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Official Rules Clarifications

4.1 Can a player select fewer than three joints at the start of play in order to save money for building his gang?
A. No.

5.1/8.3 When a Racketeer buys or improves a Joint, must the criminal side be face-up?
A. No, the Racketeer can buy or improve property regardless of criminal status.

6.4 Since several intersections technically require greater than a 90 degree turn, would it be permissible to reword this rule to prevent turns of 180 degrees?
A. Yes.

6.4 Which of the following six turns are allowed based on the 90 degree restriction?

1)+* Central Avenue Bridge to Riverside Drive either way?
2)*# Clark Street to The Loop?
3)* North Avenue (Eastbound) to North State Street (SW-bound)?
4)* Central Avenue Bridge (Westbound) to The Viaduct (SE-bound)?
5)* Southside Drive (Eastbound) to Southeast Bypass (NW-bound)
6)*# Central Bypass (NE-bound) to Broadway (Southbound)?

+ Allowed by the illustration with 6.4
* Angle visually greater than 90 degrees
# Angle between white dividing lines is greater than 90 degrees

A. The intent of the rule is that ALL of these turns are legal.

6.5/6.4 Can a gang piece leave its starting space, enter a friendly joint, and immediately exit the joint into the same space from which it entered?
A. Yes, but this about-face only works with the starting space and a friendly joint.

6.6 If the Public moves into a Joint containing a friendly gangster whose criminal side is face up (or vice versa) is the public removed from play?
A. Yes, but the player still collects his payoff for organized crime since the public will not be removed until "the end of the Player Turn" and payoffs (5.6) occur before the end of the turn.

6.8 Can the public enter a gray building or an unowned colored building?
A. No.

7.4 If I buy a 7th Racketeer during my movement and then vamp to get an 8th, do I get four moves or only three?
A. Three. Recruiting is announced during movement but doesn't occur until afterward. To be completely accurate, you've vamped the 7th Racketeer and must pay for the 8th ($800 times the green die). See 5.4, 5.5, and the player aide.

7.4/12.4 Can a piece which is placed on the board as a result of recruiting be placed into a joint which is being attacked by enemy gangsters? If so, can it be placed criminal side up and attack alongside the joint guards?
A. Yes. No. A piece which is placed on the board is placed colored-side up. Note: A piece placed in such a joint could be selected to absorb a hit even though it is inactive and cannot attack.

9.4 Can Cops enter an unowned building (not a Joint) to make an arrest of a criminal in that building?
A. Yes. The rule should read: "may enter a building only to raid a Joint (11.6) or to shootout with a criminal piece."

9.4/9.7/11.5 What happens to a Cop which entered a building containing a criminal if the last criminal is seduced before a shootout can occur?
A. The cop is returned to the cup (12.3).

9.6 What happens if a Cop takes a subway, a new Cop enters play, and then the new Cop's remaining move is canceled by a bribe?
A. The Cop is removed from the board and returned to the cup (where the Cop began the turn). There is one less patrol on the board.

10.3 Can a piece which is placed in a Subway space as a result of a transfer enter that Subway space again during its move? For example, can a piece that moves to Subway #1 and transfers to Subway #2 enter the Subway #2 space later in its move?
A. No. The transfer is an entry of the space (see 6.5) just like the move to Subway #1. Neither Subway #1 nor Subway #2 can be re-entered. [Note: The original ruling is reversed!]

12.2 The Red Racketeer moves into a joint owned by Brown which is occupied by the Yellow Vamp.  The Red Racketeer elects to attack Yellow.  Do the Brown Joint Guards return fire?
A. Yes.  The Joint Guards are required to attack as long as any enemy Racketeer or Thug is present. Technically, the Joint Guards initiate their own attack rather than returning fire.  Note:  If there was a non-moving (inactive) Red piece present, the Joint Guard attack would allow that piece to return fire (but no piece ever gets to shoot twice in a single player-turn).

12.3 Joint guards are required to attack ONE enemy in their joint as long as there is ANY enemy present.

12.4 & 9.7 Can hits from non-criminal pieces be allocated to a cop?
A. No.

12.4 The Green Racketeer moves into a joint occupied by the Yellow and Red Thugs and declares a hit. Must he select one opposing gang (either Yellow or Red) to attack or can Green attack both (e.g., Yellow first with excess hits spilling over to Red)?
A. The former

12.4 The Green Racketeer and Green Thug move into a joint occupied by the Yellow and Red Thugs and declare a hit. Can the Green Racketeer shoot at the Yellow gang while the Green Thug shoots at the Red gang?
A. Yes. Note that either Green piece could absorb casualties during return fire. In addition, Green could limit return fire by attacking only a single gang.

12.4 Can an inactive piece -- a gang piece of the moving player which did not move nor, as a result, attack during a shootout -- absorb a hit from a shootout in the same space?
A. Yes. However, it is not required to do so.

14.1 What are the limitations on trading?
A. Joints and cash are the only physical game elements that may be traded. Promises regarding actions in the game can also be exchanged. This type of negotiation is limited to the "Buy Phase" -- that is, briefly prior to a player rolling dice during his/her turn. Any negotiation after that incurs the $500 kibitzing penalty. Trading during this phase must involve the active player.

15.1 My gang has met the victory conditions; can I ignore the shootouts that would occur at the end of my turn?
A. No. A gang must meet the victory conditions at the end of its turn -- including shootouts. If your gang loses a gang member or a joint that it needed to win during the shootouts, then your gang hasn't won.

15.2 Where does a player keep his secret pile of cash?
A. Cash must be kept in a single location on the table, but may be placed under the player summary card.  If a player has cash in more than one location, the amount in the extra location(s) is forfeit.  Any cash in an off-the-table location is forfeit.

Shootout Sequence Clarification

1) Each a) moving gangster which wishes to attack [11.4, 12.1, 12.3], b) joint containing rival Thugs/Racketeers [8.4, 12.1] , and/or c) cop where there is a criminal gangster [9.7, 11.5, 12.1] targets one opposing gang color [11.5, 12.3 - 12.4 with clarifications] and opens fire.  Cops are controlled by the active player and act as a piece of his/her color [11.5, 12.4].

2) Every piece in any gang fired upon, which is at the shootout location, targets any one gang color that attacked it [11.4, 12.3 - 12.4 with clarifications] and returns fire [11.4, 12.3, 12.Example 2nd Paragraph].

3) The defender allocates hits among his pieces [12.4] in that space (to a maximum of the strength/level of the piece). Hits from enemy Thugs or Joint Guards may not be allocated to a Vamp [13.2; Player Aide]. Hits from Cops may not be allocated to any non-criminal piece (including joints) [9.7, 11.6, 12.7]. Hits from non-criminal pieces (including Joint Guards) may never be allocated to a Cop [9.7, 11.6, 12.4 with clarifications, 12.7].

4) The attacker similarly allocates hits among his pieces in that space [12.3 - 12.4]. The attacker has the option to allocate hits to inactive (i.e., non-attacking) pieces but is not required to do so [12.4 with clarifications, 12.Example 2nd Paragraph].

5) Remove casualties except hits assigned to a joint if all opposing Thugs and Racketeers were completely eliminated [12.5]. Any public present go to the cup [6.8; Player Aide]. If a joint was destroyed, all public everywhere go to the cup [12.6]. Any cop present goes to the cup [12.3].