Scenario? Hornblower: Lydia vs Natividad?

This question was recently posted on Boardgame Geek. I'd be interested to hear what our resident experts might offer up to the original poster? Quote from post included below:

"Can someone with more knowledge than I concoct a game portrayal of the famous battle from 'Beat to Quarters'/'The Happy Return' (and the film adaptation with Gregory Peck) between Hornblower's frigate (36-gun HMS Lydia with 274 crew, built 1796, per https://hornblower.fandom.com/wiki/HMS_Lydia ) and the ill-fated Natividad (a 50-gun two-decked Spanish SOL, per https://hornblower.fandom.com/wiki/Natividad ) ?

Which ship specs are closest? How would you portray the very different command abilities for the two captains and crews?"

Sorry could not help Jim. The site would not let me in without enabling cookies and I don't do that.

Rob.

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Originally Posted by Bligh

Sorry could not help Jim. The site would not let me in without enabling cookies and I don't do that.

Rob.

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This is what I got from the site:

HMS Lydia was Horatio Hornblower's first frigate command.

History
The Lydia was a middle-sized frigate built at Woolwich in 1796 to the design of Sir William Rule at a cost of £19,070. Her commission under Hornblower began on March 12th, 1807. She sailed first to Alexandria, Egypt, but then in 1808 was given secret orders for a very ambitious mission to Central America. There, the 36-gun Lydia fought and sank the much larger Spanish ship of 50 guns, the Natividad.

Lydia supported a crew of 274 and was armed with twenty-six 18lb guns, eight 9lb guns, and two 12lb guns. She was 143 feet long and berthed 951 tons.


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Natividad was a powerful 50 gun, two-decked Spanish ship of the line that operated in the Pacific Ocean.

History
"Captain Elliot and Captain Bolton have been plying me incessantly with questions about the battle between the Lydia and the Natividad."
―Barbara Wellesley[src]
Captain Horatio Hornblower captured the Natividad from the Spanish and installed Lieutenant Gerard as prize master. However, soon after it's capture, El Supremo demanded that he be given the Natividad. To placate the madman, Hornblower agreed. El Supremo sent his Vice-Admiral, Crespo, to take command of the Natividad and hang the executive officers. Hornblower hid the ship's officers, and informed Crespo that he had dropped them overboard after a court-martial.

When Hornblower was informed that Napoleon had conquered Spain, and a junta government had been formed in opposition that had signed a treaty with England, he was forced to engage the Natividad again. The two ship's duel was interrupted by a storm. After a third encounter with the Natividad, Hornblower finally managed to sink her.

Give Horatio Hornblower and the Lydia's crew lots of Skill Cards and some penalties on the Natividad's crew for inexperience.

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Originally Posted by Naharaht

Give Horatio Hornblower and the Lydia's crew lots of Skill Cards and some penalties on the Natividad's crew for inexperience.

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Probably a good approach, but I have no clue if the original poster has any 'skill cards' to use?

The Amazon Class makes the most sense for stats now I have seen the Lydia's.

Designed by Sir William Rule the stats were:-

Name:	HMS Amazon
Ordered:	24 May 1794
Builder:	Wells & Co., Rotherhithe
Laid down:	June 1794
Launched:	4 July 1795
Completed:	25 September 1795 at Deptford Dockyard
Commissioned:	July 1795
Fate:	Wrecked, 14 January 1797
General characteristics
Type:		Fifth rate Frigate
Tons burthen:		933 67/94 bm
Length:		143 ft 2.5 in (gundeck) 119 ft 5.5 in
Beam:		38 ft 4 in
Depth of hold:		13 ft 6 in
Propulsion:		Sails
Complement:		264
Armament:		36 guns GD: 26 x18 pdrs QD: 8 x 9 pdrs + 6 x 32 pde Carronades Fc: 2 x 12pdrs + 2 x 32pdr Carronades.

The only real difference is that the fictional Lydia was credited as having 10 more crewmen than the historical Amazon Class.

Rob.

Rob, I think your Amazon is a more modern one than the Ares one...

That may well be the case Dobbs. Do you think that is the 5th rate 12 pounder? Probably the Sir John Williams one then. I have amended my post accordingly.
Rob.

1773 Amazon is a 12-pdr frigate, you'd be better served to use SGN105 as base stats and model. A Portland is a little too strong hull and powerful guns for Natividad, but probably the best fit we have--or go with the What-If version of Bonhomme Richard.

Thanks DB.
I'm sure that will help Jim to answer the question a lot better than I could.

Rob.

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Originally Posted by Nightmoss

Probably a good approach, but I have no clue if the original poster has any 'skill cards' to use?

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Ares Games (unlike some companies) does not insist on players owning the 'officially published' skill cards in order to use the skills, Jim. You can copy the 'skills text' from the rulebook onto your own cards or use a special counter to represent a skill. Also, I m fairly certain that there are 'skills cards' you can print off in the Files section.

Lokk at this thread. https://sailsofglory.org/showthread....ghlight=skills

Thanks gents for all the feedback. I've shared all comments with the original poster on Boardgame Geek. This should help in his scenario build to be sure.