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Smugglers Run
Smugglers Run
“businessmen” out to make their fortune on the margins of society. Smuggler’s Run puts two
players at the heart of this black market, running contraband in and out of the British Isles. Create
your own smuggling company and outwit the authorities in the name of trade and profit!
Getting Started
Before setting sail with your cargo of illegal contraband, Rolling a D100
make sure you’ve got the following materials to hand: While you’re creating a smuggling company, some
• Suitable ship models to represent various kinds of of the tables may require you to roll a d100. The
ship, along with the appropriate ship cards and wake easiest way to do this is to take two ten-sided (d10s)
markers. dice of different colours and roll them, taking one
• Six-sided (D6) and ten-sided (D10) dice in multiple result as the tens digit, and the other as the units,
colours. generating a number between 1 and 100.
• A wind rose, measuring sticks and tokens.
• A completed set of company rosters
If you cannot find the exact models you can use similar
sized ones to reppresent them.
Campaign Objectives
Smuggler’s Run is a two-player campaign where two rival smuggling companies compete to ferry the most contraband
into the United Kingdom. Both players should have already created a smuggling company. On the (miniature) high seas,
players will alternate commanding their villainous flotilla and the various customs boats patrolling the coastline.
Before the campaign begins, both players should agree on the campaign objectives. Pick one of the following or roll on
the table to determine one randomly:
Roll: Result:
1-2 Time Waits for No Man: Whoever has the most money in its Treasury after 5 full turns is declared the winner
of the campaign.
3-4 Trade & Profit: Whoever reaches a Treasury of at least £20,000 first is declared the winner of the campaign.
5-6 Down to the Locker: The campaign lasts until the end of a full turn, of when one company has at least half of
the initially spent points worth of ships sunk or captured. Whoever has the most money in its Treasury by
that point is declared the winner.
Smuggler’s Run
The English Pound
Creating a Smuggling Company
Paper money began being issued in England
At the beginning of the campaign, both players must create following the creation of the Bank of England
a smuggling company. Each player will track the fortunes in 1694. It was pegged to the value of gold
of their illegal enterprise over the course of several in- during the Napoleonic Wars.
game months, while they attempt to outwit the flatfooted
Customs & Excise officers patrolling the coastline. Using rough estimates, one pound in 1800
would be the equivalent of £80 today. The
Each company begins with a purse of £2,500 to spend on average annual wage for an Able Seaman in
ships. the Royal Navy was a mere £14.
Buy Ships
To assemble their fleet of smuggling vessels, players
should purchase ships from the table below.
A Bank of England £1 note
issued in July 1813.
Add each ship to the roster, noting its cash cost and points
cost in the appropriate columns. Deduct any cash spent
from the total. You must spend at least £2000 of the initial
capital on ships.
When a ship is added to the fleet, money can be spent on the following upgrades. The number of upgrades
purchased for an individual vessel cannot exceed the maximum amount listed on page 75 of the Black Seas rulebook.
Smuggling companies can only purchase these upgrades for their vessels. Any leftover cash can be used to buy goods, so
add it to the Treasury. Crew’s experience can be changed and works as per the rules on page 75.
Players can add more details to their ships, including things like names, figureheads and weird quirks by turning to the
ship details section on page 7 of this publication.
Black Seas
Choose Starting Location
Next, players should choose a starting location for
their Smuggling Company - the port where they
have stationed agents to purchase cargo and
Port Erin (Isle of Man) maintain warehouses.
due to a relaxed
Smugglers made the Isle of Man their home
free trade from
attitude to customs and excise. Encouraging
t place for an
across Europe, this small island is the perfec The choice of location will reflect the type and
enterprising smuggler. amount of goods available, and how difficult the
Smuggling Companies based in Port Erin have
access to the crossing will be.
following goods:
• Wheat, Beer, Spirits, Coffee and Tea
Stock Warehouse
Players begin with £5,000 (in addition to the amount given to buy ships) to purchase goods with. Goods are organised
into Trade Units (TUs). Trade Units have a purchase cost, sale price and danger rating. Ships can carry a certain amount of
Trade Units based on their size. Smuggling companies can only purchase goods that are available at their starting
location. A maximum of 2 TUs of Weapons and 1 TUs of Espionage Materials per turn can be purchased in any port
3
Smuggler’s Run
Campaign System
Step 1: Load Cargo & Determine Opposition
First of all, players must determine what forces will be involved. Both smugglers choose ships from their fleets to
participate in the run, and what cargo each ship will load. This is recorded but kept secret until a ship is boarded or step 4.
As previously mentioned, ships can carry a certain number of Trade Units based on their size. The smugglers can load
their chosen ships, up to their maximum capacity. Every Trade Unit has an assigned danger rating. Each smuggler must
add all of these together and divide that number by the total number of Trade Units carried (round up). This result is the
danger rating of the smuggling expedition.
With the danger rating determined, the player controlling the Customs flotilla should roll 2d10 on the table below,
adding the smuggler’s danger rating to the result. This will determine the Customs force interdicting the smugglers.
Roll: Result: (If not otherwise specified, the experience of the Customs’ ships is Regular)
2-4 Harbour Patrol: Sailing toward a long-forgotten trading haven, the smuggling expedition encounters a much-neglected harbour patrol force,
in dire need of rejuvenation.The opposing force is composed of 2x Gunboat squadrons, 2x Cutters with inexperienced crews and a Brig with a
veteran crew. (240 Points)
5-12 Coastal Schooners: The expected Customs patrol is haunting this stretch of coastline. The opposing force is composed of 1x Gunboat squadron,
3x Schooners and 2x Brigs with veteran crews. (350 Points)
13-15 Frigate Frenzy:The Customs patrol in this area has received a much-needed force multiplier in the form of a slightly knackered frigate. The
opposing force is composed of 3x Schooners, 3x Brigs and 1x Sixth Rate (480 Points)
16-18 Admiralty Attention: The smuggler’s operation has drawn the attention of His Majesty’s Royal Navy. The opposing force is composed of 1x
Sloop, 3x Brigs and 2x Sixth Rates (540 Points)
19-20 Active Pursuit: The coast guard is actively seeking this expedition. The opposing force is composed of 1x Schooner, 3x Brigs with veteran crew
and 1x Large 3rd rate with Regular crew (620 points)
21+ Exercising Squadron: Instead of the normal patrol cutters, the smuggling expedition stumbles across a Royal Navy first rate in training with
inexperienced crew, escorted by 2x Fifth Rate Frigates with veteran crews (720 points)
Example
Captain Carlisle is loading up his fleet of dastardly smugglers for a short hop across the channel from Boulogne. His fleet is made up of
one large merchantman, three brigs and a sixth rate, giving him a total cargo capacity of 15 Trade Units.
From his warehouse, Captain Carlisle takes 4 units of Tobacco, 8 units of Spirits and 2 units of Weapons. This gives an overall danger
rating of 4.
Captain Hewitson rolls 2d10 on the opposition table, adding four to his final result. He rolls a 14, making the total 18. Captain
Carlisle has drawn the Admiralty’s ire and a squadron has been dispatched to take him down - giving Hewitson 540 points of ships to
Carlisle’s 450.
If the same smuggler rolls two identical scenarios in two 9 Rival Companies (below)
consecutive turns, roll again. 10 Chance Encounter (Pg. 40)
Black Seas
Step 3: Play Battle
Get out onto the high seas and play the selected scenario with your
chosen forces!
Any Ship that leaves the gaming table ( apart from as determined by
the scenario) is considered to have Struck Colours and will roll on the
table with a -2 to the result.
In all scenarios apart from Rival Companies, if the smuggler is the winner, add 10% to the total sale of the goods
(rounding up to the nearest £50). If the smuggler was the loser subtract 10% from the total sale of the goods (rounding up
to the nearest £50).
IIf all the ships in a fleet are lost (captured, sunk, Battered and Broken or removed in Step 6), that smuggler will not
play a game with his Company this turn. He will still play as the Coastguard and if the rival rolls the scenario “Rival
If a ship struck its colours, it must roll 1d10 on the table below. If the ship was also boarded during the game, it must roll
2d10 and pick the lowest result.
If a ship carrying Espionage Materials struck its colours, it will be impounded without rolling. Furthermore from now on,
the Company owning it will have a fixed additional 1 point of danger rating added after calculating the average.
Roll: Result:
1 Random Act of Piracy: The smugglers stumbled across a heavily laden merchant on their
homeward journey. The company gains 5x TUs of Timber and 2x TUs of Silk.
2 Blown off Course: Foul weather drives some of the flotilla off course. Choose one of your ships
that participated in the last battle. It may not participate in the next game.
3 Concealed Injury: The return journey reveals some battle damage that was not noticed
initially. Choose one of the ships that participated in the last battle, but was not damaged. Roll
on the Damaged Ship table as if that ship had been sunk.
4 Hot Pursuit: Customs agents are trailing the smugglers back to their lair. Increase the
smuggler’s danger rating by +1 in the next campaign turn.
5 Tinkering Shipwrights: Developing contacts in neutral shipyards has paid dividends. Choose
one of the ships that did not participate in the previous battle. It gains a free upgrade from the
list on page 2. (Make sure you update the points cost, however)
6 Raided Warehouse: Customs agents or rival smugglers have ransacked the company
warehouse. The smuggler loses £100 x 1D10 worth of TUs or of Treasury (his choice).
7 Rudimentary Training: Some captains have taken the time to instruct their crews in the basics
of fighting their ship. Choose one of the ships that did not participate in the previous battle. It
gains a Veteran crew for free. (Make sure you update the points cost)
8 Military Shipment: The smugglers encounter a military cargo vessel bound for some colonial
battlefield. The company gains 2x TUs of Weapons.
9 Forced Relocation: The company has attracted too much heat for the administration of their
adopted home. Choose a different starting location. All ships and cargo are transferred to this
new location
10 Protection Racket: The company’s criminal activities are expanding into extortion and
blackmail. The company gains 1d10x£100
7
Smuggler’s Run Will you h
ear of Cruel
Figureheads He came fr Copinger?
He was br om a foreign
ought to us kind:
Roll 1d100 on the table to generate a random figurehead
He was ca by the salt
for your ship!
rried away water,
by the win
Roll: Result:
d.
1-5 Dolphin
6-10 Seahorse
11-15 Sea Nymph
16-20 Wigged Nobleman
Smugglers fall foul of a
21-25 Armoured Knight patrolling Customs frigate!
26-30 Unicorn
31-35 Dragon
36-40 Lion
41-45 Classical God
46-50 Angel
51-55 Harpy
56-60 Christian Saint
61-65 Military Officer
66-70 Famous Pirate
71-75 Skeleton
76-80 Royal Family Member
81-85 Dog
86-90 Bird of Prey
91-95 Kingfisher
96-100 Nightingale
Ship Origin
Roll 1d10 on the table to determine where the ship was built.
Roll: Result:
1-6 Local Shipyard: The ship was privately commissioned and built in a British merchant shipyard.
7 Military Shipyard: The ship was built to a military specification in a government owned shipyard,
and then stolen or decommissioned.
8 Foreign Shipyard: The ship was privately commissioned and built in a foreign shipyard.
9 Foreign Capture: The ship was captured from a foreign power, likely France or Spain.
10 Exotic Origins: The ship was built in some far-flung place, to an unknown design that is incredibly
unusual in European waters.
Ship Quirks
Roll 1d100 to determine some of the strange quirks that afflict your vessel. You can either take them only as a colourful
descriptors of the ship or also use the rules amendments. In this case you have to roll for every ship and accept all
additional rules.
One ship can only have 1 Quirk unless stated specifically, and there can only be 1 of each quirk in each fleet. Reroll if the
same result comes up.
Roll: Result:
1-4 Horrific Curse -1 to all shooting, will always score a “9” on the Struck Colours
table rolls
5-8 Flamboyantly Dressed Crew Luxury goods transported by this ship (Spirits, Silk, Tobacco and
Coffee) sell for £50 more per TUs than normal
9-12 Secret Compartments +2 to all Struck Colour table rolls
13-16 Incredibly Cramped -1 TUs max capacity. +2D10 in every boarding action
17-20 Leaks like a Sieve -2 on all Damaged Ship Table rolls
21-24 Foreign Crew Communication is difficult: -1 to the first skill check of every acti-
vation
25-28 Mad Captain The ship MUST attempt to board an enemy that is within 3” at the
end of it’s full movement. All normal rules for boarding apply.
29-32 Embellished Hull Add 10% to the initial full ship points of the ship rounding up
33-36 Haphazard Repairs Reduce the initial full ship points of the ship by 10% rounding up
37-40 Piratical Past The ship can be targetted even if it is not the closest
41--44 Unusual Colour Scheme In the scenario “Smuggling Run” the ship can be targetted when at
20” or less
45-48 Sumptuous Cabins The crew is well rested - +1 to the first skill test of every activation
49-52 Coloured Sails No further effect
53-56 Patterned Sails No further effect
57-60 Cunning Disguise The ship cannot be shot at unless the enemy is within 3”
61-64 Infested with Vermin Customs is reluctant to search the boat - +2 to all Struck Colours
table rolls
65-68 Rich previous owner Choose 1 £50 upgrade for free
69-72 Interest in Biology May use the ability of the ship’s surgeon once per game
73-76 Great Construction add +2 to the Damaged Ship table roll
77-80 Crew keep Exotic Pets The animals join in the fight - add 1D10 during boarding actions
81-84 Barnacles On the second movement, the ship will travel 1” less than normal
85-88 Very Quirky Roll twice on this table and apply both results to the ship
89-92 Whaling Paraphenalia + 1 to grappling other ships
93-96 Fire-blackened Hull While on fire the ship takes -2 damage each activation. (cannot
gain Ship points)
97-00 Haunted by a Ghost -1 to all skills test. If the ship struck its colours, do not roll on the
table. The ship will bring all its goods to market as normal (do not
ude this in Smuggling Run scenarios)
9
Smuggler’s Run
SMUGGLING RUN
All that stands between the misbegotten smugglers and a big payday is a coastal patrol. On land,
hooded lanterns blink against the inky blackness - the signal that a shore party is waiting!
BATTLE AREA
This scenario is best played
on a 4‘x 4‘ area. The wind is
blowing from the South.
DEPLOYMENT
Deploy the coast guard forces in
the 8” wide yellow deployment
corridor sailing with Battle Sails
and the smuggler’s fleet in the
red deployment area also at
Battle Sails with the back of the
wake touching the table edge.
SPECIAL RULES
It is the dead of night, so all
shooting suffers a -1. Visibility
is a problem, so no target can be
accurately shot at beyond 16”.
Any ship beyond that cannot
be targetted for shooting.
Furthermore, all coastguard
ships must keep within the
corridor sailing at their speed until at least one
enemy ship is within 16” of a coastguard ship.
VICTORY
This Campaign turn, the smuggling Company
will be only able to sell the unloaded cargo. The
rest is returned to the warehouse.
Rival Companies
By some (un)fortunate chance, two smuggling companies are using the same secluded cove to
deliver their cargo. It’s safe to say that these rivals will exchange more than insults!
BATTLE AREA
This scenario is best played on a
4‘x 4‘ area. The wind is blowing
from the South.
DEPLOYMENT
Randomly decide who deploys
first. Then alternate positioning
1 ship each in the appropiate
deployment zone. All ships are
deployed at Battle Sails with the
back of the wakes touching the
edge of the gaming area.
SPECIAL RULES
Each fleet has to unload their
cargo in the specified drop-off
zone. To unload, a ship must
be anchored within 3” (4” for
Medium and Large sized ships)
of the drop-off area from the start
of its activation. You can unload 2
Tus per activation per ship.