Nelson's fleet was outnumbered, having only 27 ships of the line to the 33 of Villeneuve's fleet which included the largest warship in either fleet, the Spanish ship of the line Santísima Trinidad. To address this imbalance, Nelson sailed his fleet directly at the allied battle line's flank in two columns, hoping to break the line into pieces. Villeneuve had worried that Nelson might attempt this tactic, but for various reasons, failed to prepare for it. The crews of the French and Spanish ships were also inexperienced and poorly trained. The British plan worked almost perfectly; Nelson's columns split the Franco-Spanish fleet in three, isolating the rear from Villeneuve's flagship, Bucentaure). The allied vanguard sailed ahead while attempting to turn back, leaving the British temporarily superior in number against the remainder of the allied fleet. In the battle that followed, 18 allied ships were captured or destroyed, while the British lost none.
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