Gangster (1994) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Goal of the Game
• Before Playing
• Starting Money
• Start of the Game
• Gameplay
• The Game in 3 Steps
  • Step 1: Amass Money
  • Step 2: Make the Purchase Offer
  • Step 3: Calculate All Assets
  • The Winner
  • Tie Breaker
• General Instructions
• Spaces and Cards (Alphabetical Order)
  • Aventure
  • Collecte
  • Course
  • Échange
  • Enchère
  • Expert
  • Mission
  • Passage
  • Protection
  • Recrutement
  • Refuge
  • Vendeur
  • Perle
• Reference Table of Values
• Contents of the Game

Goal of the Game

Accumulate the money needed to buy the district and become the new Godfather.

Before Playing

• Place the game board on the table.
• Shuffle the cards of each category well and place them within everyone's reach, face down.
• Each player chooses a pawn and places it on the Refuge space of the game board. This is the starting space.
• Assign the role of banker to a volunteer player. Hand over the money to them; they are in charge of monetary transactions.

Starting Money

Each player begins the game with 3,000 $. Divide the money as follows:

• 1 bill of 1,000 $;
• 3 bills of 500 $;
• 5 bills of 100 $.

Start of the Game

Each player rolls one die. The player who rolls the highest result begins the game.

Gameplay

• All players begin the game on the Refuge space.
• Players take turns, moving clockwise; pawn movement on the game board must follow the same direction.
• Roll 1 die and advance your pawn the number of spaces matching the number obtained, then follow the instructions of the spaces.
• Accumulate as much money as possible.

The Game in 3 Steps

Step 1: Amass Money

Amass money as quickly as possible to buy the district.

Required sums:

• 2 players: 60,000 $
• 3 players: 50,000 $
• 4 players: 40,000 $
• 5 players: 35,000 $
• 6 players: 32,500 $

For a shorter game, subtract 10,000 $ from these amounts.

Step 2: Make the Purchase Offer

When it is your turn, if you have the necessary money and wish to make an offer to buy the district, you must announce it to the other players. This signals that the end of the game is near. When you return to the Refuge space (or pass it), the game ends. You must play your last space, whether or not you still have the necessary money. You may not claim the amounts of the Refuge space unless you land on it directly. In that case, you claim only 500 $.

Step 3: Calculate All Assets

Pearls and diamonds: Calculate the total value of the pearls and diamonds you have not sold. Divide this amount by two and round it up to the next hundred. Claim this amount from the bank.

Dossier cards: Pay 2,500 $ for each Dossier card in your possession.

Cash: All that remains is to count your cash and add everything together.

The Winner

The Godfather hands control of his district to the gangster who gives him the most money, whether or not that player made the purchase offer.

Tie Breaker

To determine the future Godfather, all gangsters tied for the most money must count the number of men in their service. The gangster who has recruited the greatest number of men becomes the new Godfather.

General Instructions

Bank: Game cards that do not already belong to a player are the property of the bank. When you buy a game card (Pearl, Diamond or Protection cards), or pay a fine (Justice cards) or a collection (Collecte cards), the bank pockets the money. In addition, all amounts you collect are handed to you by the bank (Expert, Course, Aventure, Mission, Vol, Refuge), unless stated otherwise.

Rounding: When a situation calls for rounding an amount, always round up to the next hundred. For example, half of 900 $ is 500 $.

Cards: The game cards are divided into 12 categories. Some cards must be played as soon as they are drawn, while others will be used during the game, or even only at the end. During play, cards are placed face down on the table. Each card is used only once. Follow the instructions on the cards. When a card has been used, it goes back under its deck, face up. When all the cards of a deck have been played (deck exhausted), shuffle the cards again and continue.

At all times, your opponents have the right to know exactly how many cards you own and which categories they belong to, as well as the total amount of cash you have accumulated.

Confidential cards: The text of Dossier, Recruitment, Course, Protection, Aventure (starred) and Mission (starred) cards must remain confidential.

Public cards: To make the game more interactive, it is advised to read aloud the text of the following cards: Aventure (without a star), Mission (without a star), Collecte, Banque, Commerce and Justice.

Cards marked with a star: Cards marked with a star cannot be played on the spot. Read them secretly and keep them for later.

Double spaces: The game board has several double spaces that offer players two options. Players must announce the option they choose before taking any action. The types of double spaces are: Expert or Vendeur; Mission or Recrutement; Aventure or Vol; Course or Échange; and Échange or Protection.

Tip: You now know the basic rules. You are ready to play. Read the instructions of the Refuge space and start a game; then, read as you go the section that relates to each new space discovered.

Spaces and Cards (Alphabetical Order)

Note that the shaded sections are the instructions of each space. The text that follows each shaded section concerns the rules of the space and the cards that may be related to it.

Aventure

An event upsets your plans, in a positive or negative way. Take an Aventure card to find out what it is.

If your card is marked with a star, tell all players, and it is immediately the next player's turn. You may not play the card on the spot. Read it secretly and keep it for later. Your turn is over. If the card has no star, read its text aloud and follow the instructions written on it. If the card does not concern you, simply put it back under the deck, face up.

Note that you may not play more than two Aventure cards during the same turn of play.

Collecte

You arrive nose to nose with the Godfather and his men. He claims his fair share of your accumulated gains in his district. Count your cash only and follow the directions below.

If you have:

• from 1,000 $ to 5,000 $: pay 100 $;
• from 5,001 $ to 10,000 $: pay 500 $;
• 10,001 $ and more: take a Collecte card.

Pay the amount demanded to the bank, or return a Protection card to avoid taking a Collecte card.

Course

The Godfather offers free tickets for the next horse race at his racetrack. Take two Course cards and give one card to the other players, following the order of play. Put the remaining cards back in place until the next distribution.

The race begins when the last card has been distributed. The player who landed on the space and caused the exhaustion of the cards must roll 2 dice and add the two numbers obtained... That is the number of the winning horse! The owner of the winning horse claims the amount indicated from the bank. After the race, the cards are shuffled again and a pile is formed for the next race.

Échange

You may, if you wish, make an exchange with any player. You may exchange a pearl or a diamond. The player cannot refuse, but may shuffle their cards before letting you choose one at random. Note that you may only exchange identical items (diamond for diamond or pearl for pearl). The choice is yours!

Enchère

You arrive at the venue of an auction sale. As you are the first to arrive, you are given the choice between a pearl and a diamond. The starting bid is 300 $.

Auctions consist of publicly selling the item to the highest bidder. The real value of the item for sale must never be revealed to the players. All players may buy the item by making a verbal offer; they may also outbid a rival player. As soon as there is an offer, count to 5 at the speed of seconds. Once the 5 seconds have elapsed, if no higher offer has been made, the player wins the auction and takes hold of the item. He pays the amount to the bank. Players are strictly forbidden to make offers that exceed the amount of their liquid assets.

Expert

You meet an expert specialized in evaluating pearls and diamonds. He agrees to buy one or two items from you, but never two identical items (two pearls or two diamonds). The bank pays the amount indicated for each item. The other players must witness the evaluation prices.

Mission

A wealthy businessman offers you the chance to make some money. You have the choice of taking a Mission card or carrying out a mission you already possess.

Don't forget to recruit a few men before carrying out a mission, and count yourself as one man. If the card is marked with a star, tell all players, and it is immediately the next player's turn. You may not play the card on the spot. Read it secretly; you may be able to play it when you land on a Mission space again.

If the card has no star, read its text aloud and follow the instructions written on it.

Passage

On seeing the Godfather and his men, you quickly descend into the sewers. Roll 3 dice and add the total to find out what happens to you.

• 3 to 7: You fall directly back on the Godfather and his men. Follow the instructions of the Collecte space.
• 8 to 12: Oops! You take a path full of adventures. Immediately take an Aventure card and play it.
• 13 to 18: Wow! You find a secret passage! Go to the free space of your choice and play it, except the Refuge space. (You cannot claim the Refuge amount, even if you pass through it.)

Protection

You meet a cousin of the Godfather. He offers you his protection against a Godfather collection for the sum of 500 $. If you wish, pay the amount to the bank and take a Protection card.

These cards protect you against a Godfather collection only if you have liquid assets over 10,000 $. Return a Protection card to avoid taking a Collecte card. (Collecte cards strip you of an average of 2,300 $.) A player may own several Protection cards; there is no maximum. A player may only buy one card at a time.

Recrutement

You have the opportunity to recruit men to work within your organization. Take a Recruitment card.

Recruitment cards show one, two or three men. The more you accumulate during the game, the more paying missions you will be able to carry out. Don't forget to count yourself as one man, since you are part of the organization too.

Important: You do not have to return your Recruitment cards when you carry out a mission.

Refuge

The Refuge is the starting space for all players. Each time you pass this space, you collect 100 $ per man in your service. If you stop directly on the Refuge space, add 500 $.

The men in your service come from the Recruitment cards you accumulate throughout the game. Remember that you always count as one man in your organization.

Note that it is too late to claim the money if the next player has already rolled the die (within a reasonable delay).

Vendeur

You meet an itinerant dealer who wishes to sell you an item for 500 $. You must choose between a pearl and a diamond. You do not know the real value of the item before buying it.

This is an excellent opportunity to get rich!

Perle

There are 24 pearls of variable quality, with values ranging from 100 $ to 7,500 $.

Diamant

There are 24 diamonds of variable quality, with values ranging from 100 $ to 10,000 $.

Never reveal to the other players the value of your pearls and diamonds.

Vol

A dangerous opportunity presents itself to you. Roll a die to find out what it is.

After rolling the die, you may choose to give up committing the theft; if so, your turn is over. If you decide to attempt the theft, take the card according to the result of the die.

• 1 to 4: Commerce. Robbing a shop yields on average 1,600 $. The risk of being caught and taking a Justice card is 1 in 3.
• 5 and 6: Banque. Robbing a bank yields on average 4,800 $. The risk of being arrested and taking a Justice card is 1 in 2.

Justice

Your theft went wrong and you must take a Justice card. After your trial, you must either pay a fine or take a Dossier card.

Amende

The average value of fines is about 1,100 $. Pay the bank the amount indicated according to the type of theft you attempted. If your liquid assets are insufficient, take a Dossier card.

Dossier

At the end of the game, you must pay 2,500 $ to the bank for each Dossier card in your possession.

Warning! A player who receives a 3rd Dossier card is imprisoned and is therefore eliminated from the game. He must hand over his money to the bank, and all his cards are removed and set aside for the rest of the game. After several eliminations, if only one player remains in the race, that player is automatically declared the winner.

Good game!

Reference Table of Values

Pearls (Perle):

100 $	1,000 $	2,800 $	4,200 $	5,500 $	6,800 $
300 $	1,500 $	3,000 $	4,500 $	6,000 $	7,000 $
500 $	2,000 $	3,700 $	5,000 $	6,200 $	7,200 $
800 $	2,500 $	4,000 $	5,200 $	6,500 $	7,500 $

Diamonds (Diamant):

100 $	800 $	1,800 $	3,000 $	5,700 $	8,000 $
200 $	1,000 $	2,000 $	4,000 $	6,000 $	8,600 $
500 $	1,300 $	2,500 $	4,700 $	7,000 $	9,000 $
600 $	1,600 $	2,700 $	5,000 $	7,700 $	10,000 $

Contents of the Game

The game contains one game board (Le quartier), 6 pawns, 3 dice, bank notes, and 288 playing cards divided as follows: Aventure 48, Banque 24, Collecte 24, Commerce 24, Course 12, Diamant 24, Dossier 12, Justice 24, Mission 24, Perle 24, Protection 12, Recrutement 36.