 Smuggling Category/Types, The kinds of smuggling. |
  |
 Oct 6 2006, 04:14 PM
Post
#1
|
|
|
Moving Target  Group: Members Posts: 113 Joined: 16-October 03 Member No.: 5,725  |
I've been working on the local network of smugglers.
It was easy to write down these categories of smuggling activities. (Some are obviously broad categories that cascade into sub-types by smuggler.) Taxed Goods (imported/sold without governmental taxation or regulation) Restricted Goods (dangerous chemicals or substances not covered by Drugs or WMD, weapons or drug/chemical manufacturing machinery or paraphenalia). Drugs -- Illegal Drugs -- Legal (but used/sold illegally) Medical Gear -- Regulated/Not Publicly Available Magical Gear -- High Ratings BTLs Lock Picking Equipment (mechanical), Electronics (computers, cyberdecks, electronic mag lock pickers, cred stick forging electronics, etc.) Cyberwear Organs Drones Vehicles Gold (metals) Diamonds (gems) Antiquities/Art Real Food Rare/Endangered Animals Slaves Immigrants Weapons/Armor Explosives and Gear WMD (NBC equipment and materials) I've got a brain freeze after the above. Can anyone think of anything else? |
 |
 
|
|
Oct 6 2006, 06:29 PM
Post
#2
|
|
|
Uncle Fisty Group: Admin Posts: 13,891 Joined: 3-January 05 From: Next To Her Member No.: 6,928 |
zombies
seriously If you can, pick up Target:Smuggler Havens. It's a good book, with some good information on a bunch of locations, including New Orleans and Vladivostak, and has an actual map of smuggling routes. It's a good book. Little commodities like sugar and salt can also go to places that are without, like Trans-Aleut. |
|
|
|
|
Oct 6 2006, 08:40 PM
Post
#3
|
|||
|
Bushido Cowgirl Group: Members Posts: 5,782 Joined: 8-July 05 From: On the Double K Ranch a half day's ride out of Phlogiston Flats Member No.: 7,490 |
...and the subset: Cyberzombies. Also: Mercenaries Shadowrunners Abductees (for ransom, "arranged" marriages, etc.) Drop Bears Nerps |
||
|
|
|
||
|
Oct 6 2006, 09:08 PM
Post
#4
|
|||
|
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,213 Joined: 10-March 02 From: Back from the abyss. Member No.: 2,316 |
All that plus everything else in the world. There is a market for everything if you look hard enough. I mean who would smuggle boats? but in the Phillipens because of the Japanese limitations on boat ownership, because of piracy boats are worth a lot, motors alone are worth a lot. If it is availible in one place it will be desired in places its not availible. Medical gear even aspirin or clean bandages are sought after in places like africa where that stuff isnt commonly availible. ou say real food, what about soy food in war torn places that dont have farmers any more because they are all fighting for warlords or being shoot for not being on one side or another or for being on one side or another. Hell I bet many of them are shot and killed for no appearent reason. Its just a matter of finding what is wanted where and what is availible where, then figure out if its worth the time and effort. Even today things are stolen and smuggled across state lines today and a lot. EDIT: And if you are going to break down smuggling, you have basically only a few types, drugs, weapons, people, money and everything else. Drugs, money and weapons usually go hand in hand, people are sometimes smuggled and as part of their payment to the smugglers they will be mules for drugs. Everything else falls under everything else. |
||
|
|
|
||
|
Oct 6 2006, 09:18 PM
Post
#5
|
|
|
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 498 Joined: 31-May 02 From: All the way in the Back to the Left. Member No.: 2,800 |
You forgot plums.
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 6 2006, 09:19 PM
Post
#6
|
|||
|
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,213 Joined: 10-March 02 From: Back from the abyss. Member No.: 2,316 |
I moved to boxers. |
||
|
|
|
||
|
Oct 6 2006, 09:19 PM
Post
#7
|
|||||
|
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 498 Joined: 31-May 02 From: All the way in the Back to the Left. Member No.: 2,800 |
You would. |
||||
|
|
|
||||
|
Oct 6 2006, 09:54 PM
Post
#8
|
|
|
Immoral Elf Group: Members Posts: 15,247 Joined: 29-March 02 From: Grimy Pete's Bar & Laundromat Member No.: 2,486 |
The only magical gear you mention is listed as 'high rating', yet there is always a call for any sort of item that could be used in the enchanting process. Foci of all Ratings, and Talisma of all types, and in all stages of development, would be ripe pickings for smugglers, as that sort of cargo is usually on the small scale, both in size and weight, so they can fit more in on each trip.
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 6 2006, 11:43 PM
Post
#9
|
|
|
Uncle Fisty Group: Admin Posts: 13,891 Joined: 3-January 05 From: Next To Her Member No.: 6,928 |
Wasn't that the basis of one of the modules? Guy goes down to Amazonia on a smuggling run for telesma, and ends up getting nabbed by ant spirits?
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 7 2006, 01:56 AM
Post
#10
|
|||
|
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 113 Joined: 16-October 03 Member No.: 5,725 |
I was categorizing zombies with paranormal critters under "rare/endangered" animals. I'll dig out Target: Smuggler's Havens. (Beep, at the tone, please leave a message, because nobody's home right now, beep.) Are sugar and salt illegal in the Trans-Aleut, or so heavily taxed as to make smuggling profitable vs. whatever the risk was? (Stop! Put down the sugar or we'll open fire!) Is sugar even available except to the wealthy in 2050+? I just have trouble imagining someone smuggling in barrels of vat-sugar somewhere. |
||
|
|
|
||
|
Oct 7 2006, 02:09 AM
Post
#11
|
|||||
|
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 113 Joined: 16-October 03 Member No.: 5,725 |
Smuggling for cyberzombies? Are that there many in 2055/2056+ that they've become commodity items? ("Hey, chummer, load another six-pack of them cyberzombies in the truck and run 'em past the Tir border guard. And be quick about it!")
People in general, check. (I didn't think past slaves and immigrants. D'oh!) Some of that I would classify as actual shadowrun mission work, but there could be specialized "transporters" who received the "goods" at the end of a run for movement to another destination on the sly. |
||||
|
|
|
||||
|
Oct 7 2006, 02:16 AM
Post
#12
|
|||||
|
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 113 Joined: 16-October 03 Member No.: 5,725 |
That's a basic law of trade. There needs to be "illegal" in there somewhere for smuggling to come into play.
But one smuggler will usually not move "everything else", nor is that a helpful NPC note. (Glances down during game play at written notes. "Smuggles everything else". Followed by an on the spot brain-freeze on the part of the GM, namely me.) |
||||
|
|
|
||||
|
Oct 7 2006, 02:18 AM
Post
#13
|
|||
|
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 113 Joined: 16-October 03 Member No.: 5,725 |
Are any of those things illegal to obtain, own/possess, or transport? (Other than high rating gear at 3 or above.) |
||
|
|
|
||
|
Oct 7 2006, 02:34 AM
Post
#14
|
|||||||
|
Bushido Cowgirl Group: Members Posts: 5,782 Joined: 8-July 05 From: On the Double K Ranch a half day's ride out of Phlogiston Flats Member No.: 7,490 |
...in some places CZs might be, especially when you know you're going agianst really tough oppos (like the TT Paladins) As to smuggling Runners, had to do it a lot sice our teams frequently had cross border ops. Somehow KK didn't really feel comfortable stowing her force 3 WF in checked baggage and our sammie hummed so loud, he would never make it past an airport termnal's front entrance. [edit...see later post] |
||||||
|
|
|
||||||
|
Oct 7 2006, 02:34 AM
Post
#15
|
|
|
Immoral Elf Group: Members Posts: 15,247 Joined: 29-March 02 From: Grimy Pete's Bar & Laundromat Member No.: 2,486 |
Not all smugglers, or even smuggler rings, have steady cargo manifests. Sometimes they just might be asked to do that one-off 'cyberzombie run', or 'medicine drop', or even a certain type of food to a location that is currently under embargo (or blackade), especially when other types of regular cargo runs are not readily available at that particular time. This type of thing can be a catch-as-catch-can business at times, while other times might bring months of steady work shipping a solid and unchanging cargo.
In other words, it is possible for absolutely anything to be present on a smuggler's manifest at any particular time. Everything we can think of in in short supply somewhere in the world, and where any kind of demand exists, people will be hired to transport those goods, whatever they may be. |
|
|
|
|
Oct 7 2006, 02:36 AM
Post
#16
|
|||
|
Bushido Cowgirl Group: Members Posts: 5,782 Joined: 8-July 05 From: On the Double K Ranch a half day's ride out of Phlogiston Flats Member No.: 7,490 |
...including Drop Bears |
||
|
|
|
||
|
Oct 7 2006, 02:38 AM
Post
#17
|
|||
|
Immoral Elf Group: Members Posts: 15,247 Joined: 29-March 02 From: Grimy Pete's Bar & Laundromat Member No.: 2,486 |
Especially Drop Bears, but don't tell anyone I said that. |
||
|
|
|
||
|
Oct 7 2006, 02:52 AM
Post
#18
|
|
|
Uncle Fisty Group: Admin Posts: 13,891 Joined: 3-January 05 From: Next To Her Member No.: 6,928 |
eeeexceelent.... another convert. One IE down... so many more to go
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 7 2006, 03:21 AM
Post
#19
|
|
|
Immoral Elf Group: Members Posts: 15,247 Joined: 29-March 02 From: Grimy Pete's Bar & Laundromat Member No.: 2,486 |
Not a convert. Just conceding a basic, and much-regrettable fact that Drop Bears, while definitely a menace to society, are still an valid cargo for any self-respecting, but unknowing smuggler. Of course, he'd just be stupid to take the job if he knew the nature of the cargo in advance. :P :grinbig:
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 7 2006, 03:54 AM
Post
#20
|
|
|
Uncle Fisty Group: Admin Posts: 13,891 Joined: 3-January 05 From: Next To Her Member No.: 6,928 |
reminds me of my favorite smuggling run: transporting a vacuum sealed case w/ a vampire in it, unaware of the nature of the cargo. That was good times.
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 7 2006, 04:21 AM
Post
#21
|
|||||||
|
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,213 Joined: 10-March 02 From: Back from the abyss. Member No.: 2,316 |
There only needs to be an "illegal" in there after the fact. Its not illegal to own a TV/Trido in Seattle, but if I go to the Phillipeens and buy the "Electronics" from there from the pirates for 50% the cost of living of Seattle then take it to Seattle and sell it at 80% the cost of living in Seattle then I made 30% profit. The only law I technically broke was tariff laws. Its not illegal to own a trideo and its not illegal to sell a trideo, but what I did do illegally was buy a stolen trideo then smuggle it into a country for sale and not pay tariffs or customes dues. Another example of this is the water wars in CalFree, the only "laws" broken are the theft of the water then the illegal transportation of that "stolen" property to SoCal to sell. If you go with purely smuggling, of course there are also the possible shoot outs with police or the other smugglers. And when I broke down those categories I was speaking in a general legal way. If the customes agents are keeping notes on the smuggler and his habits they arent going to list all the stuff hes smuggled. They will list what his main cash cows are. If hes mainly a gun runner thats what they are going to treat him as, but if hes a Trideo smuggler he will be on a different priority list for arrest. And its a bit silly to break a guys smuggling record down to the very minute. If the guy smuggles chances are hes going to smuggle anything he can or is paid to smuggle. Unless hes got a "code" he follows. Moving "everything else" doesnt mean hes doing it all at once. But hes going to move it all at various times. But in general the specializations that I outlined is what smugglers are generally broken down into. Besides why would everything else be that bad? What the the notes on the guys note would be is less important then the route he runs. Most smugglers specialize in a route. You arent going to have a guy thats a flesh smuggler on the Atzlan/Pueblo boarder also be a telasma smuggler in NoCal. Or a rum runner in southern Florida. I think if you really want to break smuggling down into a categories, just use the cost of living list in the books. |
||||||
|
|
|
||||||
|
Oct 7 2006, 04:39 AM
Post
#22
|
|
|
Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,598 Joined: 15-March 03 From: Hong Kong Member No.: 4,253 |
Another way to do it would be to list how 'hot' each item on the list is to move across a certain border. Then, you can rate smugglers on the level os 'hotness' that they can or will move across the border.
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 7 2006, 05:03 AM
Post
#23
|
|
|
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,213 Joined: 10-March 02 From: Back from the abyss. Member No.: 2,316 |
I use to have maps of the world with "trade" lines drawn on it and the CoL as a legend and colored lines drawing these "trade routes" around the globe. Basically what was cheap in one spot and exspensive in another. I used the fluff in the books but mostly used the CoL charts as a guide. Depending on what route the smuggler was on that was what he was most likely to be transporting. But that doesnt exclude transporting other things. It was just a general guideline.
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 7 2006, 07:40 AM
Post
#24
|
|||
|
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 619 Joined: 18-April 03 From: The UV Nexus Member No.: 4,474 |
Smuggling also occurs to avoid quotas, taxes, and import duties. Then there is money laundering. Money is not illegal. Keeping the gubmints nose out of it is. Gun running can fall into the same category. Depends on the gun. Sometimes, people smuggle to avoid all the red tape. The last time I went through customs in Miami, they were concentrating on people smuggling tropical birds. Birds aren't illegal. Importing without a license is illegal. Avoiding the quarantine is illegal. Etc. |
||
|
|
|
||
|
Oct 7 2006, 09:56 AM
Post
#25
|
|||||
|
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,213 Joined: 10-March 02 From: Back from the abyss. Member No.: 2,316 |
Not completely true about flora and fauna there De, we have laws about animals being smuggled into our country for a reason other then tarrifs and diseases. We do it so our ecosystems dont get fucked. Right now in my state the japanese Snakehead fish was illegally imported then dumped nto our water ways. These are very nasty predatory fish that can if left unchecked destroy our fisheries. So far that hasnt happened but the DNR is keeping as close an eye as they can on our water ways. The Japanese oyster (I forget its official and scienttific name) has also damaged our Oyster beds. New Orlean was over run with Nutreia. They were purposely introduced but their numbers vastly out grew their usefullness since their is no natural predator of them in the states. Austrailia is over run with rabbits for the same reason, the British wanted to hunt them. But rabbits breed like, well, rabbits and now there all over the place. Flora and Fauna shouldnt be smuggled and are illegal for those reasons, not taxes. EDIT: The bird thing is more then likely because of the Avian Flu scare, and we cant control other countries quarentines, so we do that ourselves to avoid diseases from coming over. Much like the ban on imported beef from certain countries during all the Mad Cow scares. EDIT2: And some countries ban things on principal and that too can lead to smuggling. I forget the country that did it. But America sent a bunch of wheat to help with hunger reliefe. When the leader of that country found out that wheat was genetically altered, he blocked its import. He feels that genetically altered food is to dangerous to humans to eat. Which is another thing countries are banning recently. Plants are banned much like animals because of the same reasons. But plants are also now carrying the genetic factor. You cant really tell the difference between wheat and genetically altered wheat like you can tell one plant from another. A few countries think that genetically altered plants will out grow and kill other flora because of their genetic alterations which will then cause ecosystem failures. So certain food products are now being banned which has lead to food shortages in some third world countries. |
||||
|
|
|
||||
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 29th April 2024 - 01:27 PM |
Topps, Inc has sole ownership of the names, logo, artwork, marks, photographs, sounds, audio, video and/or any proprietary material used in connection with the game Shadowrun. Topps, Inc has granted permission to the Dumpshock Forums to use such names, logos, artwork, marks and/or any proprietary materials for promotional and informational purposes on its website but does not endorse, and is not affiliated with the Dumpshock Forums in any official capacity whatsoever.