Smuggler’s Den Walkthrough in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

The Smuggler’s Den naval contract in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced sends Edward Kenway to Kingston to break up a Spanish naval blockade. It’s one of the hardest contracts in the game, pitting you against a Man o’ War flanked by a Frigate and smaller support ships. This guide covers every step from finding the contract to destroying the blockade and grabbing the bonus reward.

• TL;DR
• Smuggler’s Den is picked up at Kingston in the Navassa region from a man at the docks
• The objective is to destroy a Spanish naval blockade made up of a Man o’ War, a Frigate, and smaller ships
• Base reward is 2,400 Reales
• Bonus reward of 1,200 Reales for sinking the Frigate with a Mortar shot — total payout is 3,600 Reales
• Open from long range with Mortars to weaken the blockade before getting close
• Damage the smaller ships early but leave one alive to board and repair the Jackdaw if needed
• This is a five-star difficulty contract — have the Jackdaw fully upgraded before attempting it

How to Unlock Smuggler’s Den

Naval contracts unlock after completing This Old Cove in Sequence 4. Once that’s done, head to Great Inagua and speak to Milo van der Graaff at the docks to start A Spanish Plague — the first naval contract. Completing it unlocks the rest across the Caribbean map, including Smuggler’s Den. See the full naval contracts locations guide for a complete list of all 15 contracts and where to find them.

Where to Find Smuggler’s Den – Kingston Location

Smuggler’s Den is located at Kingston, in the Navassa region. Kingston is one of the three major cities in the game and sits in a hard-hitting area of the map. The contract giver is a man standing on the dock where you dock the Jackdaw — easy to spot as soon as you land.

Kingston itself isn’t blocked like Arroyos or Corozal, so you can sail in without a fight. The real challenge comes once you accept the contract and head to the blockade.

Before picking up this contract, make sure the Jackdaw is in good shape. Smuggler’s Den is rated five stars — the maximum difficulty among naval contracts. If you haven’t pushed your ship upgrades far enough yet, the blockade will tear you apart. Check the ship upgrade and customisation guide and the final ship upgrade locations guide to make sure the Jackdaw is as strong as it can be first.

Starting the Smuggler’s Den Contract

Speak to the man at the Kingston docks to accept the job. He’ll brief you: there’s a Spanish blockade that needs breaking, and it’s up to the Jackdaw to take it apart. The contract details:

• Main Objective: Destroy the Spanish blockade
• Base Reward: 2,400 Reales
• Bonus Objective: Sink the Frigate using a Mortar shot
• Bonus Reward: 1,200 Reales
• Total Payout: 3,600 Reales

Repair the Jackdaw at the Harbourmaster before heading out. You don’t want to face a Man o’ War with a battered hull.

The Spanish Blockade – What You’re Facing

The blockade sits south of Kingston. When you sail into the quest area, you’ll find a column of ships waiting:

• 1 x Man o’ War — the heaviest ship in the blockade and your main target
• 1 x Frigate — the medium ship; sink this with a Mortar for the bonus reward
• Smaller support ships (Gunships/Brigs) — weaker but they deal damage if ignored

The Man o’ War is the biggest threat by far. It hits hard and soaks damage. Don’t charge straight at it. The right approach is to stay at distance and work the blockade down systematically before closing in.

How to Destroy the Spanish Blockade

Step 1 – Approach from the South and Stay Outside Detection Range

Sail south to find the blockade column. Position the Jackdaw south of the enemy formation, outside their detection zone. This gives you room to open fire before they can respond. Don’t rush in — a Man o’ War will punish any impatient approach very fast.

Step 2 – Open with Heavy Mortar Bombardment

From long range, open with Mortar fire targeting the ships around the Man o’ War. The goal at this stage is to weaken the smaller ships and chip down the Frigate before engaging at cannon range. Keep the bombardment steady as you slowly close in. The Man o’ War is slow, so you have time to work at range.

The mortar trick guide for legendary ships breaks down exactly how to maximise mortar damage at range — the same approach works perfectly here against a blockade this size.

Step 3 – Damage the Small Ships but Don’t Sink Them All Yet

As you close in, damage the Gunships and smaller vessels to stop them getting cheap shots in while you focus on the big targets. However, keep at least one small ship alive for now. If the Jackdaw takes heavy damage during the fight, you can board that smaller ship to trigger a repair, then return to finish the blockade.

Step 4 – Sink the Frigate with a Mortar Shot for the Bonus

The Frigate is the medium-sized ship in the blockade. To earn the bonus 1,200 Reales, you need to sink it specifically with a Mortar shot. Whittle it down with broadside cannon fire first to get its health low, then switch to Mortars for the killing blow. Don’t accidentally sink it with a broadside volley before you land that Mortar shot — that’s the most common way to miss the bonus.

Step 5 – Finish Off the Man o’ War and Remaining Ships

With the Frigate down, shift full focus to the Man o’ War. Alternate between Mortar fire at distance and broadside cannons when in range. Keep the Jackdaw moving in wide arcs — never stop beside a Man o’ War and trade fire broadside-to-broadside. Circle it, stay mobile, and keep landing hits. Once the Man o’ War goes down, sink whatever’s left and Smuggler’s Den is complete.

Tips for Completing Smuggler’s Den and Getting the Bonus

• Never rush the Man o’ War — open from maximum Mortar range and let the bombardment do work before closing in
• Don’t sink the Frigate by accident — keep it weakened but use a Mortar for the final blow to claim the bonus 1,200 Reales
• Leave one small ship alive as an emergency repair source if the Jackdaw takes heavy damage mid-fight
• Keep moving at all times — a stationary Jackdaw in range of a Man o’ War gets chewed apart fast
• Use Heavy Shot when you close in to maximise hull damage on the big ships
• Max out Mortars and Hull Armor before attempting this — five-star difficulty means under-upgraded ships will struggle badly

Short on resources for upgrades? The Metal and Wood farming guide and the crafting guide will help you stock up fast. You can also check out the legendary ships guide for more Man o’ War combat tips that carry over directly to this fight.

Key Characters in Smuggler’s Den

• Edward Kenway – The playable protagonist tasked with destroying the Spanish naval blockade
• Milo van der Graaff – The merchant behind the naval contract network who wants the blockade eliminated

Other Naval Contracts and Related Guides

Smuggler’s Den is contract #14 out of 15 in AC Black Flag Resynced. Once all 15 are done, The Final Contract unlocks, rewarding the Black Skull Sails (Legendary) and the Handsome Devils Crew Attire (Rare). Here are other guides in the series:

• The Realities of War Walkthrough
• Weathering the Storm Walkthrough
• Driftwood Walkthrough
• Silk on the Waves Walkthrough
• The Law of the Ocean Walkthrough
• A Personal Matter Walkthrough
• Contraband Walkthrough
• Private Escort Walkthrough
• All Naval Contracts Locations Guide

Pick up the game on Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox, or PlayStation Store.

FAQs – Smuggler’s Den Naval Contract in AC Black Flag Resynced