Current edition: Superpower cards and rolled bribes. All players start without an active power card. At Start, use an existing Don/Street Bat card first, then roll: 4–6 gain or keep the card; 1–3 remove it. Cards remain active until the next Start arrival. Bribes are $100 per die pip; an active Fixer pays half. An unaffordable committed bribe eliminates the boss. Contacts remain in the deck but are not required for a bribe.
Chicago, 1927 · 2–4 bosses + Chicago Police · Ages 18+
Physical banknotes: 100 each of $50, $100, $500 and $1,000, plus 20 of $5,000 (420 notes, $265,000). Each player starts with 1×$5,000, 5×$1,000, 3×$500 and 5×$100. Make change freely at the bank. If its total money cannot cover a required payout, record the unpaid part as bank credit, count it as cash and end the match. Each remaining side scores $10,000 per Mark + cash + establishment values of controlled or secured businesses + $100 per soldier or officer. Highest total wins; ties favor more Marks, then cash, people and seat order.
Be first to 4 permanent Empire Marks, or become the last player standing. The bank shortage count can also decide a match. Every completed raid awards one mark to its winner, including a successful defender or either side whose opponent withdraws. A merchant takeover never gives a mark. Big Boss Meeting has its own rare ambush ending.
Landing on Detention by dice is only a visit. Detained? Instead of rolling, recover $500 and take an action. If sent to Detention during this turn, no normal action remains.
| Action | When / cost |
|---|---|
| Take control | Merchant-run business where you stand; pay establishment cost |
| Recruit | Only on a recruitment hub: 4 for $1500 or 10 for $3000; max 120 |
| Raid | Rival business where you stand; at least 2 soldiers |
| Trade | You actively arrive at Start while another free boss is there; both agree; one proposal |
| Rebuild contacts | Cash below $1500: gain $1000 |
| Pass | Always available |
When you land on another side’s business, choose exactly one: pay Protection or Inspection, or raid. Payment ends the encounter; a raid also ends it, even when the attacker loses. A failed raid never creates a second payment or raid on that landing. The blue police seal still controls the business when the police piece is elsewhere. If police is on the same space, choose the bribe or raid the police instead; do not also pay the business fee. The first block clockwise from Start costs $500 and every later block adds $250. Pay only available cash.
Complete boss or police block: 2× payment. Every raid uses the same limit: 20 losses per side.
Raid: one die each. Higher wins; loser removes one soldier. Equal: no loss, reroll, except active Night Gun wins ties when defending. Each side, including Iron Fist, risks up to 20. Withdrawal is allowed only after that side has lost at least 10 in the current raid. Defender loses: business changes control. Attacker loses: no extra penalty. The completed raid winner earns one Empire Mark, including a successful defender or either side whose opponent withdraws; an Inspection fine alone never gives a mark. Powered Iron Fist instead gains exactly 50% more soldiers from recruitment, cards and every other positive soldier source.
Police moves counterclockwise after each complete boss cycle. It uses two dice, receives the normal Start reward and resolves its destination. Police draws no Street Life or Police File cards.
Card-forced movement resolves the destination too, including a free visit to Detention. Whenever a boss and police finish on the same space, resolve one personal encounter first: bribe or raid. If several bosses are there, check each once. A boss who also controls that business is still checked only once. There is no double business-plus-personal payment.
Bribe: roll one die × $100 after committing; active Fixer pays half. If unable to pay, you are eliminated. Contacts are not required. Or raid the police. A raid uses the ordinary raid rules, and its winner gets the Empire Mark. Payment or raid ends the encounter.
Bribes and Inspection fines enter the police treasury. Police follows the same $0, no-officers and 4-Mark rules as every boss; there is no Miami pension target. Police starts with 28 officers; every boss starts with 50 soldiers.
The opening setup at Start triggers nothing. When a boss actively arrives after play begins and another free boss is already there, they may exchange businesses and optional cash. A card move counts. Accepted trade uses your action; a rejected trade leaves other actions, but no new proposal.
If police and bosses meet at Start because either side actively arrives, every boss on Start is immediately eliminated. Businesses return to merchants. Bosses elsewhere and in Detention survive. One remaining boss wins, two or more continue, and police wins if none remain.
16 Contacts cards total: start with one from the supply, maximum two held. They are period-flavoured connections in this edition and are not spent or required for bribes. They never block Police File cards. Heist gives $1500 and moves police three spaces counterclockwise. Arrested sends you to Detention.
All free bosses must move directly to Start; detained bosses stay. No ordinary Start income; resolve Superpower at Start if the match continues.
Police at Start: apply the normal Start raid.
No bribe or Contacts can stop it. Otherwise each attendee may propose a voluntary trade or pass, starting with the drawer. Then the drawer resumes their normal action, without another proposal.
For boss abilities, all cards, examples and edge cases, see the complete rulebook. Download the printable PDF rulebook.
© 2026 Pablo Fernandez Terra. All rights reserved.