And we could have won this affair!

It was a nicely balanced scenario I think. Our combined (multi-fleet problem) was that once we had achieved a quick positional advantage (having sailed past most of the screening Brits and had slipped shore-side towards our landing objectives), the intrepid Venetians decided they wanted to fight a pitch battle, rather than off-load their soldiers.

Well, of course this temptation was conceived as be part of the scenario's baked in "friction", and since we couldn't readily communicate between fleets (yell across the table), we had to enjoy the greater battle that unfolded.

Playing SoG scenarios is definitely the way to go, and despite our side's near-loss, the game was a hoot, and everyone thoroughly enjoy themselves.