Question concerning the Surprise Frigate

[Hyperion74]

Perhaps this was brought up before so apologies if this is so. 

My Quire: Why does the Surprise only have nine pounder great guns? I was doing a bit of looking around and Jack Aurbrey's Surprise had twelve pounders. I was a little disappointed when I learned that the in game Surprise was limited to nines. I bought one anyway and will sail it when I get off of work this morning and am looking for'ud to it. I plan to sail as many ships as I can. Even with the wee little baby guns, I expect that the Surprise will be a fun ship.

[LodeSterre]

Master and Commander was a fictional ship. The ingame Surprise is likely based off the HMS Surprise (1812) Leda Class Frigate that mounted 18 lber Carronades weathers deck and 9lber Cannon/32lber Carronade lower decks. In the movie it was also only a 28 gun ship, which I'm sure would disappoint you the other way if it was like that in game XD. The movie Surprise was based off the HMS Surprise (1802) captured Uníte that carried 18/32lb Carronades during her career in the GB Navy.

Don't let that discourage you though. The Surprise is a fantastic ship that I would recommend in almost any wood/trim configuration two ways from Sunday.

Edited April 3, 2016 by LodeSterre

[Balsafer]

The surprise is still a fun ship even though it has 9s instead of 12s.  The real HMS Surprise had carronades. The Patrick O'brian novels gave it 12s

[Vanguard]

The ingame Surprise is the HMS Surprise captured from the French in 1796 (formly L'Unité). It certainly isn't the 1812 Leda class Surprise otherwise it would be near identical to the Trincomalee. 

 

http://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_ship&id=6983

Edited April 3, 2016 by Vanguard

[LodeSterre]

The ingame Surprise is the HMS Surprsie which was captured from the French in 1796 (formly L'Unité). It certainly isn't the 1812 Leda class Surprise otherwise it would be near identical to the Trincomalee.

http://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_ship&id=6983

She's far closer to the 1812 version then the captured 1796 French Corvette version. I will respect your opinion though. I may be wrong, but I'll withhold that until proven otherwise since crew complement and gun count/size falls more towards the Leda (1812) version. Edited April 3, 2016 by LodeSterre

[Vanguard]

She's far closer to the 1812 version then the captured 1796 French Corvette version. I will respect your opinion though. I may be wrong, but I'll withhold that until proven otherwise since crew complement and gun count/size falls more towards the Leda (1812) version.

 

The Leda (1812) version mounts 18 lber long cannons on the lower deck, and the Trincomalee (which is in game) is of the same design. When you compare the Surprise to the Trincomalee, they are nothing alike.

 

Surprise (1812): http://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_ship&id=6635

Edited April 3, 2016 by Vanguard

[OTMatt]

The 4 stern ports on the movie ship look exactly like the one in the captured french model. Thats usually how you confirm it.

 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Plan_of_HMS_Surprise.jpg

 

https://petergalenmassey.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/hms-surprise-stern.jpg

 

Im sad that it uses 9 pounders too. I hope at some point the developers add in another 12 pounder frigate with stern and bow chase guns. For now I enjoy the belle poule a whole lot.

[LodeSterre]

Yes, I see where you're coming from. The ingame Surprise is a '44 Gun' Frigate under revised classification including Carronades. The HMS Surprise (1796) was a '36 Gun' 6th Rate in service to GB and '32 Gun' Corvette in France. While the 1812 version was classified as a '38 gun' 5th rate reclassed to a '46 gun' 5th rate.

Maybe it's a halfway to be both version. I don't know. Maybe it's a, 'whichever version you want it to be' ship.

[Porpoise]

Btw. you can see crew taking sacks of powder marked with 9lbs in the movie, so I think the movie ship used 9 pounders.

[Blackjack Morgan]

It used to have 12lb'ers and it was awesome. 

[Hyperion74]

Porpoise, I never noticed that before. I will have to look.

The Ship that they filmed on was called HMS Rose. She is a replica of a 20 gun 6th rate, the website says so. It is presently in San Diego at the Maritime Museum. My friend was there a few years ago for airplane sim training, he's a pilot. He took pictures. I recognized her right away.

I seem to remember that Surprise in sea trials had 12's. I sailed her a little bit.

Still a few hours from setting sail in my new one. I like the Renom and will put her through her paces too, but I'm gonna sail Surprise first. Soon as I get home.

Thanks for the replies lads. Like 19826 exp before I can get in a bigger frigate, fully crewed, Really want to sail Essex, Trinc, would like to try the Cherubim. I fought a few of them in missions in my Cerb. Tough nut to crack. Dream ship is Constitution.

 

Ain't this a great game.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Hyperion74

[Cragger]

Master and Commander was a fictional ship. The ingame Surprise is likely based off the HMS Surprise (1812) Leda Class Frigate that mounted 18 lber Carronades weathers deck and 9lber Cannon/32lber Carronade lower decks. In the movie it was also only a 28 gun ship, which I'm sure would disappoint you the other way if it was like that in game XD. The movie Surprise was based off the HMS Surprise (1802) captured Uníte that carried 18/32lb Carronades during her career in the GB Navy.

Don't let that discourage you though. The Surprise is a fantastic ship that I would recommend in almost any wood/trim configuration two ways from Sunday.

 

Surprise in this game is a kitbash of the L'Unite/HMS Surprise 1796 decorated up as the Rose II aka Surprise form M&C and uses the Rose II sail plan.

Porpoise, I never noticed that before. I will have to look.

The Ship that they filmed on was called HMS Rose. She is a replica of a 20 gun 6th rate, the website says so. It is presently in San Diego at the Maritime Museum. My friend was there a few years ago for airplane sim training, he's a pilot. He took pictures. I recognized her right away.

I seem to remember that Surprise in sea trials had 12's. I sailed her a little bit.

Still a few hours from setting sail in my new one. I like the Renom and will put her through her paces too, but I'm gonna sail Surprise first. Soon as I get home.

Thanks for the replies lads. Like 19826 exp before I can get in a bigger frigate, fully crewed, Really want to sail Essex, Trinc, would like to try the Cherubim. I fought a few of them in missions in my Cerb. Tough nut to crack. Dream ship is Constitution.

 

Ain't this a great game.

 

Rose II is based on the lines of the Rose. She is much larger then the Rose however.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Cragger

[Admiral 8Q]

It's more about aiming, and hitting your target in a ship like the Surprise. A full broadside is useless if most shots miss.
I use long cannons on the lower deck, but have carronades on the top deck for chain shot and ball if I get in close by mistake.

[OTMatt]

Rose II is based on the lines of the Rose. She is much larger then the Rose however.

 

What a waste not being historically accurate. I guess it had to go the fictional route to satisfy some modern day requirements.

[The Spud]

The surprise is the first ship that realy feels like it has alot of fire power when you do a full broadside, very satisfying.. And it is a great ship, but against heavy armoured ships like trincs and above, there is no point in going for the sides, you should go for the stern rakes instead. Have fun with it.

[Hyperion74]

Got in it this morning. Great ship. Still want the 12's