Jobs for the Gangs of Crow Alley

Steel Realms

Jobs are scenarios wherein the PC’s crew is sent on a mission for their boss, or perhaps try independent work (but still working for a gang). Each job will test some specific mechanics of the system, and provide fun for the PC’s. These should be simple, limited in run time to a couple hours (more with added roleplaying), and have clearly defined start/complete points. Each job has properties:

Getting Spotted: There’s always a chance that someone sees any activity that goes on in Crow Alley. In broad daylight, a +1 CS penalty is impose on “spotted” checks, same with an area considered crowded. If there is a chance activity can be spotted, make a level 2 check:

  • Full: Watch/block patrol saw + everyone else knows
  • Simple-Major: Informant (to informer)
  • Fail: No one of consequence or who will get involved

Getting Jobs

‘The Pitch’ – Convincing the boss to give the job to you. Each character has a chance to be chief for a job;
Factor in pitch bribes…

Completing a Job: ‘Mustering Out’ – Meeting up with gang leaders and telling them what ‘went down’.
Crews will be shook down for items. Rewards are paid out, splits are handled. Each character making a successful reputation check will have a lover for that night (who will also scout out the PC’s ‘crib’ for signs of held back loot and disrespect).

Disrespect: Independent crews may be attacked by a posse from a gang later; this will not be ordered by a boss, but they will do nothing to prevent it.

A check is made by taking the gags disrespect level and subtracting the reputation of the chief.

Scaling Jobs for Difficulty

All the encounters are lumped together in a single set without much thought of difficulty or order in which they should be used. There is a lot the GM can do to scale the jobs – jobs in Crow Alley should not be as hazardous (fights will be fatigue damage or not to the death; reduce the numbers, reduce Health and/or ability levels, add bonuses to checks for actions of PC’s), while those in the upscale Brewer’s Cross will play more for keeps (increase danger in fight; use poison/drugs/better tactics, add numbers, add Health and/or levels).

Using Violence in Jobs

Violence is expected of the characters, but the degree is up to them. Killing
targets will bring unwanted attention of the watch, cause strife in the community and resistance to the gangs,
and is messy. It also sends a message that when needed, it is not ruled out – the players will have to be judicious. The more violence they use, the more will be used on them – especially in the higher stakes Brewer’s Cross.

Repercussions: Too much death will result in the crew being cut from the gang (they can go independent), or an attack will be triggered. An assassin can be hired by the community to kill the primary offending character –
many people will be beaten in retaliation if the characters are members of a gang, if they are not, nothing
happens and the PC crew will not be able to find out who hired their attacker.

Rewards

  • Reward: Reward for the crew for doing the job; Chief negotiates payment.

    – Chief get a bonus equal to half the base reward they negotiate.

    – What to do if there’s only a single leader of the gang? All rewards will be average at best.
  • Split: Any goods or other items taken in the course of the job must be split with the gang. Normally half is expected; persuade can reduce this by half and/or get first pick.
  • Pitch Bribe: Base value to bribe the gang members to give a character the job; +1 RS on the ‘pitch’ for each base value paid. Survival: Urban to know the pitch bribe; otherwise the character will have to guess at bribe levels.