 The revival of ramming had a significant effect on naval tactics . Since the 17th century the predominant tactic of naval warfare had been the line of battle , where a fleet formed a long line to give it the best fire from its broadside guns . This tactic was totally unsuited to ramming , and the ram threw fleet tactics into disarray . The question of how an ironclad fleet should deploy in battle to make best use of the ram was never tested in battle , and if it had been , combat might have shown that rams could only be used against ships which were already stopped dead in the water . 
 The revival of ramming had a significant effect on naval tactics . Since the 17th century the predominant tactic of naval warfare had been the line of battle , where a fleet formed a long line to give it the best fire from its broadside guns . This tactic was totally unsuited to ramming , and the ram threw fleet tactics into disarray . The question of how an ironclad fleet should deploy in battle to make best use of the ram was never tested in <a href='negative_concord' title='1'><mark>battle</mark></a> , and if it had been , combat might <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>have</mark></a> shown that rams could only be used against ships which <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> already stopped dead in the water . 
The revival of ramming had a significant effect on naval tactics . Since the 17th century the predominant tactic of naval warfare had been da line of battle , where a fleet formed a long line to give it tdabest fire from its broadside guns . dis tactic was totally unsuited to ramming , and the ram threw fleet tactics into disarray . Thdauestion of how an ironclad fleet should deploy in battle to make best use of thedam was never tested in no battle , and if it had been , combat mite done shown that rams could only be used against ships which was already stopped dead in the daer .