Well to get some figures started... Lets say the average gangster to earner in one week has averaged 10 drug units and sole cocaine at a full profit five times.  That's 10 X 5 so 50 X 4,000 in profit = $200,000 in first week total earnings.  It's probably more than that on average but this is an example.  In this case we may want to make BGs cost 300k per simulated BG unit wo that it is slightly above their earnings in the first few days, but also expensive enough for leaders to spend a considerable amount of money on.

im not saying this is a final number, just an example of how we should arrive at one, once we have average figures.

"Once you attain a rank, that BG price applies. If you are Don and you get demoted to Gangster, your BG price would be that of a Don."

This penalizes success, between the 'price increases with each BG you buy, rank isnt factored in' and this system, I would much rather first.

I'm curious how that penalizes success? Wouldn't the person then just remain at their rank rather than being demoted? Or Demoted for 10 days in a row like the current system makes use of? I'd like the idea of flipping the prices so people aren't being demoted for them.

This creates a top heavy environment where only those at the top can survive.

Sorry Izzy, but its always been my impression that this is the case. Its virtually impossible to get yourself to IWP unless you are important in a crew or have a big spending friend, or are prepared to max out your credit card.

Please note that I have said virtually, as there are always exceptions to the rule.

I still feel a valuable compromise could be to allow CL's to buy upgraded fortifications (past what we currently have)

I don't know when the last time the fortification math was altered, but the speed at which one can build a gun has grown (as many have pointed out) and it seems that the fortifications haven't.

I think what most people are uncomfortable with when it comes to bodyguards is that only the 'few elite' are benefited by it. Make no mistake - Crewleaders and upper structures want to do everything they can to keep their members safe. However, it isn't financially possible to protect each member with bodyguards - and it really isn't even effective unless you have a certain amount (when you factor in gun growth rates)

I won't go in to what the perceived defense numbers are from fortifications.. but I can tell you from personal experience that they're not very effective. Small guns can hit high rankers behind fortifications. If you made it so that shooters had to have a mid-sized gun in order to hit someone behind fortifications - Then not every Tom, Dick, and Harry would be able to blow away members on a whim in their own home city. 

People put a lot of time and effort into their accounts - even those without guns or bodyguards. But even with all that effort or time - there's not much that can save you from someone that put even a little bit of effort in to training a gun. 

I think this may be even more important once districts go up. One big point of the districts was emphasis on a 'home town advantage' well then maybe we should talk about keeping our members a little more safe in their Home towns - without having to nerf or change BG's..

http://mafiareturns.com/comm/thread/326354#3680167

CL gets 10, RHM or the #1 next 10, and the #2 gets the last 5. Every other member is cannon fodder by the most simple gun in the game. This creates a top heavy environment where only those at the top can survive, while everyone below them is exposed (but now exposed to every gun, not just big ones) - coupled with the fact that the rest of the crew are now the actual targets that have to be killed in order to kill the CL.

Every other member is already cannon fodder. Most "regular" members either have just a few BGs or no BGs at all.

The thing is, these members are not trading in their work but rather they are trading in an easily attainable rank which they will quickly regain. They retain their important work or they wouldn't go through the exercise.

The number of people who use this method to acquire their own protection is vastly inferior to the number of those who use it communally. The best way to help the single individual to gain protection, despite the whole idea of one person looking out for themselves being completely contradictory to the idea of family and how the game should be played, would be to have a static price from the beginning. If they then like the game and reach Don on their first account and want to buy their own protection, without becoming a worthwhile member of their family, then they can do so.

The rank compromise is pointless and horrendously unrealistic. The new system makes it more difficult for the individual to BG up on their own, because they are relying on 10 further demotions from their leader or completely abstaining from playing the game for 10 days.