So I made a previous thread regarding loan sharking under a different character, so I'm going to go ahead and continue with additional ideas that I think would benefit the game, as much of the stuff I witness can be a bit disappointing at times - even though it keeps people "busy".

Rackets

While this game has a nice bit of street activity for someone to perform like "snatching a pursue" or something it's very petty.  I realize there are different levels of crimes that are provided over time, but aside from drugs, there's a casino that reminds me of nothing more than a casino in my local city.  We're simply players and not profiting from the businesses.  It's a very poor racket setup at best - if I'm being honest.

Now, keep in mind, some of these should be unlimited (loan sharking, drugs, gambling, hijacking) because there's no geographic territory controlling this.  These are the lower end rackets that are the bread and butter of every crime family.  But other things like legimate businesses are controlled by others.

Extortion ("Extracting Gold from Fleas")

The Mafia's bread and butter, going all the way back to its times in the Mediterranean.  Whether living in a prison, charging petty amounts for a place to sleep, rooms to occupy etc, or a local business paying a small tax to the mafiosi/camorristi.  This is how it all started.  This wall also go into more of the Ranks feature, which, while I understand needs to show players achievement, is further from the truth and pointless with little to no meaning.

Expand it even further, shaking down and taxing illegal rackets such as:

Drug Dealers, Prostitution rings, Card Games, Sportsbooks etc. - Each family can "claim" a specific racket as belonging to them.  That is where the made members come in, which is what changes things.

Loan Sharking  

While in the U.S. this is described as loaning money through extorionate amounts of credit (another form of extortion) this is one of the most common rackets in American LCN.  A degenerate gambler puts too much money into a bet and can't afford to pay the bookie.  The loan shark steps in and pays, say a $50,000 bet.  However, the loan shark demands the gambler repay the bet at 4 points per week.  So each week, a payment of $4,000 to ensure their safety.  That minimum payment is also known as the juice money, vigorish (vig) or interest.  That does not apply to the principal.  If someone were to pay $4500, the loan shark could then lower the balance to $49,500 but still pockets the $4k a week.  The point is to keep the victim in their pocket.  Even though the loan may never be paid off, the loan shark makes tremendous profit.

Gambling

I see other factions host various sportsbooks and other rackets that an be applied in game through either attracting npc betters over time in operation or players that bet.  Hosting card games and taking 4% profit of the winnings as the host of the card game.  Vending machines are other options available to be used in various bars/restaurants etc.

Counterfeit Currency

When Giuseppe Morello went to prison at the start of the 20th century, he did time for counterfeit currency operation that was operating in New Jersey, even though he was the boss of the original NYC mafia family in East Harlem.  But in the game, assets could be purchased like printing presses and paper/ink - at different levels to create higher quality counterfeit currency.  In turn, items could be purchased and be sold at PAWN SHOPS.  That way, the counterfeiter is not actually spending anything and only makes a profit.  Or, items like vehicles or what ever else could be sold.

Cigarette Smuggling

Very similar to how the drug trafficking racket goes so far.  Travel to a city with a lower tax rate, purchase the cigarettes and travel back to your city which has a higher tax rate and sell the cigarette cartons for a profit - the difference in tax rates.

Larger Scores

Hijacking

The Luftansa Heist is rooted in one of the best rackets in NYC - Hijacking trucks from various airports or ports and selling the items for a profit.  This would also result in potential heat from law enforcement, but at the same time larger profits.

Bank Robberies

While we have armed robbery in the game along with "safe picking" - the hole in the wall gang in Las Vegas used to blow up holes in a wall and just grab the money - why bother picking a safe lock?  At the same time, certain bank robberies are investigated by the FBI.  So if someone robs them and gets caught, its larger jail sentences.

Money Laundering

This entire game is guilty of tax evasion!  Al Capone went away because he had no way of showing how he made a living.  Why not have a division of "Dirty Money" and "Clean Money".  However, this also needs to have an increase in police presence too.  Because indictments almost never seem to happen here.

Weapons Trafficking

So, this is a bit of a contested point for me.  Weapons traffickers need to be out there distributing firearms on the streets.  While I understand someone has to commit X amount of petty crimes, but in reality, guns are everywhere in our cities.  Plus, regardless of how your "stats" are setup here with your "marksmanship" there's hardly any Navy SEALs or expert marksman within organized crime/criminal groups.  A majority of them are like the gang that couldn't shoot straight and have firearms more readily available to them than packs of cigarettes - that's an analogy taken from a Police Commander in my own RL city.

Anyway, each gun - takes a serial number.  You remove the serial number but its tracked internally so if a cop finds the gun, it can be traced back to a murder.  If a gun has been used in a hit, its then a "burner" which means the value goes down and the risk goes up because whoever used the gun after can now be accused of the murder of past victims since the gun would be linked back to them if they are caught with it in their possession.

Drug Trafficking

Well, this is simplified.  Keep the trafficking prices as is, BUT have different levels.  Wholesaler, Distributor and Retail level dealers.  Cut the quantity from a higher level to stretch the profit.  The purity goes down, but, it should be worked out where the players can purchase products to stretch the product but also risk their client overdosing.  What does that do?  Impacts their reputation as a drug dealer which could be a limited time where they don't have as many clients.

Fraud

I mean there's endless possibilities here, but that would require more digging but also a quick racket to start off high in profit but authorities would catch on over time.

Ranks & Structure

The ranks in this game are a bit unrealistic as far as wise guy, thug, earner yada yada.  While I get they provide us with a form of movement and "accomplishment"  it's pretty well known that the real ranks are from when you are a made member (soldier) and up.

To continue further, a Consigliere doesn't run a territory and neither does a Capo or Boss.  Godfather?  Aside from a movie with the same term - Boss, Capofamiglia, Godfather are all the same thing!  A familiy, cosca, borgata however they are referred to are a single unit operating.  While I imay be speaking about some standard roles and responsibilities, I am going to go out and propose some leniency below various ranks.

---Older Ranks---

Top Boss/Capo Supremo/Boss of Bosses - Was a thing of the past and the only thing that would happen is bosses within LCN would pay tribute to the top boss.  However, this position change hands frequently due to the size of the organization.  From Giuseppe Morello, Salvatore D'Aquila, Joe Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano - all were murdered.

The Commission - The board of directors.  Are bosses today sitting down and meeting on a regular basis to have set standards?  Membership requirements?  This should be the place where families are created and set in STONE.  While you have a "Gambino" or "Genovese" family as named by law enforcement, they are all "New York Families" and along with "New Jersey" family and "Chicago" family etc.  This is where new members are proposed and passed around to discuss. If a boss is to be killed, the commission must sit on this board.  Traditionally, the 5 families, Chicago & Buffalo held seats and all other 21 families in the country were represented by one of the families with a seat.  

--Administration--

Boss - All self explanatory.  The head of the family who dictates who lives and dies in their family.  Should have a seat on the commission (not sure if one is included in this game, but there should be).  This position is approved by the families with a seat on the commission.

Underboss - Second in command acting on behalf of the boss and a buffer between the streets.  Typically, no associate unless they are a huge earner, would ever sit down with the boss.  The chain of command exists for a reason.  If the boss is absent through prison, sickness or even death, the Underboss steps in to run the family until an official boss is selected.

Consigliere - Advisor to the boss and the only role, according to former Gambino Family capo, Michael "Mikey Scars" DiLeonardi, whoever occupies this position does not get murdered.  They are there to play as devil's advocate to the Boss and persuade them to see other angles.  Can work along with the Underboss to run the family in the Boss' absence.  

Note: Boss & Underboss are equal in rank.

Capodecina/Capo Regime/Captain - Running a crew of a maximum number of soldiers.  In real life, Capodecina obviously meant a "boss of ten".  So this could mean boss of ten made members.  But associates is unlimited depending on who the family recruits. The capo runs the day to day things for his crew to make money.  Could coordinate scams and rackets with their family.  They should have more autonomy over a specific territory within a city.  These are not expendable roles!  Players in this role should not be propped up by a boss temporarily as expendable.

Made Man/Soldier/Button - The real official first step of the Mafia is this rank.  The soldiers are still performing various rackets.  However, a Made Member can sponsor members.  In New York City, there is a limit on a number of members who are allowed in.  When the books are closed, no members are admitted.  However, when a family reaches its number cap, the only exception is for 2 new members at christmas in NY & NJ.  That is to prevent other families from over powering each other.  They are actively out there running things on the street participating with associates and even carrying out hits.  In many instances, soldiers also lead their own "Crews" of non-made members.  When you are made, you MUST kick up to the Capo and so on and so forth.  That's a huge between being made and an associate.

Observation: Bosses are given a ridiculous and also toxic role of killing members off below the rank of Made Men, when they really don't "own them".  So the game has that wrong.  It needs to be fixed.  Once someone is made, they are they owned by the family.  And in essence, while there's a chain of command, all made men are equal (ranks above) in importance.  The boss is simply the only one but still cannot disobey those rules.  A boss should not abuse the people below them unless they violate one of the LCN rules.  

Associate - The associates are people trying to get themselves noticed by the Mafia and admitted.  Associates can work for multiple families and if put on "record" are not held to the same standard.  The whole "Thug, Earner, Goomba, Wiseguy" shit is just flat out wrong.  I get it, there's levels of ranks that can be handed.  But maybe low level, mid level and high level and even "Proposed" associate can be set as such.  A proposed associate, is someone who is proposed for membership and not yet a member because they have not been (1) approved or (2) have not had their ceremony yet.

Associates are often released from their families if they switch to other groups and happens quite often.  Perfect example - Sammy Gravano was "on record" with the Colombo crime family in NY and had an internal dispute withi another crew member.  The Colombo administration released Sammy to the Gambino family, where he was under a different Capo and later made into the Gambinos.  Associates should be earning and putting in work for the capos as needed.  Now, associates can be beaten up and killed without permission from the Boss.  Often times, the associates are the ones abused by made members - they have to hold back and can't push back.  Of course there are crazy ones who put their hands on members.  They then wind up dead.  But, these are the major muscle to help the family in wars.  

Cities & Territory

Territory Distribution

While we have cities like New York, Chicago, Las Vegas etc.  Digging further down could give a specific territory to Capos.  Perfect example - in New York City, you obviously have the boroughs, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Bronx & Staten Island.  However, within each borough you've got various neighborhoods.  

For example, let's view Brooklyn: Bensonhurst, Coney Island, Red Hook. Downtown Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Bedford Stuyvesant, Borough Park, East Flatbush, Flatlands, East New York - all neighborhoods within the organization.  A Capo could be appointed by a boss of overseeing that territory for the family.  The soldiers of that crew would operate in that area.  In the case of NYC in real life, there's obviously 5 families operating in the city, so in that case, two capos from different families can operate in the same area but would interact at lower level disputes to be handled by Capos.  

Cities

Palermo, Sicily - The headquarters of Cosa Nostra.  Here, the various families were never named after any person, but rather, the district or neighborhood they occupy.  The families created have stood for hundreds of years and were never destroyed in a war.  You had specific districts and neighborhoods where a family existed and then had further commissions (different from what was listed above).  For example, above the Boss of a family, you then have a Capo Mandamento, which is a boss of 3 families.  In Sicily a Mandamento is a grouping or district of 3 neighborhoods/districts or villages.  Much like the USA, only Palermo has more than one family operating there like New York.  Every other village has one family.  In Palermo you have the following examples but not all of them:

Mandamento 1

Porta Nuova family

Palermo Centro family

Borgo Vecchio family

Mandamento 2

Olivuzza family

Altarello di Baida family

Perpignano family

Mandamento 3

Arenella family

Acquasanta family

Falde family

Mandamento 4

Monreale family

Corso Calatafimi family

Borgo Molara family

Mandamento 5

Villagrazia family

Pagliarelli family

Santa Maria di Gesu family 

Naples, Italy - Home of the Camorra, which is not nearly as organized as the sicilian mafia.  Groups form and are created with unofficial ranks.  They often splinter into civil war or from a police indictment and as a result whither away or are absorbed by another organization.

New Orleans, Louisiana - The first city of the Mafia in the United States.  While I'm too much of a historian this is something I think would benefit the game.  The first family was founded in New Orleans and goes back to the 1860s from when many of the initial members such as Rafaelle Agnello and others fought in the Civil War in what was the "European Brigade".   Eventually they came to control the ports and other industries that were there.  Other wars took place such as the Matrangas vs. the Provenzanos, the Maccheroni Wars and then through Prohibition under Sam Carolla and into Carlos Marcello.

Anyway....happy reading!

Whilst you have provided a lot of historical background info, most of which a lot of us know already, you haven't actually made any suggestions. As this is a Role playing game, a lot of what you spoke about is up to the players to role play and organise. 

A few points I'd like to make. The Rank structure here has long been accepted as incorrect, however it is that way because this is essentially the rank structure of the original game. Many times it has been suggested that it is changed or altered, but the original has stayed. 

New Orleans was until recently a city in game, and while many were sad to see its demise, it was still removed and replaced with Seattle. 

The commission is a player controlled thing. Some regimes have one, some don't, sometimes they post rules and guidance in the streets, sometimes they simply operate from the shadows. 

My suggestion is to make it more realistic and allow for additional rackets to be brought into the game and add additional territory.

When posting game suggestions please do not put your idea in the topic and say "I think the topic speaks for itself". Put some thought into your suggestion by asking yourself some simple questions first..

What is your idea?
Has your idea already been suggested in some form or another before? (Check the Suggestions forum for past threads with ideas the same or similar to yours.)
What does your idea entail?
How can your idea be successfully implemented into the game as it stands?
What major changes would be needed to make your idea work?
What is the positive impact of your idea?
What is the negative impact of your idea?
How may your idea affect the rest of the userbase?

Include the answers to these questions in your thread.

We encourage you to come up with helpful additions to the game, but we need you to fully explain them and the impact they may have on the game.

When replying to a suggestion please try to keep it positive. I understand that it is difficult sometimes and not so nice things come out, however, this is a forum for constructive discussions not bashing each other.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing your ideas and the discussions regarding them.

This isn't real life, its a game, so there has to be checks and balances. If you add money (through new rackets etc) it has to be taken from somewhere else, I'm not trying to shit on your enthusiasm, suggestions are always welcome. You also need to remember that at present the game is set in the 1930s so some of what you suggest wouldn't work, at present. Some of the others are also already available as Felony crimes. Safe Cracking, Kidnap and ransom, Blackmail, Hijacking, Bank robbery, and prostitution. I believe there are potentially others in development for V2 of the game. 

As for more Territory, its not needed at present given the amount of players we have. However the facility exists to add more as needed.