Evening Gentleman.

Having been apart of several small discussions in the past few days, after reaching America’s shores and gaining employment in this Thing of Ours, I feel I’ve had time to get my feet wet in these hallowed streets. With that being said, I’d like to be bolder and broach a topic for discussion amongst all mobsters of any rank or origin, to get views that hopefully will vary differently in both eloquence and feeling.

I have spent some time, while not engaging in conversation with various elements of the criminal society we are all a part of, going through both historical records and the current lay of the land.  I have noticed something that strikes me as odd.

There has never been a period of time where all Eight Crime cities have had an active godfather and been of a sufficient size to warrant being a potential threat to other cities. As it stands now, only three of the eight cities are occupied with a well established criminal organization. Obviously this is due to the recent wars that MafiaReturns has had but I state the current situation nonetheless for perspective.

Before I go on, I will make a note concerning Chicago. As Don Hickey and Made Man Eusebio have only just established themselves in Chicago, they will have their hands full reining in what unorganized crime rages in those streets after the fall of the Iota Syndicate. Therefore, with that in mind, I have excluded them from the conversation. No disrespect intended of course, as I’m sure their dual efforts will bring Chicago fully under control in the near future.

Which brings me to a two part question I with throw out there and let the rest of you debate on.

Could it be that the Mafia, as it exists today, expanded too rapidly in bringing St. Louis under control? And to those that agree, what could be the counter to this over extension?

I am not entirely sure as to the question at hand, but I will take my best stab at it.

Firstly cities will lie dormant and unoccupied, especially after times of turmoil. Having your life threatened and your businesses attacked isn't the best motivator for sending people off in to other cities when your focus needs to be your own.

Sure sometimes having families branch into new cities can be taxing on the overall strength of organized crime. You can only expand as you have the capacity to support. You try to send those that have proven themselves a top notch man or a kid with some real promise, but how many of those star players do you really want to throw to the wolves with out making sure they are ready? That is a process that can only take time...

I also don't believe that it is at all times necessary that there must be a Godfather in all cities... I have seen Dons controlling businesses and crews within their borders with stream lined efficiency. Either way lets face it, becoming a Godfather is HARD work, it takes long hours and total dedication. It is no surprise that there are only a handful at a time. My hat goes off to all those who have achieved the status...

The beauty of Organized Crime is just that, it is organized. Without that we would be nothing more then common thugs and gangbangers. As such we learn to adapt, learn from others screw ups, and keep on trucking. I think this world will do just fine, you just got to give it time.

Well, others share your confusion BadCompany though they have shared in private.

I shall try and be more clear on what I mean...

Essentially, St. Louis was a city that none of use very had any reason to go to. It was a pointless travel destination and therefore undertaken by no one. At some point during the the time of Godmother Marietta's criminal organization, that all changed. Several intrepid mobsters, among them a Don GabrielMancini, flew in and established several small fronts to their new criminal doings in that city.

Since then, the city has seen the rise and fall of several Godfathers and Dons.

What I mean to ask, is if that should have ever occurred? The opening of the city that is, considering the numbers that are involved in the Mafia as of right now have undergone a small dip as of late.

Numbers will go down and up, such is the way of it... Old ones will die and new ones are born... I don't think St. Louis is too much. I have seen cities have as much as 6 families in them at once. We have the means to support the city, weather or not the leaders decide to utilize an additional city well that is their call. But as to your original question no I think expanding La Cosa Nostra into St.Louis was a fine idea.

Hildebrand the reason it lay dormant for so long is that it took time for the other business heads to decide what to do with it. Due to the recent wars there are many who will take stock of what they have and keep out of our way of life. This always happens there are those who lost mothers and fathers who just can't bring themselves to enter our life, but as sure as I'm standing here they will be back. They always come back.

Now is going to be an interesting time for all of us. There were three cities which emerged victors from the war and as you say have already established themselves. Now it it up to those Godfathers to decide what to do with each city. As we have already seen Godfather Gwarble has taken the first step with Chicago.

Us of the lower ranks don't know what way Chi and NO were split, one could possibly assume that since Gwarble has taken Chi that SpaceMountain will have plans for NO. That being said we won't know until we are told.

New York is in the hands of TheDean, maybe he will have plans for St Louis maybe not. But I will leave you with this final thought.

Is it not better to concentrate on rebuilding what we have at the minute, and then dealing with the empty cities. I know for a fact that if people get a tip about business in St Louis that they will still travel there and while it has no direct authority in the city itself, each of us are still bound by the rules of our Godfathers and Family heads so it's not like it will be a lawless city.