Empire of Sin News

Starting Empire of Sin has a familiar cadence boss to boss. You’re going to run into someone you know on your way into Chicago, and between the two of you, you’re going to come to some kind of decision about the best way for matters to proceed.

Out on the street, it’s now time for the early-game strategy to begin.

[h2]Lay of the Land[/h2]
When I arrive in Chicago, there are two primary things that I am concerned with. First, I want to get a lay of the land. I immediately zoom to the world map from street view to get an idea of where I am and who else is here. For me, it is also one of the most exciting times in the game. I’m discovering who else is here, what they might already own, and what is nearby for the easy taking. The locations of other safehouses also gives me an idea of the level of security I need in the early game. If you’ve played any games that take place on a map (and I have a feeling most of you have), the survey of the starting map is equal parts discovery and “ass on fire.”

When I first arrive in the game or in a new neighborhood, I am looking for these things, and I’ll cover these in this post.

[h2]Safehouses[/h2]
Obviously, I’m here, but who else is? A look at the map reveals nearby safehouses. The quantity and location of said safehouses is critical. It’s important for me to learn who owns these safehouses. Each boss has their own personality which means they might be more aggressive with their territory and thus have a desire to roll over mine. If there are no safehouses (unlikely), I’ll have a good start getting this neighborhood to myself. If there are two, but we’re spaced out, I feel like I have a chance to get a foothold. If there are three or another close to mine, however, it’s time to hustle. From this early lay of the land and the quantity of safehouses, I am making decisions about putting money into security to protect my budding empire vs. putting money into production to up either the quantity or quality of alcohol I’m making. For my rackets, I need to think about drawing people into my rackets with a word of mouth upgrade vs putting people by the door to keep the other faction riff raff out. I might play a bit more risky because I’ve been playing since milestone 1, but I tend to take my chances early on, getting more cautious as the game progresses and I have more to lose.

Chris King views this slightly differently. For him, knowing who the other bosses are isn’t as important. He tries to hold back and waits to find out who the other factions are when he has grown in power. The turtle strategy has you shy away from areas with other safehouses and instead focus on growth in other areas.

In the image below, you can see that I have a busy start. There are two other bosses here. When I figure out who they are, I’ll decide how I want to act. One advantage of taking out a boss before they really get going is that you can quickly grow your empire (the disadvantage being that they can quickly grow theirs, and it’s game over).




[h2]Agendas[/h2]
Whether you’re on the world map or the street view, before long, you’ll see others checking out the world just like you are. Often, it’s people exploring (the binoculars icon). Sometimes, however, it’s people who are out for blood like the gang below.




In this start, I am concerned firstly because the other safehouse isn’t too far from mine and they are already expanding close to me. They’ve sent out an extermination squad which I’m willing to bet are coming for me. I can head them off before they get to my racket or trust that I have set up a sufficient number of guards so that they can hold the place on their own.

As the game gets more advanced, I often use the world map to monitor what my enemies are doing and to avoid people who it might be a challenge for me to run into.

[h2]Breweries[/h2]
Having a brewery early in the game is absolutely critical to your survival. Prohibition relies on a healthy supply of illegal hooch. You can get a brewery one of two ways: buy one or take one over. Breweries are pricey, however, and this results in the first interesting decision a player needs to make.

• Do you spend your money on a brewery, but have to scramble for rackets or gangsters?
  
• Do you take over a thug’s racket and pay to convert it into a brewery? This costs less than purchasing one outright. With every fight, though, there is a risk of injury or death.
  
• Do you take over another faction’s brewery thus saving a bunch of money but starting off your career with an early enemy? It doesn’t cost you anything to convert like for like (take over a brewery, and it’s free to open it as your own brewery.)
  
• Do you go the pure vice route and opt to build your early empire with brothels? Brothels are profitable without alcohol?
  
• Do you opt to build a small collection of rackets like casinos and speakeasies while beefing up the small brewery in your safehouse to supply them? Do you make an early trade deal with another faction?
  
• Each player has their own opinion of an ideal starting state. In a perfect world, I am really hoping that I’ll roll a brewery nearby run by thugs. This is a reoccurring pre-game fantasy of mine: I’ll jump into the game, and there will be a small brewery right next to my safehouse that I can take over with just a gangster or two. If it’s owned by thugs, I can take them out, and it’s mine for free. If it’s owned by another gang, I might still be able to take it over. Sure, it won’t get me off to the best start with that faction, but I hope I’ll be able to improve that or form an alliance with someone more powerful. The key is to get yourself a brewery to power your empire, however you do it.
  

[h2]Look for the Bonuses[/h2]
Scattered throughout Chicago are caches left behind by other criminals hoping not to get caught. If you get to these first, they are yours for the taking. The way I usually spot them is to look for groups of thugs who seem to be guarding something.




The caches range from a bit of cash or alcohol to something more game changing like $50K. Because of the amount of thugs surrounding this cache, I decide to hire a couple gangsters rather than going it alone.



With the enemies cleared, the cache is mine, and fortunately, it turns out to be the €50K I was hoping for. The other bosses in my neighborhood are toast.



Back to Breweries
Up to this point, and if you looked at the screenshots earlier in this article, you might notice I haven’t actually gotten the brewery that I have been raving on about. With $50K, now it’s not going to be a problem! I could purchase a building and convert it thus saving life and limb, or I could take over another racket pay less than market price to convert it into a brewery which is precisely what I decide to do.


[h2]
Next Up[/h2]
Hopefully, this gives you a good idea of how to get your criminal empire off the ground. In our next Dev Diary, we’ll cover more gameplay! Stay tuned!

Daniel McKee Jackson was a mortician from Pennsylvania who arrived in Chicago to start a funeral parlor with his family. A born humanitarian, Jackson has the needs of the downtrodden close to his heart. However, this doesn’t stop him from capitalizing on their natural inclination toward vice. When it comes down to choosing between Daniel the Businessman or Daniel the Humanitarian, what will he decide?

Is it better to be respected or feared? Daniel McKee Jackson asks, “Why not both?” Ambition and natural charm reflect his high society standing. The mayor of Chicago is on his list of acquaintances. For that he is revered, and the rumors of just what it took to get him there are reasons enough not to look him in the eye on the street. Let’s just say he’s ruthless when it comes to getting ahead in business. Still, if he gets things done for his community, who are they to ask questions? In his eyes, good intentions, like morals, are a matter of nuance. Jackson is of the opinion that the greater good should be achieved by any means necessary, and that leaves a reputation that’s not so squeaky clean.

It’s no surprise that Jackson has garnered some enemies on his way to the top. Running rackets out in the open with huge crowds, is sure to breed some jealousy in other bosses, but Jackson is a man of the people, and he lives to give them what they desire. Operating vices with such audacity is just another by-product of ingenuity and having well established friends. Others draw ire from the apparent hypocrisy between “Dan Jackson: the humanitarian”, and “Dan Jackson: the man willing to trade lives for power.”

Yet, the honorable Mr. Jackson makes no secret of his double life. He hides both in plain sight. He just requires one to be shrewd, like he is, in noticing such things. On the surface he is every bit the distinguished gentleman he would have you believe, but a closer look reveals a vicious side. Be it a threat disguised in eloquent conversation or the skull that decorates the top of his cane, something about him trumpets the macabre.

See, Jackson deals in death on a daily basis, through the legitimate enterprise of his funeral parlour, or by hand via far more questionable business ventures. The success of the former is, in part, due to the proficiency with how he deals with the latter. Here is a man who is in the business of burying evidence, and the doors never stop swinging. What could be more frightening than a man who can cut down any threat of competition and then file it in his tax return? Well, a man who can add the adulation of his peers and community to that reputation, too. Daniel McKee Jackson holds both those cards, and there’s not many bold enough to bet against that.

[h2]Chicago PD Evidence[/h2]


Letters found during a raid of Mr. Daniel McKee Jackson’s office at his funeral parlor on March 23, 1923. Items:

#1 Letter from the editor of the Chicago News clipped to
#2 Letter from Mr. Daniel McKee Jackson to the editor of the Chicago News

   

[h3]Letter #1[/h3]
Dear Mr. Jackson,

Your letter was cordially received and came across my desk via special delivery this morning. This stands to show that you are indeed passionate in presenting your most noble self. That being said sir, this letter and its attached manifesto cannot be published in this newspaper.

This is both a democratic, and in truth, a personal decision. Your reputation does indeed precede you, and though I respect that you have spent years in building your name by working for the rights of the people of this city, there are clear indications that you achieved all you have achieved most unjustly.

Simply put, Mr. Jackson, your ties to the criminal underworld are too tightly bound to leave any mystery as to your stance on civil decency. If we are to speak plainly, momentarily, I can appreciate that results of the ventures you have engaged in, no doubt speak for themselves, however, the means by which they were achieved are, to put it lightly, grisly.

Mr. Jackson, you may dismiss these ‘means’ as hearsay or rumour, but public records, documenting certain cases of criminal activity, mention you by name. Though officially, you have still managed to elude any kind of reprimand in these cases, they nonetheless hold weight to a certain stance. A stance that this honest and decent newspaper cannot be shown to uphold.

It is for this alone that we cannot print your manifesto for publication. Speaking gentleman to gentlemen, any further attempts of unconventional nature that are made to sway my decision, would only prove my point on the aforementioned rumors. Someone of your honorable upstanding, Mr. Jackson, can surely understand why that will not be necessary.

Sincerely,
The Editor.
The Chicago News.

   

[h3]Letter #2 (letter #1 is a reply to letter #2)[/h3]

Editor, The Chicago News;
The discussion of the current economic prosperity of the second ward as well as the reputation that precedes me, are in my opinion, under constant scrutiny of late. The intent by which I run business is never anything less than for the good of Chicago and indeed its people.

Attempts have been made to soil my name and social standing. The reputation that I have built, to a point of well-regarded decency, has been tarnished by ill-meaning contemporaries of mine. I hereby submit to you, for print in your publication, a manifesto that presents the truth of my motivations. It is in my hope that hearsay regarding the operations of my daily business are written off as just that, hearsay!

In short, I strive to achieve through my work the very best for the future of this good city. This manifesto confounds that point.

Respectfully,
Daniel McKee Jackson.

   

[h3]The Manifesto of Daniel McKee Jackson[/h3]

1: The pursuit of lucrative enterprise is to be made possible by the election of William Hale Thompson as mayor and co-operation is possible by your vote.

2: The continuation of such enterprises within this jurisdiction will require an upkeep toll that will be paid directly to associates of the Jackson enterprise.

3: This toll will aid as a contribution to the further ambitions of the campaign to improve the standard of living for the good civilians of Chicago’s second ward.

4: Adherence to the above will mean Policy banking by means of the Tia Juana wheel will be available for all Chicagoans in the second ward area.

5: The Broad Ax only serves to rally against our business ventures and are too vile to occupy a place in the toilet room.

6: I work in the interest of legitimate business for the growth and prosperity of this good city. To provide an acceptable standard of living for all in the community, irregardless of creed or background, and to sustain that standard for all future generations.

7: The Chicago News attempts to soil this agenda. Their interests do not lie in the growth of the local economy or the independent enterprises that work tirelessly for the betterment of Chicago. They nor anybody else will ever stop my handbooks from operating.

8: The Jackson owned funeral directory, will work to ensure the most modern of funeral industry standards are met. A directory that has been family owned for two generations insists upon the highest requirements for maintaining the dignity of our communities deceased.

9: Every person has the right to the decency of burial and their surviving estate permitted to an honourable service to pay respects and mourn their deceased. The Metropolitan Funeral System Association (MFSA), has been set up in the interest of providing funerals for low income families.



Watch the Boss Spotlight on Daniel McKee Jackson and learn more about faction AI here:
https://youtu.be/GPb3neCh1pY

If gambling is your game you oughta speak to Daniel McKee Jackson - funeral director by trade, ambitious mobster boss by choice.

Tune in for this week's Boss Spotlight Stream on Thursday at 5 PM CEST / 8 AM PDT on twitch.tv/paradoxinteractive !

Depending on who you talk to, Mabel Ryley is as nice as pie or the woman who can cut someone to shreds with a single sentence. What else can you expect from a woman who sharpened her tongue on the whetstone of Cork city? She had a worthy criminal enterprise by the age of sixteen. She’s one of the few women the nuns tried and failed to fully reform. She’d earned the nickname “Sister of Merciless” before making her escape to America.


Chicago’s finest never really stood a chance in contending with her. The best they could hope for was an alliance. Sure, there were some growing pains, a few felonies and misdemeanours when she first landed stateside, but these she just put down to experience in a new country. She wears her record like a badge of honour; the mistakes she’ll only make once.

What most gangsters don’t realize is that any deal with Mabel always ends up with her coming out on top. If there’s one thing the convent taught her, besides how to take a beating, it’s telling people what they want to hear, while working on your own scheme behind the scenes. It was a trait that impressed the Alley Cats street gang, whose earnings tripled when enlisting Mabel’s sweet but vicious dichotomy. Mabel lives in a person’s blindside, draws them in with charm and then cuts them when they’re close enough.

She and the Alley Cats leader Dave, were a powerhouse duo in illegal enterprise, and they fell in love quickly -- or rather, he did and she let him. Theirs was a marriage that raised questions on its legitimacy while at the same time raising both their standings in power. The latter being of no concern to Mabel in her expedition to the top of Chicago’s underworld.

It’s Dave’s death then, that has people questioning this: how deep does Mabel’s desire to look after number one go? Victims of her quick mouth are certainly ones to believe she is just callous enough to have a hand in it. The only sure thing is, when it comes to picking sides, hers is still the smarter one to choose.

[h2]Police interview with Mabel Ryley following the homicide of her husband[/h2]
[h3]Chicago Police Department[/h3]
Incident #1920-0056



Geary:  Today is January 12th 1920. It is currently 11:38.  My name is Detective James Geary, also present is Sergeant Sean Finnerty. We are talking to Mrs. Mabel Ryley of Little Italy, Chicago in relation to a homicide that occurred at 142 Junction and Main on the night of January 10th 1920. Now uh...that’s Ryley with an R-Y, not R-I right?
Ryley: Right.
Geary: So I thought. Well, you certainly have quite a history with law enforcement.
Ryley:[Laughs] That’s all a past life, mostly forgotten now.
Geary: Well it hasn’t forgotten you, Mrs. Ryley.
Finnerty: Yeah, it took two of us to carry your list of priors in here with us.
Ryley: A list that ended a good few years ago now.
Finnerty: Uh-huh. Or you just got better at covering your tracks. Let’s see, uh, Aggravated assault-
Ryley: That one was self defence.
Finnerty: Vandalism, alleged arson-
Ryley: "Alleged."

First she wrestled control over the Alley Cats from her husband, now she has her sights set on Chicago...

Join us for the Boss Spotlight stream on Mabel Ryley, with Brenda Romero and Ian O'Neill, this Thursday at 5 PM CEST / 8 AM PDT on twitch.tv/paradoxinteractive!