Standing on a Street corner soaking up the bonhomie, Avram chats to a few friends.  All present had been involved in the war that raged.  All present knew one, or more, people to fall.  Some were Made members, some just Associates, not formerly inducted.  Avram starts to talk... "Family associates are protected by being members of the family. Similarly, they are also at risk if a war breaks out. This begs a question, one that has been asked before but never definitely answered – is an Associate of a family, that is, a person not bound by an oath of honour, a legitimate target in time of war? "Should Association with a family mean that a person is a target?  It might make more sense, economically and in terms of casualties suffered, for an attacking side to offer sanctuary to opposing Associates, mightn't it? "And, come to think of it, would colluding with Made men and above in overthrowing their CL be acceptable?  Could those that jumped ship, so to speak, ever be trusted?  Could their children?"

Standing on a Street corner soaking up the bonhomie, Avram chats to a few friends.  All present had been involved in the war that raged.  All present knew one, or more, people to fall.  Some were Made members, some just Associates, not formerly inducted.  Avram starts to talk...

"Family associates are protected by being members of the family. Similarly, they are also at risk if a war breaks out. This begs a question, one that has been asked before but never definitely answered – is an Associate of a family, that is, a person not bound by an oath of honour, a legitimate target in time of war?

"Should Association with a family mean that a person is a target?  It might make more sense, economically and in terms of casualties suffered, for an attacking side to offer sanctuary to opposing Associates, mightn't it?

"And, come to think of it, would colluding with Made men and above in overthrowing their CL be acceptable?  Could those that jumped ship, so to speak, ever be trusted?  Could their children?"

You bring up some interesting questions. Its inevitable that some associates will die in a war be it because they have slipped into a coma, or just being plain unlucky and being gunned down by a kill seeking hitman. But then again, you could argue that war is war, and no matter your position in a family during a war you're still part of that family and thus are a target. Not to mention said associates could be providing protection for their leaders or hitters within the family.

As for people colluding to overthrow their leader, I suppose it would depend on their reasoning. Perhaps their CL had become inactive in this thing of ours, and had long stopped worrying about their families best interests. Or perhaps they were just a bad leader, making terrible decisions and leading the family into wars, or near wars.

Catriona had been walking along the streets, going about her business, when she heard a speech being made that caught her ear. Walking over, she listened intently to what both Avram and Michelotto said, before considering her own thoughts on the matter. Taking the final drag from her cigarette, she throws it down on the pavement and stamps it out, before clearing her throat and speaking up herself.

One thing I would like to add to this is that one of the reasons for associates being considered a target in a war is that the family gains a defence boost for every member, and therefore the more members the family has, the better their defence is and the harder they are to kill. Another thing is that, as, in this thing of ours, one must have been part of our way of life for a minimum of 11 days, and have a certain level of reputation with the local dealers to before they can be considered to become made, they have plenty of time to work on building a strong gun. If you say that they are born with a good aim and do not need to spend time at the shooting range, and they shoot, for example, 5 inactives per day, they could have a gun capable of inflicting damage if they chose to employ it that way, and therefore would be a legitimate threat.

The two before me stole my thunder, but I'm here so I might as well give my take anyway. 

Ultimately, I wouldn't be too worried about family associates, but for the fact that they do offer that protection to those hitters and leaders.  Because of that, they remain very important targets in war. 

And all this talk of collusion, changing sides, etc, just makes me shake my head.  Even though I am young and may only be useful to offer protection to my family, I am loyal.  I am but an associate but would still die for my leader.

My two cents coming your way.

The way I see it, you are working for a family earning trust and hopefully, if lucky enough, to be made. Now while working for that family you are called upon to do many things. Sell drugs, keep tabs of what is happening in the city your in, pass along withness statements, etc. As acting on those orders you are then working with that family making you part of one. You are not made, this is true, but you are working for that family. This in my mind means you are a target. You have value, may it be not much but you have some value. I imagine that most times when families go to war it is to competely remove that other family. Be it what it may, whom you associate with has its reprecusions, so be prepared to deal with that when working for a family. I guess this is why one is to choose wisely when getting ready to to write out that application to a family.

I hope this make some sense.

Dally.

All's fair in love or war?  I dunno, I don't have a strong opinion on it, but I do know that allegiences can transcend crews - bloodlines can be linked, a CL can not act in the best interests on the family and, of course, there can be good ol' fashioned power plays.