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.