Steampunk Mafia

A RED 8 System game

By Jay Steven Uy Anyong
jast@mydestiny.net

I.

Introduction

II. The City of New Providence

III. The Heroes and Villains of New Providence
IV. Kodiaks
V. Game mechanics
VI. combat
VII. rewards
VIII. Game Master Advice

Introduction
Terry looked down on the city of New Providence below them,
the wind whipping his hair as he squinted to get a better
view. Already the smoke from the burning buildings down
below began to mar the beauty of the city, his city.
Swearing, Terry turned from the opening of the Police
Zeppelins launch bay to Edgar, his mechanic.
Is she ready? Terry snapped impatiently, as the sound of
gunfire rattled down below. There wasnt much time. The
Corbolli family had to be stopped.
Inside the launch bay, Edgar was hurriedly making some last
minute checks to Terrys Kodiak power armor, the Enforcer,
slapping down one last lever, Edgar gave a grunt, That
should do it, Terry! The engineer gave a thumbs-up sign,
Hop in and give em hell!
Terry took out a small, fist-sized metal punch card and
stepped into the Enforcers torso cockpit. Strapping himself in,
Terry slid the punch card into the ignition slot and pulled on
the activation lever. The Mitchell-Connor Hydrogen Engine
thrummed to life, various gauges dancing as the Enforcer
began to power up. Giving Edgar a salute, Terry pulled on
the sealing lever, and the 3-ton steam-powered Kodiak groaned,
metal plates sliding over to encase Terry, jets of steam hissing
outwards from the steam vents on the Kodiaks shoulders and
back to bring the Kodiak into a standing position.
All systems go. Terrys voice squawked through the
Kodiaks built-in intercom. The Enforcer lumbered forward
towards the Zeppelins launch bay, and with a powerful blast
from its Steam-propulsion jets, hurled itself into the New
Providence sky, raining down hot lead onto the Corbolli
familys legbreakers.

Welcome to Steampunk Mafia

In case you havent figured it out, this is a game about two things: Steampunk devices, and the
Mafia.
To help you get a better grip as to what were talking about, Ill break this down to its component
parts and discuss each one briefly.
Steampunk Is a particular sub-genre of speculative fiction (or Sci-Fi if you prefer), involving a
bizarre mix of the romantic wonder of steam power with the gritty and grim settings of
Cyberpunk. Think Johnny Mnemonic or Blade Runner with steam engines, and youve got the
idea.
The Mafia is a catch all term for a particular family oriented form of organized crime. Their
origins were Italian in origin when they fought back against oppressors in a sort of city vigilante
kind of way. They won the respect and love of the common people, and are popular anti-heroes
and villains of a lot of books and movies such as the Godfather and the Untouchables.
Why put these two together? Well for one thing, its unique. The second is the fact that
despite how different these are, they have the spirit of romance and potential for stories that I
find invigorating. Gritty tales of brotherhood and betrayal, set against a backdrop of steamtech
that only accentuates the feeling of mystery that already surrounds the Mafia.
Theres also the potential to play the good guys. Like Elliot Ness and the Untouchables, players
can also be the police of New Providence, fighting with everything theyve got, from fists, to
their wits to 12-foot tall steamtech mecha all in the name of justice.
Interested? Keep reading.

The City of New Providence

New providence is a stereotypical American city in the 1920s, with a twist. Thanks to the
discovery of a cheap and abundant supply of energy with the invention of the famous MitchellConnor Hydrogen Engine, steam power became the choice power source for the world. Now the
cityscape in marked with gentle clouds of steam that come from the underground vents of the
New Providence Power Plant.
Mechanical wonders practically sprung up overnight, with the invention of newer and better
automobiles, manufacturing machines, and the 12-foot tall, humanoid mechs known as Kodiaks.
Originally designed to assist in loading cargo in and out of the ships that dock in New
Providence, some these hulking iron giants were stolen by the Mafia and modified, turning them
to criminal uses. A crime wave of unparalleled proportions hit the city, as the emboldened Mafia
gangs stole entire armored trucks with their Kodiaks, impervious to most police gunfire.
It was only a matter of time before New Providences Chief of Police gave the go signal to come
up with a counter-Kodiak force of specially trained police officers. These brave men and women
were the citys only chance to stem the tide of Kodiak related crimes that threaten to bring the
once peaceful city to its knees.
The Mafia
The Mob, as it is more commonly known, is more than a collection of hoodlums and thugs that
go around wantonly sowing destruction. While they have been known to resort to violent and
heavy handed tactics, the Mob is also composed of those who hold their own brand of honor and
code of conduct.
The Police
Standing between the Mafia and total domination over the city of New Providence is the NPPD,
brave, determined souls who take to the streets to make sure that the city is safe from crime.
Whether theyre regular beat cops, detectives or even a mechanic of the NPPD Kodiak
maintenance department, these guys know that the safety of the city lies in their hands.

The Heroes and Villains of New Providence

Steampunk Mafia recognizes the fact that in this kind of struggle, its tempting to side with either
the devious Mafia criminals or the stalwart police force that fight against them. As such, were
leaving the option of what side the players will be entirely up to them. Since this is a roleplaying game, the first step is to define what role youll play. This is done by creating a
character.
First of all, its important to note how characters are defined. Each character has a set number of
Stats:
Body The body stat reflects the over-all physical health and strength of a character
Dexterity Dexterity determines the coordination and grace of a character
Charm Charm is how personable the character is, and how good her people skills are
Intelligence Determines that characters wit and raw intellect, as well as perception
Will Is the measurement of a characters ability to push himself beyond his limits
Each Stat begins with a score of +0. This doesnt mean that a character is inept, but merely
average in each category. Each character has 4 points that they can add to their Stats. Players
may choose to put all 4 points in one Stat, or distribute it among the Stats according to their
concept of the character. Players may also choose to decrease a Stat below 0 in order to gain
points that they would like to spend on another Stat.
In addition, each character will also have one or more Descriptors, which are usually Nouns or
Adjectives that modify a particular skill or ability. These can be specializations, broad
descriptions and other adjectives that will shape a character. For example, a Mafia assassin
might have Stealthy as a descriptor, or perhaps a Police detective might have Perceptive as a
descriptor. Mechanically, descriptors serve as a bonus to actions that will involve that adjective,
if the character is attempting it. Like Stats, a player has 5 points to distribute among their
characters descriptors. The maximum value for any Stat or Descriptor is +5.
As an option, a player can choose to add a Negative Descriptor which penalizes a characters
ability in exchange for a point that they can add to either a Stat or Descriptor. This exchange is
done on a 1:1 ratio, to a maximum of 3 points. For example, the Mafia legbreaker might have
the Negative Descriptor, Dim-Witted: -2 but gets an additional 2 points to either add to his Stats
or Descriptors.
Example:
Bob wants to make a character for the Steampunk Mafia. He decides that he wants a strong,
Mafia Thug named Eddie for a character. Starting with 4 points on Stats, he decides that his best
bet is to put a lot of points into his body and willpower. Putting 3 in body and 1 in Willpower,
Eddie is a powerful character who refuses to give up.
Satisfied for now, Bob moves on to descriptors. He decides that Eddie is a master of grappling
techniques, and so adds Grappling as a descriptor followed by +3, a bonus worthy of his skills.

Bob also decides to put a +1 to both Lifting and Intimidation as Eddie is fond of picking up
his opponents, and is a fearsome wrestler.
Looking over Eddies stats, Bob thinks that he wants more points to add to Eddies Stats and
Descriptors. To compensate, Bob decides to add a 1 Negative modifier to Eddies Charm stat,
and add a +1 to Dexterity, since Eddie is a fairly unappealing individual, but has the quickness to
help him get the jump on his opponent. As for descriptors, Bob gives Eddie a 2 for Lying as
Eddie isnt very convincing when he tries to lie. To balance it out, he adds +1 to both Lifting
and Intimidation again to make sure that Eddie makes an impact.
Finishing it up with a history of his character, Bob finishes Eddie and has a final character sheet
that looks like this:
Stats:
Body +3
Dex +1
Cha -1
Int +0
Will +1

Descriptors:
Grappling +3
Lifting +2
Intimidation +2
Lying -2

All characters start with a Health Chart:

-2
-3
-4

Each box is marked off according to the number of damage taken. More on this will be
explained in the Combat chapter.
With all these modifiers for stats, descriptors, and weapons, its easy to lose track of what youre
doing. Hence we recommend that you keep a running total for each of your most used actions.
Something like:
Action
Pistol
Punch
Haggle
Dodge
Lift

Stat
Dex +2
Dex +2
Cha +2
Dex +2
Str -1

Descriptor
Firearms +2
Martial Arts +2
Personable +1
Martial Arts +2
Weakling -1

Weapon
Bonus
+2
NA
0
NA
NA

Total Mod
6
4
3
4
-2

This way, you wont lose track of the bonuses and save time, simply roll your two dice and add
the total for the action youre performing.

Kodiaks
Kodiaks are 12-foot tall, 3 ton iron giants piloted by a single individual. Once used only for
commercial purposes, they have been stolen and used by the Mafia families as walking tanks
used in their overt operations. When outfitted with tommy guns and howitzer cannons,
combined by their speed, strength and tough armor, they can keep an entire squad of pistol
wielding police officers at bay. Since these hulking weapons carry a miniature version of the
Mitchell-Connor Hydrogen Engine, they are easy to maintain, and have an operative range
comparable to that of an airplane.
Body: The toughness of internal functions of a Kodiak, protected by its Armor Rating.
Spd: The speed by which a Kodiak can move.
AR: The toughness of a Kodiaks Armor. Damage done to a Kodiak in a turn is reduced by its
armor rating. Any extra damage spills over to the Kodiaks Body.
Mafia Kodiaks are really patched together in some hidden warehouse rather than mass produced.
This gives the Mafia an edge as well as a disadvantage. While they can salvage captured
Kodiaks for parts and find a way to add new and unconventional weapons to their Kodiaks,
repair is more costly, and their technology is insufficient to allow for the more advanced systems
found in police Kodiaks.
A Mafia Kodiak starts with a base of:
Body: 10
Spd: 5 hexes
AR: 6
Each Mafia Kodiak can begin with any number of weapons, with a total size no greater than 10.
The Law enforcement Kodiaks are another creature altogether, working with the scientists
responsible for several industrial marvels, the lighter armored Police Kodiaks do not have the
customizable traits of the Mafia Kodiak, but feature several unique systems such as Steam Jump
Jets, and readily available replacements and standard parts.
A Police Kodiak has a base of:
Body: 10
Spd: 6 hexes
AR: 5
Each Police Kodiak can begin with 1 equipment package.

Kodiak Weapons:
Weapons have several stats:
Range: The maximum distance where this weapon can hit, splash indicates size of explosion.
Size: This is the amount of space consumed by the weapon
Shots: The number of shots in a clip for this weapon
Defense: This modifier is added or subtracted from the characters defense roll
Accuracy: This modifier is added or subtracted from the characters attack roll
Damage: This is the amount of damage that the weapon does
Kodiak Tommy Guns (range 8)
Size Shots
Accuracy
Damage
4
20
+0
3k
Kodiak Magnum (range 4)
Size Shots
Accuracy
3
6
+0

Damage
2k

Mortar (range 12, splash 3 hex)*

Size Shots
Accuracy
Damage
6
1
-1
6k
Kodiak Grenade (range 6, splash 2 hex)
Size Shots
Accuracy
Damage
1
1
-1
3k
Buzz-Saw (Melee)
Size Defense
Accuracy
2
+1
+0

Damage
3k

Taser Baton (Melee)

Size Shots
Accuracy
2
5
+0

Damage
1k**

Kodiak Sniper Rifle (range 15)

Size Shots
Accuracy
Damage
5
5
+2
4k
*Mortars take a full round to reload.
** Taser Batons do 1k damage to the Kodiak and 2 damage to the pilot on a successful hit. Taser Batons ignore AR.

The k added after damage is a measure of a Kodiak scale. Kodiak Scale weapons deal twice the
listed amount of damage when used on humans. The reverse is also true, human scale weapons
do half the listed amount of damage on Kodiaks.

Equipment packages:
Sniper Package:
Kodiak Sniper Rifle (with 6 extra clips)
Heat Signature Mask
Assault Package:
Tommy Gun (with 2 extra clips)
Taser Baton
Steam Jump Jets
Scout Package:
Kodiak Magnum (2 extra clips)
Guardian Radar Package
Package Enhancements:
Heat Signature Mask This device covers the latent Heat signature found in Active Kodiaks. By
improving the cooling system and using a special type of alloy armor, the Sniper Police Kodiak
can remain undetectable by Kodiak heat sensors. This grants a -3 penalty in rolls to locate the
Kodiak if it is currently not in motion.
Steam Jump Jets By far the most intimidating enhancement that the Police Kodiaks have at
their disposal, they hypercharged Steam Jump Jets enable Kodiaks to clear nearly 5 stories on a
single jump, decelerate from a fall, or increase their Spd to three times their horizontal
movement distance. Each jump can boost a Police Kodiaks Spd from 6 to 18 hexes. A
Kodiak equipped with Steam Jump Jets may only Jump a total of three times before the Jump
Jets will require maintenance.
Guardian Radar Package- The Guardian Radar is a wide range, sound-based detection system
that can be used for a variety of missions. The equipment is sensitive enough to pick up and
record voices, while monitoring the latent humming of Mitchell-Connor Hydrogen Engines
commonly used in Kodiaks. The Radar Package requires special training to use, and requires
that the pilot spend an entire turn to operate it. The benefit however, is that the pilot will be able
to locate all powered up Kodiaks within a 15 hex radius.

Game Mechanics
The Red 8 system requires the use of 2 six-sided dice (2d6). For adjudicating situations where
the character might fail, the Game Master (GM) will assign a Difficulty Number (DN) ranging
from 3 17. With 3 being the easiest and 17 being the hardest. Most tasks of average difficulty
are set at a default of 6. In order for his character to succeed, he must roll the 2 dice, add any
Stats and Descriptor bonuses that apply and get a total higher than or equal to the DN set.
Characters also have certain Descriptors, which can modify certain rolls made by a player when
resolving situations where these descriptors are applicable. The value next to the descriptor is
added to the die roll totals whenever a character uses that Descriptor.
For Example:
Melanie Wei, a Lady Cop is trying to follow a suspect through a crowd. The GM decides that
its a very large crowd in the middle of rush hour and sets his difficulty number (DN) at 8, an
above average task. Melanie Weis Character Sheet has the Int Stat +0 and the Descriptor:
Perceptive +2. Melanies player now rolls 2d6 and tries to beat the DN. She rolls a 4 and a 6
for a total of 10 and adds her Int Stat bonus of +2 and Perceptive descriptor bonus of +2 for a
final result of 12! She easily beats the DN of 8 and Melanie manages to keep an eye on the
suspect, following him through he jam-packed crowds of rush hour.
Its very easy to remember the basic rule: The GM assigns a Difficulty number, and you roll
equal to or higher than it to succeed. If you have a Stat or Descriptor bonus that applies to the
situation, then you also add those to the total of your roll, making it easier for you to do the
things that your character is good at.
The Snake Eyes and Lucky Eight rules
The Red 8 system has two special rules for dice, called Snake Eyes and Lucky Eight. A
Snake Eyes is when a player (or GM playing an NPC) rolls two 1s on his dice. When a player
rolls a Snake Eyes, it means that the character makes a very big mistake that will often lead to
trouble. This can mean anything from missing the person youre punching and hitting the wall
behind him instead, to accidentally tripping when youre chasing after someone. Overall, what it
really means is that your character has fumbled in a really bad way, and is usually in trouble.
Your GM will decide what kind of trouble this will be.
For Example:
Melanie Wei sees the suspect duck into a side alley and enter a seedy-looking bar. She tries to
follow, but a large and dangerous looking bouncer stops her from going in. Not wanting to
cause any trouble, Melanie tries to sweet talk the bouncer into letting her in. The GM declares
that the DN to convince the bouncer is only a 6 as he has no reason to be overly alarmed by
Melanies appearance. Melanies player rolls and gets two 1s, Snake Eyes! Melanie tries to
sweet talk the bouncer but accidentally mentions that shes a police officer! The bouncers eyes
narrow and he calls out a warning to his fellow guards!

Like Yin and Yang, the Snake Eyes rule has an opposite the Lucky Eight roll. The Lucky
Eight rule is when a player rolls two 4s. It only works when you get two 4s, any other roll that
results in a total of 8 does not count for a Lucky Eight. When a player rolls a Lucky Eight, it
means that no matter how difficult a certain task is, the character automatically succeeds, and
does so in the coolest way possible. When you roll a Lucky eight, feel free to describe every
detail of how well you manage to succeed in the task.
Should it happen that opposing rolls both turn out at a Lucky Eight, it is considered a tie, and
both players re-roll. However the GM should describe the actions in vivid detail as if both
players (even the loser) benefited from the Lucky Eight. This rule remains in effect even if the
second roll results in a Snake Eyes.
For Example:
Melanie Wei is in trouble, now that the bouncer has called out for help, more goons will be
coming in soon! Melanies player tells the GM that shes going to try to escape and hide from
the Bouncer. The GM then rules that trying to run away isnt going to be easy and sets the DN
at 12! Melanies player lets out a whistle and rolls her two dice to see how well she can
succeed. She rolls two 4s a Lucky Eight! Since she rolled so well, the GM declares that
Melanie manages to outrun the bouncer and hide in the shadows. As soon as the bouncer runs
past her hiding place, Melanie quietly makes her way back to the bar entrance and lets herself
inside
Difficulty ratings:
DN:
2-4
5-6
7-10
11-12
13-17

Type:
Easy
Average
Difficult
Heroic
Insane

Examples:
Driving in an empty street
Driving in normal traffic
Driving at full speed down the wrong lane
Driving at full speed in zero visibility while being shot
Driving with no brakes down a mountain blindfolded

In summary:

All rolls are 2d6 + [Stat] + [Descriptor] VS. DN

If result is greater than or equal to DN = Success
If result is lower than DN = Failure
Rolling two 1s = Snake Eyes Critical Failure
Rolling two 4s = Lucky Eight Critical Success

Combat
Sometimes words fail you and the only way to resolve a dangerous situation is to fight.
Characters might find themselves in the middle of furious melee combat, or frenzied gunfights.
To simulate the dangers of combat, weve established a few rules.
Combat is often a very messy and disorganized affair, but since this is a game, were going to
pace things in rounds, which consist of each players turns. Each turn lasts for around 3-5
seconds, and is long enough to perform a few actions.
In combat, each combatant rolls 2d6. The person who rolls highest gets his turn to act first,
followed by the next highest, and so on.
During each turn, the Player can choose to perform any of the following actions:
Moving and Attacking with Melee Weapon
Moving and Attacking with Ranged Weapon
Performing a non-combat Action
Take note that the Player is not required to move, if a player wants to remain in place and attack
or perform a non-combat Action, they are free to do so. A character can move 2 hexes if their
Dex score is up to +1, 3 hexes if +2 or higher.
Attack Roll:
1) Declare your target (must be within range)
2) Roll your two dice
3) Add any relevant Stat, Descriptor and/or Weapon bonus to your roll
4) Tell the GM your total
When a character is attacked in Melee, the character can attempt to defend himself from the
attack. The Defense roll happens immediately after the Melee Attack has been resolved (the
attack total has been told to the GM)
Defense Roll:
1) Roll your two dice
2) Add any relevant Stat, Descriptor and/or Weapon bonus to your roll
3) Tell the GM your total
If the Attack Roll total exceeds the Defense roll total, then the attack succeeds, and the weapon
hits. If the Defense Roll is higher than or equal to the Attack Roll, then the Character being
attacked manages to stop himself from getting hit.
Doing Damage:
If the Attack Roll total exceeded the Defense roll, the attack manages to pierce through the
targets defense and the attacker does damage equal to the damage rating of the weapon he is

using. The target then crosses out a number of boxes of his health to denote that he has been
injured to that point.
Some boxes may have negative modifiers beside them. These negative modifiers apply to all
rolls being made by the character, to reflect the loss of concentration and overall performance
from an injured individual. Take note that this in no way invalidates a Snake Eyes or a Lucky
Eight roll.
Example:
X X X X
X

-2
-3
-4

If a character were hit enough times to get five points of damage (as indicated by the boxes with
the Xs) the player would now have to apply a 2 to all his roll totals.
Example of Play:
Dan, Tim and Allan have gathered together to play a game of Steampunk Mafia. Dan is the
Game Master while Tim and Allan are playing Scarface and Knuckles respectively, Lieutenants
of the Corbolli Family. In their adventures, Scarface and Knuckles have found the guarded
entrance of a warehouse with a prototype Kodiak inside. Tim declares Scarfaces action, I try
to sneak up behind the guard. Dan decides that it would be a difficult action (DN 9). Tim rolls
his two dice and gets a 3 and a 2, and adds his Dex stat bonus of +1, Scarface also has the
Descriptor: Sneaky +2. Adding it all up he finds his total is only an 8! Scarface accidentally tips
over a can of oil, alerting the guard!
Since Knuckles has been watching from his hiding place all this time, he gets to move first
before the guard. Allan declares that Knuckles is going to try to shoot before the guard sounds
the alarm. Allan rolls his attack and gets a 4 and 3 adding his Dex Stat bonus of +1 but doesnt
have a descriptor for it, bringing his total to an 8! Dan rolls for the guards defense, having no
applicable Descriptor and only a +1 bonus for the guards Dexterity. Dan rolls a 2 and 4 for a
total of 7. Close, but not good enough to evade Knuckles shot. The guard takes 2 damage from
Knuckles gun and falls to the ground in pain.
Guns, guns, guns
Revolver (range 4)
Size Shots
Accuracy
S
6
+0

Damage
2

Tommy Gun (range 6)

Size Shots
Accuracy
M
20
+0

Damage
4

Rifle (range 8)
Size Shots
L
5

Accuracy
+1

Damage
4

Hand Grenade (range 6, Splash 1)

Size Shots
Accuracy
Damage
S
1
-1
5

Kodiak Combat
Combat rules are the same for Attack and Defense rolls, but a few things are different. A
Kodiaks health is its Body Stat. If a Kodiak is reduced to 0 Body, then it is no longer functional.
Further damage done to a Kodiak with 0 Body will no longer be reduced by its AR and will be
treated as damage done to the human pilot.
A Kodiak can move a number of hexes equal to its Spd Stat.
For purposes of play, each Kodiak can lift up to 2 tons of weight. Kodiaks can combine their
efforts for lifting, adding an additional +1 ton per Kodiak assisting.

Rewards
Experience
The City of New Providence doesnt stand still, so neither should your characters. Like good
heroes and villains of movies and novels, Steampunk Mafia characters also improve over time.
To represent this, each character earns a certain amount of Experience Points after each session
as awarded by the GM. Experience points are spent to improve the characters Stats or their
Descriptors. Take note that the maximum bonus for a Stat or Descriptor is +5.
Experience Point Costs are as follows:
Improvement
Raising a Stat by +1
Raising a Descriptor by +1
Buying a new Descriptor at a +1

Cost
10 exp
5 exp
3 exp

It is recommended that in an average game of Steampunk Mafia, characters should be awarded

an average of 2-3 experience points depending on how well they performed.
Reputation
The second type or reward given in Steampunk Mafia is Reputation. As their exploits become
known, and their names become famous, both police and mafia characters develop a reputation
with the people, and the organizations that they work for. Both Police and Mafia characters can
gain Fame or Infamy. As the characters become more well-known for their respective
reputations, each of them gains a certain amount of treatment as appropriate for their reputation.
In game, a characters reputation is represented by a sliding scale:
Infamy - - - - - - - - - 0 - - - - - - - - - Fame
At the start of the game, all characters begin at the midpoint of the Reputation scale. As the
game progresses, their actions determine how their Reputations change. Reputation awards are
different from experience points in the sense that they are only awarded when the characters
perform something particularly noteworthy, whether it is successfully raiding a Mafia speakeasy,
or killing a rival mobs Lieutenant.
The GM is encouraged to award or penalize players with Reputation to reflect the nature of their
actions. A simple bust would only give 2 notches towards Fame or so, or even none, if the
characters were already high in the appropriate Reputation, but a botched stakeout that resulted
in the death of several Police officers would easily be worth 5 or so Reputation notches down
towards Infamy. Take note however, that the Reputation scale will only change if other people
find out. The media is of utmost importance in New Providence, and their word can make or
break a person.

A characters reputation also affects how NPCs treat them. NPCs who are inclined to help the
fight against crime would definitely be more helpful to a character with Fame rather than one
who has a significant Infamy rating. However, criminals and black market arms dealers would
find no problem working with Infamous characters rather than Mr. goody two shoes.
Take note that Reputation takes a while to build. While saving Mrs. Jones cat might earn you
one point towards Fame, saving 10 other cats will not make you a paragon of virtue. Again, the
discretion lies to the GM to make the call on how much Fame or Infamy a character gains (or
loses) based on the severity of the event and the number of witnesses.
Rank
Another important concept in Steampunk Mafia is rank. Nobody wants to spend the rest of their
careers scraping the bottom of the barrel, and so members of either side want to gain the benefits
and prestige of having a higher rank.
How does one earn a higher rank? Characters simply have to go to their superiors and declare
that they wish to be given a chance to be promoted. GMs then have the characters superiors
grant the character (assuming they find him ready) a chance to earn his promotion by sending
him on a special mission.
Special missions are crafted by the GM solely for the character(s) that are undergoing evaluation
for a promotion. These are usually slightly more difficult, or have special objectives and
obstacles that the Players have not encountered before in the game. This makes every increase in
rank a reason to celebrate, and rewards preparation and quick thinking on the part of the Players
should they succeed. Take note however that the characters current rank affects the kind of
missions that the characters will be expected to perform. A rookie, for example, would never be
sent to assassinate a Mob Boss in the middle of a restaurant owned by the Mafia. However,
offing a star witness would definitely be under the scope of responsibility of a Mafia Hitman.
For groups with mixed ranks, it is up to the GM to decide what mission would be appropriate for
the group.
Example:
If Needles, a Mafia Footsoldier (rank 2) wants to become recognized as a Hitman (rank 3) he
will have to ask his superior Mr. Vincent Corbolli for a "special job" to prove himself. Mr.
Corbolli then finds some kind of challenge, like single-handedly assassinating a witness on a
police protection program while being transferred to a safehouse without Mafia backup. If
Needles is successful in his task, he earns the rank of Hitman and is granted the perks and
benefits of his station. And even more, Needles will gain some measure of Infamy from the act,
further improving his standing within the family business.
Higher ranks convey a host of advantages to the determined character. Pulling rank is just one of
them. Characters who are higher ranked gain a bonus of +1 to Social checks made to characters
who are of lower rank of either group or ordinary civilians.

Police Rank
Rookie
Sergeant
Inspector
Chief Inspector
Superintendent
Commissioner

Mafia Rank
Thug
Footsoldier
Hitman
Lieutenant
Underboss
Mob Boss

Benefits
A badge, a name on the street and a gun
Free access to a Kodiak owned by the organization
A squad of 3 men for backup; access privileges
A Custom Kodiak
A squad of 15 men for backup; territorial rights
Control over the organization

As shown in the table above, each rank confers a benefit to the character. These benefits are
cumulative and are explained in greater detail here:
Free Access to a Kodiak this benefit allows the character to request for the use of a Kodiak on
a mission within reasonable bounds. Normally, lower ranking characters have to be issued a
permit to use a Kodiak.
A squad of 3 men for backup the character is granted the authorization to take 3 lower
ranking NPCs (designed by the GM) on missions.
Access Privileges Being a made man of the Mob, or a local hero does have its perks.
Exclusive clubs and establishments let you in, and Police Records might decide to look the
other way while your police character checks out records that are confidential.
Custom Kodiak Characters no longer have to request for a Kodiak, and are free to customize
their mecha to suit their preferences.
A squad of 15 men This benefit supercedes the benefit conferred by 3 men for backup,
however the GM still designs the NPCs.
Territorial Rights Most characters of this rank have been given jurisdiction over their own
part of New Providence. Operations in these areas are coursed through them, and they are
allowed to send their own subordinates to manage operations in their territories.
Control over Organization* A special benefit conferred only to those who have made it to a
Reputation score of 100 and above. They are essentially the leaders behind the mob or the police
force. The resources of their respective organizations are at their disposal.
A special rule exists when dealing with the last rank, however. In order for a character to attain
the rank of Commissioner or Mob Boss, the current holder of the rank must either resign, retire
or be killed. Mafia characters however may choose to break off the family and set up their
own Mob. Doing so will allow them to have complete dominion over their own Mob, but they
are usually suspect for termination from their former family.

Game Master Advice

Steampunk mafia is a game of conflict. Its an anime-inspired, mecha busting, tommy gun
wielding world where anything can happen. However, it falls on your shoulders to make it a
reality.
It would be a good idea to start off a campaign with all the Players on the same side. This will
allow them to build up on teamwork and get into the swing of things. Keep things moving, but
make sure that you give them a sense of actually being in the game rather than just observers.
Either side of the Steampunk Mafia offers a unique spin on the Players. They may choose to be
the stalwart defenders of New Providence, relying on their investigative skills, their courage, or
the iron might of their Kodiaks, they are the equivalent of our realitys counter-terrorists. Or
they could pretty much turn the coin around and become members of one of the many Mafia
families, making their mark on the world with their deeds of villainy, or honorable conduct in a
world of crime and corruption.
Make sure that they players are the stars of the game. They are supposed to matter in this world,
otherwise their part in the struggle would be undervalued, and it wouldnt be fun being left as a
stain on the ground after every game, right?
Kodiaks are killing machines, make no mistake about it. These should be used with caution, and
the chances of a lone person taking down a Kodiak alone will be slim. Perhaps a well aimed shot
(at DN 15?) to the eye slot of the Kodiak can kill or maim the pilot, but it takes a lot of human
scale firepower to drop a Kodiak. Dont let this ruin the fun however, if the players find a
creative means to stop a Kodiak and its not covered by these rules (which is likely), then let
them give it a shot! Its a game, after all, and I certainly cant tell you whether something is
wrong or right.
Final Notes:
Well, heres the second release of the Steampunk Mafia RPG. Ive added an Experience point
and Reputation reward system to the game to help out in campaign play. As usual if there are
any suggestions or comments, feel free to e-mail me at jast@mydestiny.net your feedback is always
welcome.

Miscellaneous
Descriptor List:
To help out in developing characters, here is a short list of descriptors that you might find useful.
Mental
Analytical
Efficient
Unshakable
Determined
Puzzles
Languages
Multi-tasking

Physical
Quick Reflexes
Grappler
Lifting
Tireless
Crushing Grip
Sprinter
Steady Aim

Social
Streetwise
Persuasive
Sharp-tongued
Flatterer
Innuendoes
Jokes
Command

Credits:
Concept Jay Steven Anyong
RED 8 System design Jay Steven Anyong
Artwork
Layout
Additional thanks to:
Jeffrey S. Schecter, Jason Black, Desperado, Lenard Ignacio

STEAMPUNK MAFIA
Name:
Player:

Rank:

Stats:
Body
Dexterity
Charm
Intelligence
Willpower
Descriptor Bonus

Health:
-2
-3
-4

Action

Stat

Descriptor

Weapon
Bonus Total Mod

Reputation
Infamy - - - - - - - - - 0 - - - - - - - - - Fame
Notes: