Don Wheeler takes a stand at the podium. He flicks his cigarette to the floor and adjusts his tie.

Brothers, Sisters, i stand before you today, not to complain about my fathers death, or the deaths of his close friends, or to justify why they were taken out, or even to ask why.

I just have a few words to say.

When my father was alive, he often called for New York to be taken out. He had no motive for this, but he knew it was a necessity if New Orleans was to survive. He spoke to his friends in the upper structure, but they believed themselves untouchable, they believed New York was an ally or at the least, not a threat. "No-one in this thing of ours is a good enough shot to touch Stamina" They would say. "No-ones gun is as big as Staminas" They would say. "Not one of the cities has a man or woman half as organised when it came to war as Immortal" They said.

Now they are dead. But im not complaining. Thats the way of things in this thing of ours. If the powerful dont seize total control they will die.

If New Orleans had hit New York as soon as they were done with Chicago, New York would have fell. Stamina was good enough with his gun to hit both Clarity and JackPepper, this was known. Yet he didn't and New Orleans didn't go to war.

Now, I dont deny we would have took many losses, but what do a few individuals matter when it comes to protecting the whole? Half a hundred men and women would have gladly gave their life to secure New Orleans place at the pinnacle. And we must remember, this was well before Detroit was powerful enough to matter, and before Las Angeles had been repopulated.

So yes. New Orleans let you win New Yorkers. Not intentionally of-course, and I'm not denying your victory, you had to work for it like any army or family must. But they let you win, because they didn't kill you all when they had the chance.

So heed my words brothers and sisters. If any of you should ever achieve power, do not become arrogant in it. Do not believe yourself untouchable, and most importantly, kill your enemies when you have the chance, no matter what the losses may be.

The powers that be are spread thin at the moment. The cities are equal in strength. But watch one another closely, make your alliances and crush other cities, and when one of you finally stands above the others... Make sure they don't get strong enough to rival you.

DW steps down from the stand.

Pathetic... Are you serious? What reason would New Orleans have had to attack New York at that early stage of it's development? If you were in 'the top spot' would you just kill everyone else just to make sure no-one would ever have the ability to top you? Sounds like a cowardly way to live if you ask me. New Orleans and Philadelphia planned to attack New York that very same night, we beat them to it... We won because we are better... A better team, with better organisation and better decisions.

yes I agree RIP to the fallen. but I just think there shold be a reason if your gonna just start killen people for no reason. Especialy if a person did not do nothing wrong but oh well Sometimes people forget that this is all about the respect

"No-one in this thing of ours is a good enough shot to touch Stamina" They would say. "No-ones gun is as big as Staminas" They would say. "Not one of the cities has a man or woman half as organised when it came to war as Immortal" They said.

This, in particular, made me almost choke on my drink. Nobody is untouchable, take the Roman/Premeir takedown for instance, they were the closest to untouchable I can remember, and Stamina was a long way off their status. A hundred average guns outweigh one cannon, even though Stamina's gun was huge, the sheer number of people we have/had outweighed it, and negated it. As for Immortal being the most organised war coordinator in the seven cities, I highly doubt that, in fact, I KNOW it not to be true. I'm not here to insult the dead, but you have to be realistic.

All in all, your theories and statement are incredibly innacurate. I suggest you take the time to actually learn about what you wish to speak about, before letting your lower jaw drop and the words fall out of it.

New York was the next closest thing to a powerhouse. New Yorks leaders were originally from Chicago. They showed that they were not loyal to their past friends, which identified them as people who couldn't be trusted in an alliance.

And isn't that the 'aim of the game?' Mr marston? Become the most powerful and rule a dynasty that lasts longer than any the world has ever seen? Roman had the right idea. We need to return to the ways of old. Be the best, no matter who you have to walk over in the process. We are the mafia. We are cold, we are methodical. Or at least, we used to be before we all went soft.

And to you coldwindblows, I say, if your going to kill people for no reason, there doesn't have to be a reason, thats kinda obvious. And once again, your forgetting something. WE. ARE. THE. MAFIA. We dont need a reason to kill someone. We kill someone because we can, and because if we don't, they might kill us.

Sammy, did i say that those opinions were mine? Listen before you speak. I know what im talking about, obviously however, you dont.

A misleading title - to say that you let NY win is to paint yourselves as benevolent and NY as incompetant.  The opposite is true. 

We're in the Mafia... The object isn't to be the last man standing, maybe that's where you're confused. Your paranoid attitude is deconstructive, and war is bad for business. We shouldn't be barbarians fighting to be alpha male, we are men of respect and honour...

"New Orleans and Philadelphia planned to attack New York that very same night, we beat them to it... We won because we are better... A better team, with better organisation and better decisions."

This comment in itself is a bit arrogant as well. You didn't win because you were better. You one because you got the first wave. Because you got a snitch. Good for you since that is a valid resource in the mafia, but unless you claim to be better because you have a snitch?

Or will you claim to make "better decisions" because you "decided" to plant a snitch among NO's ranks?

As for the original comment... yes, I used to hear most of those arguments and it did reek of arrogance. They weren't too far off, actually. If being attacked NO was able to do so much damage, I'm pretty certain that had NO attacked first they would have won as well.

You hear NO bring evidence that NY was becoming a bully like so many powerful people have become, but you also hear people from other cities with examples of how Stamina was a bully as well... So I'm not sad that my "daddy" died... this war was necessary and wiped so many powerful people that it's almost like starting over.

Maybe the next batch of powerful people will realize that demanding 25 million dollar compensations puts too much stress in inter city relations. Maybe the next batch of people will realize that telling people what to do even if they don't want to do it is not really the best way to create allies and you slowly give people reasons to want to take you out.

Avram, I don't think you heard the speech at all. If anything, he painted New Orleans as complacent, not benevolent. And he didn't say anything bad about NY, just that they could have been crushed at one point in time.

But I agree with Marston when he says that there was no reason to attack back then.

(CWB listens to don wheeler and smoke a cigar)

yes I agree BUT remeber that first you need to EARN the respect noone is just going to give it to u. But it doesnt matter all you need to do us just work hard and you will get it. well i have to go have a good day :)

(CWB walks over and just shakes Don wheelers hand)

Deconstructive for who Marston? If you become so powerful as to destroy a city in the first wave (as has happened in the past im sure), you have personally lost nothing.

OOC: If im honest, the only way anyone will ever win this game is if they take out ALL other cities, ALL other families, ALL other mobsters. Remember, we play games to win, not to draw and definitely not to lose. Imagine VDay, but on a permanent, 1 shot kill basis. :End of OOC.

Thankyou for actually taking the time to listen to my speech Andy, my grandfather had allot of respect for you.

And no disrespect intended CWB, but i never asked for respect. I stated facts. I wasn't bigging NO up, nor was i putting NY down, or vice versa. I was giving you all advice, so that if you ever take power, you might manage to keep it. Seeing as noone has been able to lately.

Sorry andy, I meant to say: Your Bloodline.

In war I am sure there are no winners or loser just survivors. In this case I would hardly put New York as a winner, all initial crew leaders killed the godfather gone that is hardly a winning position when the decision makers do not survive. Probably the real winners from this have been Las Vegas which has been, in comparison to the other cities, fairly untouched. My own city of Los Angeles is now the sole city with a godfather at least for the next month or so when Las Vegas should obtain their own.

As for the planning and perception of the battle, I would go out on a limb and say its about as close to a draw as possible on the grounds both sides obtained their objectives. NY, LA, Det, LV went into this battle wanting to take down NO and PH or at least that is what it looks like to an outsider. So they secured their objective.

NO and PH wanted to inflict the maximum amount of damage possible following a fairly devastating first wave attack. Again when you look at the obituaries it is clear that they secured their objective.

War is never good for our world, we are not bloody thirsty killers, we are business men and our business is that of making profit from illicit activities.

Rest in Peace to all the fallen, and to those who survived I imagine the hard work is only just beginning.

Although i dont condone this mans sentiments, as i know when i speak for my city, that we accepted we were out numbered, from a very early stage. I have to say 95% of the city ahs took this well and id be surprised if you et many more coming out to bitch about his/her father being killed, as for most parts we were a realistic city, one that will take this on the chin and go on with our life's.

Although if i may, i somewhat feel like we have achieved a small moral victory, i know you will all hastily disagree, and for that i wont blame you but nevertheless we walk away with our heads held high and congratulate the other cities on what they achieved.

rip to all who have fallen on bith sides.

swimming up he jumps from the water onto the dock, landing in a small pool

"half as organised when it came to war as Immortal"

I have seen turtles orgnaze better schools of fish, then immortal could organize a war, hsl, ia list anything to that extent. Lets not get carried away here folks

Speculating of what could have been if other courses of action had been taken in the past is the job of old men, who sit and sip their redwine or cognac. For the sons of the fallen this is the time to look ahead and see all the possibilitys opened up by this war...Rip to all the fallen...Glory to all who lives on

this war is getting out of hand now, breaking rules killing -48..

When did i complain about my father getting killed? My father was a half hearted man, and couldn't have cared less how he fared. I only came to these shores to give you all my point of view. Life and death comes easy in this thing of ours. I know, my family line has been here from the beginning. So dont judge me, because i never once complained that my father was killed. I was giving you all sound advice. If you plan on keeping power, you must have an iron fist.

I think you will find that the rule breaking you mention, isn't all it seems. I know that at least one of the two -48 Gangsters you see had sacrificed herself in order to keep her leader safe. The other I'm not sure about in all honesty but I can tell you he had shot, visited the range or tried to dip a hand into a pocket or two. They would be wrapped in blue blankets if they were innocent, not red.

How about if New Orleans had... No, I don't think we need to go down that street at all.

New Orleans had a good set of members and you can see what is left are still doing themselves extremely proud! It is true that none of us are untouchable, and I know New Orleans didn't believe that they were even close to that status. They had some strong members but they weren't naive enough to think they would intimidate other cities into not striking. They had been around since the fall the Roman Empire and had seen they weren't even close to the levels of protection that they had.

May the fallen from both sides, rest well.