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About City of Gangsters
City of Gangsters drops you into a 1920 city at the start of Prohibition. As a newcomer you must turn illegal booze production, smuggling and gambling into a profitable empire. The game mixes management and strategy, letting you build speakeasies, distilleries and other black‑market fronts while dealing with police and rival gangs.
You have a limited window – the era ends in 1933 when alcohol becomes legal again – so expanding territory, hiring crew and keeping cash flowing are essential. Success is measured by how large and lucrative your crime syndicate becomes before the deadline.
01 / THE GUIDE
Starting the Operation
The game opens with you arriving in a city where Prohibition has just begun. Your first task is to acquire homemade hooch and set up basic stills, giving you a foothold in the illegal booze market. Early production depends on finding raw materials and learning techniques that improve drink quality.
Initial profits let you open speakeasies and begin smuggling imported alcohol. These early ventures create the supply chain needed to serve neighborhoods that later become your controlled territory.
- Observe which raw materials appear most frequently before committing to a still design.
- Compare profit from homemade hooch versus smuggled imports to decide where to focus early effort.
02 / THE GUIDE
Building Production Chains
City of Gangsters lets you manage production chains from raw material acquisition to finished illegal beverages. You can construct distilleries and loading docks that feed speakeasies and gambling dens, requiring careful resource distribution.
As you expand, you may add illegal gambling operations and other black‑market services, each with its own supply inputs. Balancing these chains maximizes income while limiting waste and exposure to law enforcement.
- Map how each facility feeds the next to spot bottlenecks before they affect revenue.
- Time the introduction of new techniques to avoid overproducing before you have enough distribution points.
03 / THE GUIDE
Managing Your Crew
Your outfit’s ambitions are only limited by the number of people working for you. Crew members handle deliveries, protect product and open new fronts, so keeping them paid, armed and organized is crucial for operational stability.
Actions toward crew or rival gangs are remembered, influencing future cooperation and affecting how quickly you can expand or defend territory.
- Track crew payment frequency and armament levels to maintain effectiveness.
- Consider the long‑term impact of harassing rivals versus building alliances.
04 / THE GUIDE
Expanding Territory
Control of neighborhoods provides a safety net, a steady income base and new opportunities for growth. Convincing locals that your goods are protected solidifies your presence and limits rival influence.
Territory also serves as a platform for additional fronts such as speakeasies or gambling dens, further diversifying income streams while increasing police attention and rival retaliation risk.
- Identify neighborhoods with high demand for illegal alcohol before committing resources.
- Weigh the benefits of expanding versus reinforcing existing territory to avoid overextension.
05 / THE GUIDE
Time Limit & Prohibition Era
The game’s timeline runs from 1920 to 1933, the year alcohol becomes legal again. This creates a finite window to build the largest, most profitable crime syndicate.
Because the legal landscape will change, you must prioritize rapid expansion and profit generation before the deadline, ensuring your empire is established when the market shifts back to legality.
- Plan milestones that align with the 1933 cutoff to gauge progress.
- Assess whether focusing on high‑profit ventures early outweighs slower, steadier growth.
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