A Guide: Organized Crime & More

[Will (TauFirewarrior) 2465]

General Crime Guide

 

I've decided to write this guide to better help the player who likes to be the criminal, whether petty or large. Many notice that sometimes a thug from a gang or a bandit can be more trouble to RP with than its worth, but I firmly believe it can be done well so both parties can enjoy a bit of the crime RP. I hope also to help with the current view on crime RP where it is seen as almost sinful by many players OOC'ly. I intend to cover many roles in the crime game, from tips to the Crime Bosses of tomorrow on how to structure an organized syndicate and how to RP the roles from thug to boss to the affiliates of a gang. So allow me to begin.

 

The Structure of a gang (For those wishing to start a gang)

 

With all gangs it goes without saying you have one Chief and then the Indians, it goes without saying you need to structure your organization that way. Keep it small and simple to start off with, have basic soldier ranks then maybe one lieutenant depending on how the gang grows. You will not get very far with more higher ups than soldiers so be sure to keep that in check. My favoured structure of a gang usually is as follows

 

Boss

 

Underboss

Lieutenant 

 

Soldier

 

This is probably the best way to start depending on how you wish to conduct your business, if you want to have some sort of legitimate front to keep your organization hidden it may be best to change the Underboss or Lieutenant position to that of an administrator and not a commander.

 

The Roles

 

The Soldier/Enforcer

As you'd imagine if you'd follow a structure as shown above you have the lowest in the pecking order. If you want to be the lowly thug here's a few basic tips. You be respectful to your betters, being mouthy will not pay off in the underworld. A thug joining a gang is likely to be young from late teens to early twenties. When the Soldier first joins up he'll likely be poor and underfed and not exactly in peak physical condition. 

 

Although the low status they make up the backbone of any gang, thus are shown a degree of respect once the gang has established itself to be successful in a region. The Soldiers have the majority share in the risk of being a criminal, having to do the jobs such as collecting the rackets and intimidation they can find themselves in the firing line of the Guard force of the respective region though with luck they can keep their activities quiet enough to avoid attention.

 

As the common soldier in a gang spends more time in the gang, the more money he will earn and the more status he'll gain in the gang even without advancement through the ranks. Some Organizations may wish to make the Soldier an affiliate rank of a gang rather than a full member but its up the the organizations boss at the end of the day in how he wants to structure his gang.

 

The Lieutenant

The Lieutenant is a commander type position in a gang, often leading his own gang within a larger organization. He would normally be a man or woman the boss trusts greatly and has likely being a professional criminal for some years. Its his job to direct his soldiers to make money for him and the gang.

 

It is a risky position to be in, having to do some jobs himself he will have to make friends within the local government to keep his gangs activities quiet. Lieutenants can either be loud criminals who aren't afraid of people knowing what he does for a living or subtle keeping an image of legitimacy about himself.

 

The Lieutenant will likely keep his base of operations in some sort of legitimate front business that can range from shops to taverns.

 

The Underboss

The Underboss is the natural second in command, being both an administrator and commander he leads the lieutenants and collects the organizations cut of what each lieutenant in the organization makes. Often the Underboss will be good friends with the boss, likely having started the original organization with him or her.

 

The same with the Lieutenant the Underboss has to make friends but won't have to do any dirty work nor will have his own subsect gang of soldiers within the organization but will have command of all the soldiers under each lieutenant. The Underboss cannot be very loud, he or she must keep the operations quiet to avoid large bribe payouts to officials, he or she would likely make out to be a very clean and legitimate businessman/woman.

 

The Boss

Oh boy, the Boss. The Boss can be the founder of the gang/organization or may have usurped the position from the previous leader. He will have his own gang at his command along with the lieutenants and their men if the organization has proven successful. The Boss will likely have his own base of operations disguised as a legitimate business. He takes cuts from the earnings of each lieutenant in the gang and will likely be respected by the local community the organization has set itself up in.

 

Along with the Lieutenant and Underboss its paramount that the Boss keeps close relations with the local government, only through corruption and intimidation can his or hers Crime Syndicate succeed. With this there has to be a level of respect from the Boss to the local ruler or Guard Captain, along with shady agreements that allow the Gangs to operate in the region. At the same time he will keep an image of the legitimate businessman/woman. Often working to maintain that image to avoid clashes with hotshot guardsmen.

 

There you have it my first attempt at a Guide, please provide criticism if you find any to be given!

[Man of Respect 5435]

#SmoothCriminal

 

+1

Make my Yamatai! >:(

[HuskyPuppy 255]

Try adding in some other examples, there is more to organized crime than just the simple gang idea. Try explaining some other examples :3

[Demotheus 649]

[Varstivus 98]

*awaits the vigilante guide*

[Watty_Banker 172]

*Reads thoroughly*

[Will (TauFirewarrior) 2465]

Try adding in some other examples, there is more to organized crime than just the simple gang idea. Try explaining some other examples :3

This is the Syndicate guide to it. For those who want to perform the good old rackets, narcotics distribution. This is bread and butter organized crime.

[Parading 302]

You shouldn't say all gangs work one way. There have been plenty of criminal organizations in LOTC, and IRL, that don't have the same structure you discussed. 

[Will (TauFirewarrior) 2465]

You shouldn't say all gangs work one way. There have been plenty of criminal organizations in LOTC, and IRL, that don't have the same structure you discussed. 

This is advise, not stating that they should. I'm just giving a preferred structure

[Draeris 3118]

This isn't a guide but a bureaucratic format from that website link "http://www.howtomakeagang.weebly.org/ ". But seriously, I don't consider this a proper guide but more of an example what you like as a gang. A guide is ment to explain a subject in general, a guide on how to play a bard doesn't only talk about how to RP a flute.

 

Even though I appriciate the merit, this isn't a guide.

[Parading 302]

This is advise, not stating that they should. I'm just giving a preferred structure

lol k

[seannie 6863]

"Minas or die"

[Yoff 328]

Hit the nail right on the head. I remember the Hatters falling out due to lack of structure, you won that war, slanties.

[Will (TauFirewarrior) 2465]

Hit the nail right on the head. I remember the Hatters falling out due to lack of structure, you won that war, slanties.

Hatters were still tough bastards to fight. Never forget Hatter vs Slanty turf war

[Mattymatt 0]

You beat me to the punch, was going to copy-paste my "Leading a Cartel for Dummies" thread from another forum.

 

Good read, all the same.