The Brotherhood Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object of the Game
• Game Components
• Sequence of Play
  • 1. Revenue Phase
  • 2. Planning Phase
  • 3. Placement Phase
  • Legal Action Phase
  • 4. Mob Action Phase
• 5. The Big Meeting Out-of-Town
• Deals
• Additional Grand Jury Cards (Optional Rules)
• House Rules Variant – Optional
  • The Rules
• Grand Jury Cards

Object of the Game

At the end of ONE YEAR (twelve monthly turns), the player with the most cash wins. Each player begins the game with $20,000 and attempts to manipulate it into a fortune.

Game Components

1. THE MAP: The game is played on a map of Midland City, divided into six different areas as shown below.

   1. West End - High Society District
   2. South Bank - Affluent Technology Community
   3. City Central - Commercial and Banking Sector
   4. Down Town - Retail and Business Center
   5. East Side - The Old Quarter
   6. The Docks - Industrial Area

   In addition, the map contains two areas that do not represent parts of Midland City: OUT-OF-TOWN & JAIL. All players' Hitmen (see below) come from Out-of-Town, and the counters representing them are kept there until needed. Jail, not surprisingly, is where Thugs, Hitmen and Godfathers are sent if they are arrested.

2. COUNTERS: The game includes five identical sets of counters, each of a different color. Each player chooses one set to use during the game. A player's counters are not all available at once, but must be purchased or hired during play. Each player has five types of counters:

   • Revenue (12 per player): This represents a money-producing racket such as numbers, extortion, drugs, etc. Revenue counters generate the income the godfather needs to fuel his operations and, eventually, to win the game.
   • Thug (12 per player): This is a general multi-purpose hood. At only a $2,000 a month salary he represents a reasonable amount of muscle at a reasonable price. Thugs are used to defend a godfather and his revenue operations, or to attack those of others.
   • Hitman (2 per player): This is the professional assassin, or "mechanic". Because he costs twice as much to hire as a thug ($4,000), he is usually hired only for important, specialized jobs, such as an attempt to kill a godfather. Expensive but deadly.
   • Political Influence (5 per player): This represents the politicians, judges, and government bureaucrats that the mob buys. Influence is costly, but it can provide a definite competitive edge over the other syndicates.

Sequence of Play

The game is twelve turns long - each turn represents a month. Each turn consists of 'five' phases:

1. REVENUE PHASE: Players receive money from their operating revenue counters.
2. PLANNING PHASE: Players secretly determine what they will buy and where they will put it.
3. PLACEMENT PHASE: Players reveal and perform the actions they determined in the planning phase.
4. LEGAL ACTION PHASE: The grand jury strikes and players use their political influence.
5. MOB ACTION PHASE: Gang warfare is resolved.

These phases are explained in detail below.

1. Revenue Phase

During the revenue phase, each player calculates his income for the month. He does this by adding up all of the income from his various revenue counters.

For example, one revenue counter in the WEST END brings in $5,000 per month, while one in THE DOCKS brings in only $1,000. If a player had one revenue counter in each of these areas, he would receive $6,000.

After calculating revenue, the player should write it down in the revenue INCOME column on their ledger sheet. Then this is added to the previous turns ending balance to arrive at the amount of cash available in the current turn.

There are four further complications:

1. The First Turn: There is no revenue phase on the first turn of the game. The players start with $20,000 and go straight to the planning phase.

2. Control: If a player controls an area, then all revenue counters in that area provide double their stated monthly income. A player controls an area if he is the only one to have counters there during the revenue phase.

3. Area Saturation: There is a limit to the amount of money anyone area can be taken for. The game reflects this by a limit on the total number of revenue counters that can be placed profitably in an area. The limits are given below and are also printed on the map:

   Area	Limit
   West End	3
   South Bank	3
   City Central	4
   Downtown	5
   East Side	7
   The Docks	8

   If an area is over its allowed limit of revenue counters during the revenue phase, then all revenue counters in the area provide half their stated monthly income. This situation remains until the total number of revenue counters is brought back within the limits.

2. Planning Phase

During the planning phase, all players secretly and simultaneously decide how they are going to spend their money. Two decisions need to be made: what the player is going to buy and where he is going to put it.

The costs of revenue and political influence counters are paid once - they cost nothing to maintain on subsequent turns. Once purchased and placed, they may not be moved - unless directed by the rules.

The costs of Thugs and Hitmen are their salaries and must be paid again for each turn they are used. They may be moved to different areas each turn and may be hired and fired freely.

The Godfather counter costs nothing at any time and may be placed in any area of the city.

Whatever decisions are made, they must be recorded in the ACTIONS & EXPENSES columns of the ledger sheet. All purchases and placements can be recorded using the simple coding system given below:

Counter / Area	Code	Counter / Area	Code
Godfather	G	West End	WE
Thug	T	South Bank	SB
Hitman	H	City Central	CC
Revenue	R	Down Town	DT
Political	P	East Side	ES
		The Docks	TD

For example - a player buys two revenue counters for SOUTH BANK and decides to protect them with a THUG. He also sends his GODFATHER to THE DOCKS and protects him with two THUGS and a HITMAN. His sheet would read:

2R: SB + T           &          G: TD + 2T +H

After all purchases and placements are recorded, each player calculates their costs and records the TOTAL in the expenses column of their ledger sheet. Then this TOTAL is subtracted from their starting balance to arrive at the Turn's Ending Balance, which is recorded in the ending balance column. Deficit spending is not allowed - player's must have a cash balance of zero or more at each turn end.

There are two special cases:

1. Control: If one player controls an area, it costs twice the normal cost for other players to purchase counters for that area. For example - if a player controls the WEST END, all other players would have to pay $4,000 for a Thug, $8,000 for a Hitman, $22,000 for a Political Influence counter and $20,000 for a Revenue counter to be placed in the WEST END.

2. Closing Down Revenue Counters: Although a Revenue counter may not be moved, a player may close down a Revenue counter and then re-purchase it in the same turn. He receives no money back for closing it down, making this an expensive proposition. Revenue counters may be closed down only in the planning phase.

3. Placement Phase

During the placement phase, each player places on the board all counters purchased in the planning phase. Placement must be exactly as specified on the player's ledger sheet. (If the Godfather is not listed on the ledger sheet, he remains where he was last turn). All Thugs and Hitmen who were not purchased in the planning phase are removed, as are Revenue counters which have been closed down.

Legal Action Phase

Two things happen in the Legal Action Phase. The Grand Jury holds hearings and then players can exercise Political Influence.

First - roll the die and consult the table below to see which area has just been investigated by the FBI.

Die Roll	Area
1	West End
2	South Bank
3	City Central
4	Down Town
5	East Side
6	The Docks

Then draw a card from the Grand Jury Deck and read the results of the hearing. The effects of which are immediate and applied only to the area selected for FBI investigation.

Next, any player who has a Political Influence counter may use this Influence. For each Political Influence counter in an area, the player may have one Thug (not Hitman) arrested or close down one Revenue counter in that area.

The order in which Political Influence is exercised in an area is determined by the relative strength of Influence in the area. The player with the most Political influence in an area goes first, (the one with the second most goes second, etc). If two players have the same number of Political Influence counters they are deadlocked and neither may exercise Political Influence that turn.

Alternatively, a player may use his Influence to eliminate that of another player. For every two Political Influence counters a player has, the player may remove one Political Influence counter of another player's in that area. However, a player may remove another player's Political Influence counter only if he has more influence counters in the area than the other player.

For example, if PLAYER A had two Political Influence counters and PLAYER B had three - PLAYER A could not use his two to remove one of PLAYER B's counters.

Revenue counters and Political Influence counters removed during the Legal Action Phase are placed back in the player's pool of available units and may be re-purchased later. Thugs and Hitmen who are arrested, however, are placed in JAIL and may not be re-hired until their BAIL is paid. The BAIL for each is the same as their normal monthly salary. When BAILED OUT, they are returned to the player's pool of counters - of course, in order to hire them their salaries must still be paid. BAIL is paid during the Planning Phase and a Thug or Hitman may be re-hired in the same phase.

4. Mob Action Phase

If two players still have Thugs or Hitmen in the same area (or if one has Thugs or Hitmen and the other has his Godfather), there must be a fight. Take each such area one at a time, in any order desired, and shoot it out.

First - each player states which other player his Thugs or Hitmen are attacking. (This is only important if there are pieces of three or more players in an area) - if two players have pieces there, they are assumed to be shooting at each other. If there are three or more players in an area, a player may allocate all their Thugs or Hitmen to one player's pieces or split them up, whichever is decided.

Next - roll a D6 die once for each Thug or Hitman in the area to see whether they achieve a HIT.

• Thugs HIT on a roll of 1 or 2
• Hitmen HIT on a roll of 1 - 5

After all HITS against a player have been totalled, remove pieces equal in number to the HITS taken. Thugs are removed FIRST - then Hitmen - then the Godfather.

For example: PLAYER A has three Thugs and two hitmen in an area. PLAYER B has two Thugs and his Godfather. PLAYER C has one Thug. PLAYER A fires all his men at PLAYER B. PLAYER B fires one Thug each at PLAYERS A & C. PLAYER C fires his Thug at PLAYER B. PLAYER A's Thugs roll 2, 4, and 5 (for one HIT). The Hitmen roll 4 and 5 (for two HITS). PLAYER B's Thugs roll a 1 against PLAYER A (a HIT) and a 2 against PLAYER C (a HIT). PLAYER C's Thug rolls a 6 (a MISS) against PLAYER B. PLAYER A has suffered one HIT and so removes one Thug. PLAYER B has suffered three HITS and so removes both of his Thugs and his Godfather. (As this Godfather has been rubbed out, PLAYER B is out of the game.) PLAYER C has suffered one HIT and thus removes one Thug.

HITS in excess of the TOTAL of Thugs, Hitmen and Godfather pieces of a player in an area have no effect.

There are a few complications:

1. Casualties: Thugs and Hitmen who are hit in the mob action phase are removed from play completely and may not be re-hired later in the game.

2. Revenue Take-Over: If at the end of the mob action phase one player has only revenue counters left in an area and another player has Thugs and/or Hitmen left, this other player can now take over the unguarded Revenue counters on a one-for-one basis - each Thug and/or Hitman may take over one Revenue counter. Replace the old Revenue counter with one of the new owner. Should two players both be in a position to take over a third's Revenue counter, they must either make a deal or shoot it out further in a Mob Action Overtime (see below).

3. Killing a Godfather: When a Godfather counter is HIT, that player is out-of-the-game and the person who killed him takes over his Crime Empire. At the end of the Mob Action Phase, all his counters, both on and off the board, belong to the player who HIT him (but his cash reserves disappear). However, the deceased player can still participate in Mob Actions in other areas during the remainder of the phase.

   If two players both fired at the pieces of the deceased player in the same area in which the Godfather was KILLED and both players have surviving Thug and/or Hitman pieces in the area - they must continue the fight with a Mob Action Overtime (see below). If only one player has one or more surviving Thugs and/or Hitmen - that player takes over !

   Finally - if by some rare chance two players KILL each other's' Godfathers in the same phase, then all their assets disappear except those which may be taken-over as in 2 above.

4. Mob Action Overtime: Whenever two players are forced to have a Mob Action Overtime, their pieces continue the gun-fight until one or both player's pieces are eliminated or until they can come to agreement concerning distribution of the spoils. If one player offers to give the other everything under dispute (either all unguarded Revenue counters in the area or all property of a deceased Godfather) - that offer must be accepted.

5. The Big Meeting Out-of-Town

At the start of the game, all of the Godfathers are OUT-OF-TOWN at a meeting of the Syndicate Bosses. They are meeting to attempt to agree on how to divide up the City (naturally - they will fail to agree and will resort to violence).

The meeting lasts through TURN FOUR - during this time all the Godfather pieces are placed in the OUT-OF-TOWN space. Whilst OUT-OF-TOWN - they cannot be attacked.

At the end of TURN FOUR, the meeting breaks up and they return from OUT-OF-TOWN and must be placed on the game-map in all following turns.

Any or all of the godfathers may choose to leave the meeting early - although they do not have to leave until after TURN FOUR. However once they leave - they may not go OUT-OF-TOWN again for the rest of the game.

Deals

Players are encouraged to make deals with each other. Deals usually consist of promises to go into certain areas, stay away from others, etc.

Players may also give money to other players in the Revenue Phase.

Players are never obligated to keep their promises (except for deals made in Mob Action Overtime - which take effect immediately) as a little creative dishonesty livens up the game. Remember that they are MOBSTERS after all !!

However players must always do what they have written on their ledger sheets, but this may only be written after all deals have been made.

A player may not show his written planning to another player until all players have written and simultaneously revealed their decisions.

Additional Grand Jury Cards (Optional Rules)

1 - BLACK JOKER (Shuffle the Cards)

2 - RED JOKER (Shuffle the Cards)

GRAND JURY BRIBE Randomly select player.

Use at any time to discard a drawn Grand Jury card.

Roll die - 1 to 5 Succeeds (draw 2nd card) - 6 Bribe Fails (play same card)

(Take the Token & discard it when used)

GET - OUT - OF - JAIL Randomly select player.

Lawyers attempt to get the FREE release of up-to-D6 prisoners, or the Godfather only.

Roll die - 1 to 5 Released Immediately (for each) - 6 Stay Jailed

(Take the Token & discard it when used)

Note - These cards are discarded & exchanged for similar tokens and played as required – players may have several as the Joker cards are shuffled back into the deck with the discard pile. All cards can be drawn again for more randomization - only 12 turns.

House Rules Variant – Optional

These rules are completely optional, and you can choose to use some, none, or all of them to your liking:

The Rules

1. Boss Combat: When a Boss is involved in mob war combat, roll an attack die for the Boss. He inflicts a 'hit' on a roll of 1.

2. Revenue Takeover: At the end of turf war resolution, for each enemy Revenue Marker a player is entitled to convert to his color, he may instead choose to eliminate the Revenue Marker.

3. Boss Elimination (Godfather II): (a) When a Boss is eliminated, the following procedure is followed (for the purposes of these rules, the player who eliminated the Boss is referred to as the "VICTOR" and the player who's boss was killed is referred to as the "LOSER"). (b) Resolve all remaining turf-wars normally, including any that involve the LOSER's forces. (c) The victor receives all of his own previously killed Thugs and Hitmen from the graveyard. (d) The VICTOR replaces all of the LOSER's tokens that remain on the board (Thugs, Hitmen, Revenue Buildings and Political Influence) with his own tokens. The replaced tokens are permanently removed from the game. (e) The LOSER must surrender half of his money (rounded down) to the bank. (f) The LOSER's Boss is placed Out-Of-Town but continues to earn $2,000 income every month. (g) For each subsequent month in the game, the LOSER must decide if he wants to keep his Boss in Out-Of-Town or bring him back into the game. If he stays Out-Of-Town, he cannot plan any moves, but has a chance to accumulate "support" Thugs by rolling a die and consulting the following table:

   - 1: earn 2 Thugs
   - 2-4: earn 1 Thug
   - 5-6: earn no Thugs
   

   (h) Support Thugs are taken from the LOSER's killed Thugs in the graveyard and are placed with the Boss Out-Of-Town. If Thugs are unavailable in the graveyard, take them from the LOSER's supply. (i) When the LOSER decides to bring his Boss back into the game, he must plan the Boss's move normally and does not roll for support Thugs any more. The support Thugs must move together with the Boss into a single neighbourhood. The support Thugs do not cost money to hire. The LOSER can also plan other moves for any Thugs and Hitmen in his supply at the usual cost. (j) After the initial move from Out-Of-Town, any support Thugs who survive become part of the LOSER's normal Thug supply. They must now be paid for like regular Thugs and are no longer required to move with the Boss.

Grand Jury Cards

The Grand Jury Deck is drawn in the Legal Action Phase. Card text as printed on the card list sheets (names as printed on the cards):

1. Big Clean-up on Illegal Drinking Clubs: Cut all revenues from this area in half next turn.
2. Crack House Bust: For each family with a presence in this area, remove a THUG and a Revenue building.
3. FBI Special Task Force Sweeps Area: Roll the die once for each HITMAN in this area. On a roll of 1, 2, or 3 he is arrested.
4. Intensive Dragnet of Known Hoodlums: Roll the die once for each THUG in this area. The THUG is arrested on a roll of 3, 4, 5, or 6.
5. Minor Police Harassment: Roll the die for each THUG in this area. On a roll of 1 or 2 the THUG is arrested.
6. Petty Police Investigation: Roll the die once for each THUG & Revenue business in this area. Rolls of 1 result in the arrest of the THUGS and the shut-down of the Revenue businesses.
7. Outcry Against Political Corruption: Remove all Political influence tokens from this area. Ignore this card if the area is controlled by a single family.
8. Internal Affairs Probes / Police Corruption: Roll the die once for each Political Influence token in this area. On a roll of 1, 2, or 3 it is removed.
9. Government Bribe Exposed: Ignore the effect of Political Influence in this area - this turn.
10. Get-Out-of-Jail: Randomly select player. Lawyers attempt to get the FREE release of up-to-D6 prisoners, or the Godfather only. Roll die - 1 to 5 Released for each - 6 Jailed. (Use Token - discard when used)

The card list sheets also carry a "Shuffle the Cards" label beside the Get-Out-of-Jail and Grand Jury Bribe cards, matching the Black and Red Joker cards under Additional Grand Jury Cards above.