“You can go a long way with a smile. You can go a lot further with a smile and a gun.” -Al Capone
Chicago in the Roaring 20s. Prohibition has made liquor business illegal and now criminal gangs operate in the underworld to try and take control of the city. Blood, influence, power, and money add up to a dangerous mix on the streets.
In Scarface 1920 you will lead a gang of mobsters aiming to rule Chicago during the Dry Era (1920-33). To succeed you will have to rule every inch in gangland, expand your racketeering, run bootlegging operations, bribe the city officials, and make sure the coppers are on your side.
Scarface 1920 blends worker placement with deck-building mechanics in a game where you will have to recruit new associates, break new deals, fill the streets of Chicago with your thugs, enhance your headquarters —and do some dirty jobs along the way.
Every gang has a distinct set of abilities embodied in their boss, and in every game you will be able to choose a different path to victory. However, in this turf war you will have to confront other rival gangs that share an identical goal: growing their criminal empire. But they are not the only challenge you will face —Eliot Ness and his Feds are out to get you too!
- Immersive theme
- Complex strategic gameplay
- Detailed game components
- Unbalanced character abilities
- Excessive randomness
- Long play time
- Complicated rules
- Organized Crime and Territory Control
- 1920s Chicago Gangster Era
- Economic Strategy
- Dune Imperium
- Small World
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Controlling districts and territories
- Resource management — Managing supplies, money, and gang members
- worker placement — Placing characters to perform actions
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- You need laser focus to win this game
- The bot is just a static enforcer
- This is not a fully balanced or enjoyable game for most people
References (from this video)
- Unique solo mode
- Thematic gameplay
- Multiple strategic options
- Complex ruleset
- Requires careful strategy
- Organized Crime
- 1920s Prohibition Era
- Competitive Crime Management
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players compete to control neighborhoods and territories
- Deck building — Collecting and using associate cards and improving hand
- Resource management — Managing barrels, guns, and other supplies
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- did I say Dino balance of op well he's easily the best leader in this game I think
References (from this video)
- Engaging solo gameplay
- Thematic mechanics
- Multiple strategic options
- Complexity of rules
- Challenging to win
- Quick game progression
- Organized Crime
- Prohibition Era Chicago
- Gangster Simulation
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players compete to control districts and expand their criminal empire
- Resource management — Managing guns, booze, and money
- Solo Bot Gameplay — Simulated opponent with predefined action rules
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- so long as I can earn some good deals
- we have just earned a boatload from our reorganization
References (from this video)
- large scale, rich content, multiple campaigns/expansions
- very heavy and long
- mafia empire-building
- 1920s Chicago mob
- minis-heavy, cinematic
- Gloomhaven
- Descent
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — territory and influence management
- miniatures — large minis and components
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Step into Kenfire Council, a cutthroat contest of strategy and politics.
- This is a big boy.
- 18 cards.
- It's a different type of train game.