Hood provide earlier examples of approaches that departed from that model. In this interpretation, British practice had been moving in this direction for roughly fifteen years. Nelson's attack developed an existing tradition of adapting tactics to a trained fleet. More conservative admirals remained closer to the orthodox approach.
Notable Point · 2:47:55-2:49:16
Breaking the line was already British practice
Trace Nelson's approach back through Camperdown, Cape St Vincent, and a decade of challenges to parallel-line orthodoxy.