Cosa Nostra

[ephemeralstability]

A couple of weeks ago I read Mario Puzo's "Godfather". It's a great read and I can recommend it for its grippingness and good plot. I decided to design a game based in the same sort of setting, and I've posted the results of my efforts at http://alchemy.rpgcitadel.com/cosanostra for you to see (it's the first thing I've posted on Alchemy for a good while!).

The game is something like Monopoly and Diplomacy rolled into one, but with large sections of roleplaying each round. I'd be interested in anything anyone has to say about it.

Also, I'm still trying to think of "events cards" (see the link above) so if anyone has any ideas, they'd be much appreciated.

The game's called Cosa Nostra (which means "our interests" in Italian and is a name given to the Mafia-like criminal organisation in the States in which the Godfather is based).

ephe!

[CaptainPenguin]

Sweeeeeeeet.

[Strolen]

You will have to tell us how the game goes. A little confusing on how the cards come into play and such though, but here are some ideas for cards anyway. Not sure if they will fit, modify as needed.

Event Cards:

-Mistaken for somebody that owes money and is roughed up. Now you are owed a favor.

-Truck with needed shipment gets hijacked. Clues lead to it being another family.

-Girlfriend of one of the lower made men squeeled to another person about a job going down. Not sure about him keeping his mouth shut, may have to be helpled making it permanent.

-A construction strike may halt the construction of a new building which is costing money and delaying the profits.

-High chance the FBI is going to plan a raid of one of the high profile establishments. Need to clear the place out ASAP. Capisce?

-One of the made men is suspected of wearing a wire. Got to figure out how to check everybody without them suspecting. Not a good thing to loose trust in your men, or your men knowing about it.

-Civilian witnesses a collection. Needs to be given a little fear so he doesn't ignorantly go to the police with it.

-A civilian family is going out of business due to a rival. Comes to the family to see if he can work a deal to save the business. Is willing to give cashe plus a percentage.

-Meeting place is thought to be compromised. Need to hunt out another place to have the meetings.

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[ephemeralstability]

Thanks! They're great ideas. I'll put them up later.

Sorry if I didn't make it clear how the cards work, I mainly worked out the game mechanics in my head then tried to remember them all when I was writing it down. The cards are drawn at the end of each C-round (the third part of a round which involves the Monopoly-like buying of properties and reaping profits). Each Mafia Don draws a "Mafia Events" card, each Civilian draws a "Civilian Events" card and one "Global Events" card is drawn which affects everybody.

In the following round the cards have their effect: if you were given a card saying "A big man in a fedora keeps coming into your property (if you own one) demanding protection money. He threatens to send in his boys unless you come up with $200 a month." then during the A-round you'd go to the Don of one of the families and put the situation to him and he would try and help you. He'd put in a request for a scene in the acting round when his boys would sort out the nasty man with the fedora and the problem would be solved (except you'd owe the Don a favour). Or the Don may refuse your request because you'd shown yourself to be disloyal. In this case you'd probably have to pay the man $200 at the end of the round. Or you could take it upon yourself to ask for a scene in the acting round and try killing him and his bodyguards yourself. The advantage of going to the mafia is that they've got more gunpower.

Hope that helps clarify things a little. I'd better make that more explicit in the rules...

ephe!