The Danish plan combined moored ships, floating batteries, shore batteries, and a small group of vessels kept rigged and ready for sea. In theory, the mobile force could wait until Nelson's ships anchored and then attack individual British vessels from the other side, reproducing the double-sided pressure used at the Nile. No such sortie took place. Command changes, uncertainty over who should lead it, and the decision to keep the reserve facing Parker's northern division left Nelson's flank unchallenged. Coordinated use of the available ships could have made the attack far harder or even physically impossible in its chosen form.
Chapter · 39:49-43:48
Denmark's static defence and unused mobile ships
Danish ships and batteries created a formidable-looking harbour defence, but command arrangements left mobile ships unused when a flanking attack might have mattered.