In combat, a couple of seconds can determine the whole battle. Naturally, you
want to be the one accomplishing your goals, and stopping your foes; combat on
the high seas is no different in this respect. However, ship to ship battles
require coordination among dozens, if not hundreds, of people, and it is very
easy for things to go wrong. Someone with a deep understanding of naval combat
can get the most out of his crew, making them work faster and more
efficiently, resulting in much faster response times from the ship.