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Old 09-01-2013, 05:42 AM   #21
Ze'Manel Cunha
 
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Default Re: The Act of Smuggling

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Originally Posted by Jinumon View Post
I don't know. There are certainly times when the smugglers aren't aware of what their smuggling, but there are also plenty of times where they ask because they want to know exactly how much trouble their likely to run into. Usually if it's a "no questions asked" kind of job, theirs an additional fee for the smuggler's cooperation. But I would say that a fair portion, even a majority of the time, they do know what they're hauling.
If they know what they're hauling, then they're a potential leak for the producer/retailer, which means that from time to time a "cleaner" will come by to wipe the crew and ship records.

Smart smugglers know this, which is why they accept the risk premium without trying to cash in on something which permanently marks them for elimination, greedy smugglers cash in and then often get "cleaned" up in some dank alley after they drink/shoot up their profits.
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Old 09-01-2013, 10:20 PM   #22
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Default Re: The Act of Smuggling

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Originally Posted by Ze'Manel Cunha View Post
If they know what they're hauling, then they're a potential leak for the producer/retailer, which means that from time to time a "cleaner" will come by to wipe the crew and ship records.

Smart smugglers know this, which is why they accept the risk premium without trying to cash in on something which permanently marks them for elimination, greedy smugglers cash in and then often get "cleaned" up in some dank alley after they drink/shoot up their profits.
The problem is that if they don't know what they are hauling, then it increases the risk. It also might break their own internal rules ("we don't handle guns" or whatever).

For example, they might have a perfect way of smuggling various items, if they know what they are.

Also some items might be difficult to ship without knowing what they are. Perhaps certain types of gems might be harmed by hyperspace drives without proper shieldinig around the gems; and I doubt that your regular insuirance carrior will pay off on smuggled goods.

If the client were a large concern they'd use their own people or proven free-lancers. And it's bad for business to clean your own people or proven free-lancers, unlesss they cross you.
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Old 09-01-2013, 10:41 PM   #23
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Default Re: The Act of Smuggling

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If they know what they're hauling, then they're a potential leak for the producer/retailer, which means that from time to time a "cleaner" will come by to wipe the crew and ship records.
In an RPG, sure. In reality, mostly not. Most drug smugglers and the like have a pretty good idea of what they're carrying. The exceptions generally don't even know for certain that they are smuggling -- they're just merchants who accept that what's on the invoice is what's actually in the container and don't ask questions.
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Old 09-01-2013, 10:51 PM   #24
David Johnston2
 
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Default Re: The Act of Smuggling

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Originally Posted by Ze'Manel Cunha View Post
If they know what they're hauling, then they're a potential leak for the producer/retailer, which means that from time to time a "cleaner" will come by to wipe the crew and ship records.
s.
Honestly the only people who don't know what they are carrying are the patsies. Not knowing precisely what the cargo you are carrying is, doesn't keep people from being able to testify who they got it from after they get caught with it. And if they don't get caught they almost always stand to lose more than the consigner does from running their mouths about it. Now that doesn't mean that J. Random Cargohand needs to know. He fits into the patsy category. But the guy making the deal, he'll know.
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Old 09-01-2013, 11:00 PM   #25
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As a smuggler, if you do not know your cargo then you do not know either what to charge or what contingencies to plan for.

On the first item, charging to smuggle something is all about risk. You need to know how many people are going to be looking out for you, and what tools and resources they can bring to bear - do you worry about drug dogs or metal detectors, are you avoiding border patrol or FBI? You also need to know what will happen to you if you are caught - you will charge more for a potential death sentence than you will for a fine and probation.

On the second item, you need to know what you can and cannot do when things go south. Will it explode under high-g? Or die? If there is a spill or leak, what are my precautions so I can survive?

Now, there are certainly smugglers who do not know these items, and in the best case they are lucky, in the worst case they die. Consider the movie The Transporter, where the protagonist blatantly ignores these issues. Not knowing his first cargo (the girl) he easily could have gotten her killed during a high-speed chase, a WORST CASE scenario for his employer. Not knowing his second cargo (a briefcase bomb) he SHOULD have been killed but for a bit of luck. Should have included those in his rules.

Last edited by cosmicfish; 09-02-2013 at 04:22 PM.
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Old 09-02-2013, 08:44 AM   #26
Ze'Manel Cunha
 
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Default Re: The Act of Smuggling

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Originally Posted by DangerousThing View Post
If the client were a large concern they'd use their own people or proven free-lancers. And it's bad for business to clean your own people or proven free-lancers, unlesss they cross you.
Sure, no issue there, but most smugglers are patsies, the reason they're running things for you is because they're expendable, and you don't want them to have more information than the minimum they need to get the job done.

Your own people, or proven free-lancers are going to take a cut of the action, usually around a third to half.

Retailers typically make a minimum of 30-40%, so

Here's an example of current smuggling:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-20122250.html

In those cases the smugglers are basically taking ownership from wholesalers/retailers in one place and selling to wholesalers/retailers on the other end, in those cases they're running the operation and will net 50-70% of the final retail price, from which they'll have to deduct their initial purchase cost, transportation, housing, lodging, and other expenses.
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Old 09-02-2013, 11:57 AM   #27
Jinumon
 
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Default Re: The Act of Smuggling

Debates about the logistics and protocol of smuggling aside, I'm getting at least a fair number of folks who are saying that it matters less about what you're smuggling, and more about where, and the legality in that region. With that in mind, here's another possible take on risk premiums for smuggling.

(5 - LC) x (Highest CR on route) x G$5,000 + Expenses

Granted, this is going to make it so that smuggling certain substances or to certain places simply isn't worth the cost, but I suppose that isn't necessarily unrealistic. Additionally, you simply can't smuggle things to an area with a CR 0 (anarchy), because no one is going to say "Hey, that's not allowed here!" Although, if it truly is a lawless, violent place, you could simply treat it as freight with additional hazard pay.

Once again, what do you think of the formula? Should the price be raised or lowered? An exponent used in place of simply multipliers?
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Old 09-02-2013, 02:47 PM   #28
sir_pudding
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Default Re: The Act of Smuggling

In most cases smuggled goods aren't illegal, they just have tarriffs, duties or whatever imposed. In those cases the legal price (with the customs costs) is going to be a ceiling for whatever the smuggler can get for it.
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