In a large space, split into three teams: the coastguards, the smugglers and the pedlars.
Decide what you’ll use for treasure, such as bouncy balls, coloured counters or pretend coins [glow sticks – have 300 of them!].
Give each team a box or hoop to put their treasure in [will bring buckets]. This’ll be that team’s base. Teams can only add or take treasure from their own base.
The smugglers should stand with their base at one end of the playing space. The pedlars base should be placed at the opposite end of the space to the smugglers. The coastguards should stand with their base in the middle of the smugglers and the pedlars. [Bases: smugglers – by eastern gate to castle compound; peddlers – by western gate to compound; coast guard – round tower]
The aim of this game is for the smugglers to try and get all their treasure to the pedlars’ base. However, the coastguards want to stop them. If the coastguard tags and catches a smuggler or pedlar, the coastguard can put the treasure that the smuggler or pedlar has into their own base.
Tell everyone the ‘treasure limit’. This is the maximum amount of treasure a player can hold at once. This could be one or two counters.
To begin, put all the treasure at the smugglers base.
Smugglers should try to avoid the coastguards and pass their treasure to a pedlar. Once they’ve delivered their treasure to a pedlar (or been caught red-handed by the coastguard) they must return to their base before they can run again. Smugglers can try to help others, for example, by passing on messages or distracting the coastguards.
Pedlars should try to avoid the coastguards when they collect treasure from a smuggler and take it back to their base.
Once a pedlar has taken treasure from one smuggler, they can’t collect treasure from another smuggler on their way back to base, even if they still have some of their treasure limit left. The treasure is safe when it’s back at the pedlar base.
Once a pedlar has put the smuggler’s treasure in their base, the pedlars can continue to collect treasure from other smugglers, one at a time.
Remember, a smuggler can’t add treasure to the pedlar’s base, only pedlars can do this.
Coastguards should patrol the space and try to find and catch smugglers and pedlars red-handed. They can catch a smuggler or pedlar by tagging them. If a coastguard catches a smuggler or a pedlar, the smuggler or pedlar must give all the treasure they’re carrying to the coastguard.
Whoever has the most treasure in their base at the end of the game, wins.
The smugglers and pedlars need to have more treasure in the pedlar base to win or the coastguards need to have more treasure in the coastguard base to win.
It’s possible to play this game without running. You could explain that if the coastguard runs, they’ll alert the smugglers and pedlars, while if the smugglers or pedlars run, they’ll draw too much attention to themselves. Some people may also find it tricky to remember who’s playing what role – you could use bibs or neckers to help people remember the different teams.
