Overview

Gangsters is a board game about American organized crime in Prohibition-era 1920s Chicago, published by Avalon Hill in 1992 for 2-5 players. Players are gang bosses deploying Racketeers, Thugs, and Vamps to acquire joints (properties), extort the public, and bribe cops. Players amass money from criminal activities and buy properties to expand their empires. A fifth player can optionally play as the corrupt Police Commissioner. The game combines area control, negotiation, and economic management in a thematic Prohibition-era setting.

Components

• Game board (map of Chicago districts with color-coded properties)
• Player pieces (Racketeers, Thugs, Vamps for each gang)
• Property cards
• Money tokens
• Cop pieces
• Event/Action cards
• Dice

Setup

1. Place the game board in the center.
2. Each player selects a gang and takes their starting pieces (Racketeers, Thugs, Vamps).
3. Distribute starting money to each player.
4. Place cop pieces on designated spaces.
5. Shuffle event cards if used.
6. Optional: One player takes the role of Police Commissioner with different win conditions.

Turn Structure

On your turn:

1. Collect Income

Earn money from properties you control and ongoing extortion rackets.

2. Deploy Gang Members

Place Racketeers, Thugs, and Vamps on the board:

• Racketeers: Run your criminal operations; essential for controlling properties
• Thugs: Provide muscle for hostile takeovers and defense
• Vamps: Seduce and manipulate opponents’ gang members and cops

3. Take Actions

Perform criminal activities:

• Acquire joints (properties) by paying their price
• Extort businesses for protection money
• Bribe cops to look the other way or harass opponents
• Attack opponents’ gang members or properties

4. Resolve Conflicts

If your gang members encounter opponents’ pieces, resolve conflicts through dice rolls or card plays.

5. End Turn

Pass to the next player.

Actions

Property Acquisition

Buy properties (joints) to build a color-group monopoly. Controlling all properties of one color is one of the win conditions.

Extortion

Deploy gang members to extort businesses in districts you control. Generates ongoing income.

Bribery

Pay cops to be on your side. Bribed cops can harass opponents or protect your operations.

Gang Warfare

Use Thugs to attack opponents’ gang members or take over their properties. Dice determine combat outcomes.

The Vamp

Vamps can seduce opponents’ gang members, turning them to your side, or corrupt cops.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Basic Game Win Conditions: A player wins when their gang has at least one Racketeer, one Vamp, and one Thug, AND meets any one of these three conditions:

1. Controls all properties of one color
2. Accumulates a target amount of money
3. Controls a majority of the board’s districts

Police Commissioner (5th player): The Commissioner wins by accumulating $10,000 and having control of at least one loyal Cop.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

Police Commissioner Role

An optional 5th player can play as the corrupt Police Commissioner with entirely different mechanics and win conditions. The Commissioner collects bribes, deploys cops, and tries to amass wealth.

Gang Member Types

| Member | Role | |——–|——| | Racketeer | Runs operations, essential for victory | | Thug | Muscle for combat and defense | | Vamp | Seduction and corruption |

Property Colors

Properties are grouped by color similar to Monopoly. Controlling a complete color group is a primary win condition.

Negotiation

Players may negotiate deals, trades, and temporary alliances, though betrayal is always possible.

Player Reference

Turn: Collect income -> Deploy gang members -> Take actions -> Resolve conflicts

Victory (Basic): Have 1 Racketeer + 1 Vamp + 1 Thug + meet 1 of 3 conditions

Key Numbers: | Item | Value | |——|——-| | Players | 2-5 (including optional Commissioner) | | Game length | ~120 min | | Gang member types | 3 (Racketeer, Thug, Vamp) |