`Godfather’
Gang Warfare Rules
1st Edition
Ilford Wargames Group
Paul Kitcher
1.1 This game is designed for a fun `urban war’ game. It can be used (with weapons changes) to represent gangs in ancient Rome, a medieval setting or a modern city or sci-fi setting. The context is entirely up to the games master who runs the game.
1.2 The object of the game is for gangs of `citizens’ to gain strength and influence in your city, the means by which they do so will not be `legal’. Gangs gain strength by dominating territory, getting new leaders and building reputation by eliminating opposition whether civilian, police or members of other gangs.
2.1 You will need the following equipment to play the game:
2.2 With 15mm figures we recommend groups of about three or four figures, based on a 40mm x 40mm or 30 x 30-movement base. Individual figures could be used in a larger scale – e.g. for 25mm, and several ranges of figures are available that would work well for this.
The terrain for this game needs to be a `city scape’ of at least 16 (4x4) `blocks’. A good rule of thumb is no less than five, and no more than eight blocks per player. All players should start at least two blocks away from their nearest neighbour. The higher the density, the quicker gangs will start to fight each other. Each terrain block should be no smaller than 20 cm per side, and no larger than 36 cm. It should contain a number of buildings three to six is ideal, but one big building will do. Roads between the blocks can be left as bare table or use a black background cloth. Nominate one table edge as North.
The game is divided into turns, and turn sets. Each player moves his units once in a turn with a turn representing a day or more of actions.
Turn `sets’ represent a week of action and can be from 1 to 6 turns (if some weeks are very short it’s because gangs did not bother to get out of bed for several days (remember you are dealing with undisciplined groups here not soldiers). To determine if a turn set has finished turn a D6 is rolled at the end of each turn. If the score on this die is equal to or more than the number of turns since the last `turn set’ ended, the current turn set finishes. If less, then another turn take place. A 6 is therefore required in turn one, a 5 in turn two etc. A `week’ will therefore usually last about 3 to 4 days, but never more than 6.
Each turn draw a card to decide which gang leaders go in which order. If a gang has more than one leader it draws one card per leader these must be assigned face down to the leader before all cards are revealed. Aces move first, then twos etc. If the same card number is in a different colour drawn then precedent is diamond, heart, club, and spade. Jokers can go at any point.
6. Gangs
Each player starts with a number of `gang’ squads or elements. Six squads (or individuals in the case of 25mm game) is a good starting level. Each gang`squad’ (or individual in 25mm) is one of 4 types:
`Prospects’ - (green with 0-9 experience points (xp)),
`Punks’ (regular 10-29 xp),
`Hoods’ (veterans 30 – 59 xp),
`Gangsters’ (elite 60+ xp).
7.1 Your initial gang leader is a `captain’ who is `competent’, and starts the game with 20 experience points (xps). He or she does not have to be present on the street, though a gang element may be designated as having the leader in it. If a gang element includes a leader, it gains a +1 bonus in melee.
7.2 New leaders must be recruited when the gang reaches 12, 24, 36 or 48 elements or figures. The new leader is drawn from the gang hierarchy. The gang element (or figure) that has the highest experience au
7.3 Promoting a leader - example. A gang gains its 24th element. Its current most experience element is a Punk with 25XP. The Punk element looses 12 XP (always round up) and a `Competent’ sergeant with 13XP is created.
8.1 Each game turn the gang leaders roll 2 D6 for the number of action points that he can assign to his `troops’ that turn, he adds to the dice score bonus points for his rank as set out on the table below.
|
(minimum no of elements to qualify) |
Green (0-10XP) |
Competent (11-29XP) |
Veteran (30-59XP) |
Professional 60+ |
|
Boss (8) |
+4 |
+6 |
+8 |
+12 |
|
Captain (6) |
+2 |
+4 |
+6 |
+8 |
|
Lieutenant (4) |
+1 |
+2 |
+4 |
+6 |
|
Sergeant (3) |
0 |
+1 |
+2 |
+4 |
8.2 Action points are used to make up to 4 actions per element in a turn:
· Move once - 1 action point
· Move a second time - 2 action points
· Move a third time - 4 action points
· Shoot or melee another element 0 action points
· Attempting to get into a vehicle (or steal it) 0 action points
· Make a barricade. 6 action points
8.3 Moves are:
· Moving on foot up to 8cm
· Entering or exiting a building or vehicle, or going up or down one floor of a multi story building.
· (if vehicle driver) dropping off or picking up other gang groups
Vehicle moves are 16cm per action.
Vehicle capacities (including the vehicle crew) are:
· Cars 1 element (or 4 figures in 25mm)
· Vans and MPVs 2 elements (or 8 figures)
· Trucks and APCs 3 elements (or 12 figures)
· Buses and large trucks 6 elements (or 24 figures)
This is the core of the game. Gangs gain influence and money by gaining city blocks, troops, cars, establishing illegal businesses and gaining money. To do this they have to eliminate other gangs, and / or police, and intimidate the civilian population into paying tribute (protection).
11.1 When a gang enters a block for the first time roll a D6 and a D4 die. The D6 is the number of civilians elements prepared to stand up for their rights and defend it (many more live or work there but most of these are regular citizens who do not want to get involved). The D4 is the number of vehicles present in the square that are unsupervised.
11.2 Civilians. Roll a die again for each element to determine type.
· 1-4 unarmed civilians. Dice again for 1 element only – a 6 is a `prominent citizen’. (When / if that element is killed or taken hostage the umpire may dice for a police raid)
· 5, civilian militia equipped with Assault Rifles (AR) (these are survivalists who count the same as gang `punks’)
· 6 police.
11.3 Police.
Dice again for police equipment
11.4 Vehicles
Dice also for vehicles
11.4 Location
For all elements, dice further to determine their location in the square. Each square is sub divided into a 6 x 6 box. Two d6 for the grid location of each element in the block. D1 1=North to 6 South. D number 2, 1 = West, to 6 East.
12.1 The gang then moves against the defenders. After each gang turn in which a defender is eliminated, roll a D6. If the die roll is higher than the number of elements still defending the block the remaining civilians are removed from play (surrender control of the square), and police return to base. Umpires may wish to pre determine what is in each block and where before games start.
12.2 Shooting. To hit a target requires the following score on a D6. Firing is by line of sight.
A 6 by prospects (1-10 xp) or green survivalists
A 5 by punks (10-30 xp) or regular police elements
A 4 by hoods (30 – 60 xp) or veteran police
A 3 by and gangsters (elite 60+ xp)
|
Weapon |
Cost |
Strike VS Foot |
Strike Vs Vehicles |
Shots |
Range |
|
Low tech assault rifle cost (LTAR |
200 (400 with support) |
0 |
0 |
1, 2 with support |
Line of sight |
|
High tech assault rifle |
300/600 |
1 |
1 |
1,2 with support |
Line of sight |
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SMG |
500 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
30cm |
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RPG |
400 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
Line of sight |
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HMG |
1000 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
Line of sight |
|
Close combat |
0 |
+1 |
+1 |
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Melee |
|
TASER (Police) |
Close Combat |
+2 |
Taser is non-lethal, and reflects police attempts to arrest gangs. | ||
14.1 Weapons strike value are added to a D6 die roll. If the score is higher than the Defence value of the target it is eliminated in the case of elements on foot elements, damaged in the case of vehicles. The defence value of troops is as follows:
|
|
In the open, no armour. |
In soft cover or in open with light armour+ |
In light buildings or wearing heavy armour* |
In heavy buildings |
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Infantry |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
|
Cars, trucks, buses & lorries. |
6 |
6 |
- |
- |
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SWAT |
8 Front |
7 flank |
7 Rear |
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+ Police default level is 6, (cost 200 for gangs). * Police in riot or SWAT gear (cost 500 for gangs). | ||||
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14.2 Effect of damage on vehicles. Roll one D6
· 1- vehicle and occupants out of action for 1 turn
· 2- vehicle cannot move
· 3- vehicle weapon disabled (attacker’s choice)
· 4- vehicle permanently disabled (occupant escapes with 1 suppression – see 14.3)
· 5- vehicle permanently disabled (occupant wounded – die to save see 16)
· 6 - Vehicle explodes killing occupants.
14.3 Suppression. Foot elements hit but not killed (or escaping from a damaged vehicle) are suppressed. If an element is suppressed 4 times, it is eliminated. Suppressed elements may move no closer to the enemy, they may still fire weapons and will defend themselves but have combat penalties.
14.4 Recovering from suppression. Elements recover from up to one suppression each turn by rolling one D6. To recover they need:
15.1 Melee is either element by element, or two or more elements against one. The attacking player decides on who fights whom. A melee is decided by each player rolling one-die roll per element involved, plus or minus grading or special weapons.
|
|
Prospect |
Punk / Regular |
Hood / Veteran |
Gangster / Elite |
|
Melee bonus |
-1 |
0 |
+1 |
+2 |
|
Close combat weapon |
+1 |
+1 |
+1 |
+1 |
|
TASER |
+1 |
+1 |
+1 |
+2 if elite paramilitary, otherwise +1 |
|
Defending a building |
+1 D6 |
+1D6 |
+1D6 |
+2D6 |
15.2 The difference between the two elements is the number of hits scored on the opposition. Each hit is then diced for to determine effect. The defence factor in melee is:
15.3 To attempt to convert hits into kills a die is rolled for each hit. If equal to or more than the element’s armour factor, the element is killed. If under the armour factor, it is suppressed. Four suppressions also eliminate an element, but units suppressed in this way in melee are immediately returned to their HQ (they have been beaten up and have run away and will become available again at the beginning of the next turn set).
16. Saving Throws.
16.1 When elements are `eliminated’ through shooting, melee, or escaping a badly damaged (score 5) vehicle, players may dice for saves immediately. There is no saving roll for die roll 6 vehicles.
Wounded or stunned elements in close combat with police are arrested and sent to the nearest police station).
16.2 A medic may attempt a further save on any element failing its save roll. 6 = saved if green medic, 5/6 for trained, 4/5/6 for veteran. All saved elements loose all weapons except their close combat weapons and are treated instead as `wounded’.
17.1 Roll 1 D3 for new recruits. All new elements are prospects. 0 XP.
17.2 Dice for each new element for specials D6 – 6 = special.
17.3 Hot wiring vehicles may attempt to `hot wire’ any vehicle found. D6 – 6 is successful for green , 5 for punks, 4 for hoods, 3 for gangsters. Mechanics count one grade higher.
17.4 Block ownership goes to the gang who eliminates the last civilian `resistance’ in that block. It remains in the ownership of that gang until the next admin turn in which all gang members in that block belong to another gang who declares control.
17.5 Disputed blocks. Deduct 50 cr from income for every hostile gang stand in the block. (N.b. income cannot be negative).
17.6 Hostages. If a gang eliminates a `prominent citizen’ stand in melee it may elect to take them hostage instead of getting a ‘kill’. Hostages can be used to extract a ransom from the city or hostage’s family, but it must be done quickly before the police work out where the hostage is. The gang has three turns in which to do this. Roll a D6 at the end of each of each of those three turns.
A 6 is needed in turn one, a 5 in turn 2, and a 4 or higher in turn 3.
If this die score is achieved the hostage crisis ends. The ransom paid will be 1D6 x 1000cr less 500cr x number of turns held.
18.1 At the end of a turn set calculate:
a) cash income
b) experience
18.3 Cash income is:
18.4 Gangs may then use cash for a number of purposes, and in the following order.
a) Paying their Gang members. 20 cr per element, per level, and 20cr per leader per level. Any gang elements not paid desert the gang.
b) Bailing captured elements. 100 to bail prospects, 200 for punks, 300 for hoods and 500 for gangsters. All bailed elements loose their weapons. For each gang element not bailed loose 1 XP for all elements in the gang
c) Buying weapons and armour.
d) Building Gang businesses
19. Experience
19.1 Experience is awarded to elements as follows:
20.2 Experience is awarded to the gang leader:
1 for every 500 cr collected that week
The Gang Boss get no die roll. Subordinate commanders get a D4 experience each game day.
20. Establishing Gang Businesses
20.1 These represent organised illegal activities such as fencing stolen goods, selling drugs, or running illegal gambling etc. They are expensive to establish but profitable once going. Only one may operate in a block. The building that the business is in must be nominated and marked.
20.2 A business costs 1000 cr to start. Each set of game moves after its set up it generates 2D6 x 100 cr in income. There are also extra risks and rewards encountered if a double is rolled on the income dice (as follows):
At the end of each turn set, roll a D6 per square held. A recruit element (0xp) is generated if a score of 3 to 5 is rolled, a roll of 6 gives two. Grade as in section 17.2.
22.1 New leaders must be recruited when the gang reaches 12, 24, 36 or 48 elements or figures, but may be recruited earlier. Leaders can also be promoted if they have more than the minimum number of elements for that leader (e.g. 6 for a captain). If they drop below the number of elements needed for the grade below (e.g. if a captain drops below 4), they are downgraded at the beginning of the next day. All characters drop 1 competency level when promoted e.g. a competent captain becomes a green boss.
22.2 Brand new leaders are drawn from the gang hierarchy. The gang element (or figure) that has the highest experience becoming a new `sergeant’. In the process, this element looses half of its experience points.
22.3 Promoting a leader - example. A gang gains its 24th element. The current most experience element is a Punk with 25XP. The Punk element looses 12 XP (always round remaining half points up) and a `competent’ sergeant with 13XP is created.
23.1 The aim of the police (played by the umpire) is to harass and arrest gang members. Whenever a police `squad’ is generated, they move towards the nearest gang squad in the block. If they cannot reach it to arrest, they will move to a position where they can shoot. If there is more than one gang in a block police will move against the gang that has the most elements in the block, then the biggest gang overall, then if two gangs are, still equal the richest one.
23.2 Police Equipment
23.3 An Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), Wheeled or tracked, (8 frontal armour, 7 side armour 7 rear armour) Allowed if 2 or more SWAT elements are in play at the same time. It will start from where the second element is based. Its capacity is three police elements (+ 1 to drive) & it is armed with twin machine guns (MGs).
24. Police Raids
The Umpire begin to dice at the end of a turn set when any gang reaches 12 elements or more, or a prominent citizen is killed. A 6 is required first turn set, a 5 the second etc. The Police roll a D 6 and raid:
Raid is 2D6 elements of Police plus any other police elements currently in play. Type as for random police. If 2 SWAT are present then an APC is available.
25. Eliminating Gangs
Gangs are eliminated if they are physically wiped out and have no HQ to `regenerate’ or no casualties have regenerated, or they cannot pay their gang members.
Tot up the following:
The leader of the gang that has the highest points total becomes the city `Godfather’.
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Element / Equipment |
Green ----10> |
Punk--20----> |
Hood--30-> |
Hood ----> 60 |
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(this sheet may be photocopied for personal use)