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Shadowrun crime syndicate campaign

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The Crippled Decker:
I'm a new-ish GM and I have a campaign where the players build up a criminal empire in the Las Vagas area. Do you guys have any tips?

Stainless Steel Devil Rat:
There's a couple of resources that'd be directly useful if you can get your hands on them.

FASA's old Underworld Sourcebook is pretty much the seminal work on running an alternate organized crime campaign.

One of this year's Conventions Missions Pack has 4 missions set in Las Vegas.  They have more than a little to do with the Vegas Mob, and would probably give you tons of hooks/ideas.

There are several sourcebooks that discuss the various nations of North America.. remember that in the Sixth World Las Vegas is technically inside the Native American Nations, specifically the Pueblo Corporate Council.  The PCC however is happy to let Vegas run as a virtual Anglo enclave since it makes a ton of money...


But barring use of existing sources: starting your own criminal empire in a town that's already lock, stock, and barrel with the Mafia pretty much means getting on the Mob's wrong side in a hard way.. unless of course they want to affiliate.

The Crippled Decker:
I have the players start in a small, poor part of the city, far away from the Casinos, but just close enough to still be in the city limits. The mafia isn't going to be an issue yet since none of them really care about that part of town. They just let the local gangs war it out, and only fight when a gang attacks one of their own.

I was thinking for the first run the players would start their own protection racket, on their neighbors. Or should the first be an ordinary run that's in the books?

Michael Chandra:
If they're new to Shadowrun, why not start with a QSR scenario? SR4 Fastfood Fight is always a good one, which immediately helps expose the neighbourhood's need for protection. Just have the team just come out of Las Vegas where they did some low-level mob job, and they're going to the shops for some food and beer for a joint relaxation moment.

The Wyrm Ouroboros:
I'd suggest a short combat scenario just to get them used to that side of it; setting up their own crime ring, no matter how small, is going to involve lots of combat.  So maybe them against a small gang that they wipe out and whose turf they take over.  Expand from there ...

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