To most others, blockade running seems simple and almost arrogant in fashion. While arrogance is something many runners will admit to, simplicity has no place here. Careful planning and attention to detail is crucial, more so than smuggling in many aspects. Blockade runners will insist that theirs is an artform, a state of mind and a lifestyle.
 

Lifestyle The way a blockade runner lives has a great deal to do with how they operate. Most blockade runners (at least the smart ones) live entirely separate from general society. They steer clear of all regular ports and stations, and at all costs will avoid risking capture even if they are out of fuel or other immediate needs. Visiting a regular port is flirting with disaster and is only done if the runner decides it is the end of the line for them.

Shadowports are filled with nothing but criminals and other assorted slime. The atmosphere of such a place infringes on a runner in many ways. First, their personal safety is at stake. Often times, bounties on a runner are high enough to entice too many people, including anyone at a shadowport. Runners beware, for areas full of unscrupulous beings make for an environment of suspects. Second, their ships are a hefty target for shipjackers and others. Usually, a blockade runner's ship is filled to the gills with state-of-the-art equipment and the highest quality hyperdrives and engines. Their guns are usually very valuable, as are their shield generators. To jackers, this is the ultimate ship, for a ship like this demands the best price on the market. For both reasons, runners need to be on constant guard, but at the same time avoid undue paranoia.

State of Mind The above type of lifestyle lends itself to careful planning and being very alert. Most blockade runners are loners because of this, but a few who prove to be savvy can interact with the rest of the crowd without seeming too shifty. Otherwise, the rest tend to hang out in groups and will have their own haunts and hideouts. These may not be necessarily on their own planet, but will be separated from the general area of the shadowport. They will venture into the port proper for supplies, special orders and other such things. Those seeking to hire them are pointed in the direction of the blockade runners encampment or area.

Blockade runners pay a great deal of attention to personal and material security. Bonds between them are often among the strongest. Getting between two blockade runners usually requires either stupendous amounts of money or power tools. This is not because of a brotherly feeling, it is because runners truly believe in "doing to others as one would have done to themselves." Selling out a fellow runner is fine, but don't hang out and be surprised when it happens to you.

Artform The ways blockade runners do their thing actually involves more planning than most imagine. Only the careful survive here, where the most minute problem can spell doom. No two blockade runners are very alike in how they conduct their runs...

The usual method of running is to enter a system and proceed to pierce the blockade with pure speed. The runner must land and deliver the goods, and flee before too much force is brought to bear upon them. This is harder than it sounds.

Before accepting the run, do your best to check that it's not a setup. Nobody really has a system that really works to do this, but the best bet is to acquire information on your employer. You can get this from an infochant or other information broker (services which are easy to find at shadowports). To this end, develop a relationship with your local infochant to ensure that you feel comfortable with each other. This goes a long way in getting good info. When you check the background, look for things like criminal record and military service. If it's iffy, don't do it, and don't be afraid to say no. "D" is for Desperation and Death. Do the same information search on your target destination. Find out why it's blockaded and what is there. This is almost crucial to your run because if you know there is too much there to go up against, you know not to even proceed.

Before leaving for the destination, the ship must be checked and rechecked. Small problems that develop with the hyperdrive, sublight engines, weapons and shielding systems, and the main hull itself are simple for a smuggler but can mean the difference between life and death for sure with a blockade runner. Even cargo bay systems like the ramp and loaders must be examined each time to ensure proper operation. Imagine taking a run and the ramp won't open! Main and auxiliary power systems should be tested, keeping an eye out for surges and other power anomalies. If you are blazing full-on through a picket line, and your turbolaser is firing, you better make sure you have enough power to feed all of that before you shut down in mid-combat. Any special systems that you've put on your ship should be checked in harmony with all other systems in as many configurations as possible. Don't trust a mechanic when they tell you "Yeah, it works fine."

En route, keep an eye on your systems. Having droids is a good way to do this, but check things yourself too to make sure the droid isn't on the fritz and giving you false reports on system status. Also be at the ready when you drop out of hyperspace and when you enter it. Plot your course carefully, allowing to drop into a system at the very edge. Before entering hyperspace, check for anyone tracking you.

When you get there, you have options on how to tackle the situation. You can drop in on the edge of the system and weave through the planets and moons to the main target. Or you could plot a course that drops you right in the lap of the blockading force. This is almost too dangerous for obvious reasons, but is the best surprise. Another way is to lurk behind some moon or in some nearby asteroid belt. While there, you can watch for the patterns the blockade force patrols at, and pick the prime time to go in when the force is at it's thinnest. Whichever one you pick doesn't matter as much as making sure you take the minimum of chances you are willing to handle. Overloading yourself will cost you dearly, and in the case of blockade running, overload is around every corner.

Running the blockade is pure hell and a frenzy of nerves. Keeping yourself steel is the best defense against botching a job like this. It's ok if you lose your cool, but you better find it before you blink again. Contrary to popular belief, there is no set type of ships that are used all the time in blockading. With fleet engagements and patrols stepped up in the Outer Rim, the blockade is often whatever the Empire could throw there immediately. In other words, no two blockades are alike.

Getting past an Interdictor cruiser is information that may prove useful more and more. Interdictor cruisers have risen in popularity as a staple of a large blockading force. Though it is still quite random and not that often to run into one, it helps to know in advance if there is one there. Knowing ahead of time can help you figure out some slick maneuvers. First, either fly there yourself in a clean ship or have a friend do it. Enter the system and plead ignorant to knowing the system was under blockade. The Imps will let you go, probably after searching your ship and questioning you for some time. On your way out of the system. Choose a destination that you would like to jump to after the actual run, and plot that course. At the same time, remember to record what escape vector you are traveling on. Once that is done, plot another course wherever else and leave the system. When you get back to your own ship, set the hyperdrive to disable the safety cutoff quickly. When you enter the system again and begin your run, disable the cutoff and feed the navigation coordinates you took from the first visit into the Nav computer. When you're ready to go, the Interdictor will try to keep you from jumping, but with your safety cutoff disabled and your coordinates pre-plotted, you can get away easily. Just cross your fingers - a micro-jump is recommended for this little maneuver. For better detail, go here.

Making the drop is the reason why you're there and must go as fast as possible. Every second you are landed is another second a fighter or other ship is getting closer to you. If you have too much on top of you while you are landed, you will never be able to get off the ground and the enemy will make short work of you. Thankfully, you don't have to plan this part of the run - it should be set up beforehand and ready for your arrival. Unfortunately, you have to rely on the planning skills of the one who hired you. If they are not up to par, you pay for it. Usually, it is best to have a wide open area to land where you can't get boxed in easily. If you are really confident, as your employer to arrange a canyon or similar area. These are easier to hide in, but once caught are much harder to bust out of. While landed, there needs to be a pickup group that will gather the cargo from you ship. It is up to you to devise a way to get the cargo off your ship in record time. The faster the better, but don't break the goods. Some runners will open their cargo ramps and dump the loads in pre-packed blocks out the back in midair while flying low. This is only successful if you pack them with a lot of padding and put them on a rigid platform of some sort. It also doesn't hurt to put a few parachutes on it, depending on the load weight.

Once back, the first thing you need to do is acquire a cold beverage and kick back. Your nerves should be pretty shot at this point (at least on the first few runs). Collecting the remainder or full amount of your pay for the job is recommended too. And always keep your mouth shut about what you just did - others could live for years off the bounty you just racked up.

How does one get these jobs anyway? Most of the time, you will be approached by prospective employers who are seeking the services of a person like yourself. This will only happen if you let the word get around about what you do. A good way to do this is to let the local bartenders, crime bosses, infochants and other similar persons know. After that, you will get offers and it will be up to you to judge the value of the offer. Keep in mind that though battle is almost a given in every single run, some are far more suicidal than others. If you are offered a job that almost ensures your demise, make for damn sure you're getting at least in the middle-six figures for it. Other ways of seeking employment (as this one does) follow along the same lines as smuggling does, so follow their lead and reap the rewards. This part of the process should have some pretty decent output from the GM, not only the player.

For more in-depth discussion on blockade running tactics, see the Ships & Tactics section.

 
 
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This is an original work by Tim "Nealos" Salam.

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