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Gangland! (1996) Board Game

ByMichail

Gangland! is a board game released in 1996, designed by Richard W. Bennett. The game is set in the world of organized crime, where players take on the roles of different mafia families competing for control of the city. With a runtime of 60 minutes, Gangland! is suitable for players aged 12 and up, with a player count of 3-8 players.

Game Components of Gangland!

  • Character Cards: Each character has a name and three ratings: business savvy, muscle, and loyalty.
  • Informant Cards**
  • Lawyer and Judge Cards**
  • Machine Gun Artists, Bomb Carrier, and Scarface Cards**
  • Event Cards: Police Arrest, Police Harassment, FBI Harassment, IRS, and Union Strike.
  • Business Bucks and Pocket Money**
  • Dice for resolving combat and status updates**

    How To Setup Gangland!

    To set up the game, each player is randomly dealt five character cards. Each player must choose one character to be the “boss” and one to be the bodyguard. Loyal characters with high business savvy make the best bosses. The deck is shuffled, and players prepare for their turns.

    Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

  • Draw Hand: Players draw up to six cards.
  • Play Mandatory Events: Random events that must be played immediately, such as Police Arrest or IRS.
  • Perform Actions: Players can play informant cards to recruit new gang members, attempt extortion, or seize businesses.
  • Update Statuses: Update the statuses of jailed or wounded characters and closed businesses.
  • Game Objective: The game continues until one gang is eliminated or the Event Deck has been cycled through twice. The player with the highest total value of open businesses and Business Bucks wins.

    Player Experience

    Players experience a complex and sometimes confusing game environment due to unclear rules. The game requires strategic thinking in managing gang members, extorting money, and dealing with law enforcement. However, the clunky rules can make the game slow and less engaging.

    Pros

  • Strategic Depth: The game offers a deep strategic experience in managing a mob organization.
  • Thematic Engagement: The game’s theme of running a mob can be engaging for fans of crime dramas.
  • Complex Actions: Various actions like extortion, business seizures, and recruiting new members add complexity.

    Cons

  • Unclear Rules: The rules are often unclear, leading to confusion and slow gameplay.
  • High Dependency on Rare Cards: Actions like business seizures depend on rare card combinations, making them unreliable as strategies.
  • Repetitive Events: Mandatory events become too common in the second cycle of the deck, disrupting gameplay flow.

    Personal Thoughts on Gangland!

    **Gangland** is for seasoned gamers who enjoy complex, strategic games and are willing to navigate through potentially confusing rules. It is not recommended for casual gamers or those seeking a quick, straightforward gaming experience. Despite its interesting premise, the game’s execution falls short due to its clunky and sometimes ambiguous rules. However, for players who enjoy managing resources and characters in a thematic setting, **Gangland** might still offer some engaging moments.

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    • Michail, a seasoned tabletop enthusiast, dives headfirst into worlds of fantasy and strategy. Whether commanding a party of adventurers through perilous dungeons or engaging in tactical showdowns on the board, Michail is the maestro of the tabletop realm. Michail's gaming table is a realm where the clatter of dice and the shuffle of cards create a symphony of strategic chaos.

    Hobby: Miniature painting guru, turning pewter into masterpieces
    Preferred Game: Dungeons & Dragons, but always up for a board game brawl

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