Speakeasy (Kickstarter Preorder)

Speakeasy will transport you to the roaring 1920s during the era of Prohibition. Manhattan was under the firm control of Lucky Luciano, a prominent mobster. To strengthen his grip on the territory, he implemented a well-structured system. He divided Manhattan into different districts, each assigned to a specific mobster responsible for handling their “business” operations.

In this worker-placement and card-management game, you take on the role of one of those mobsters, managing and operating your very own Speakeasy empire in Manhattan. To do so, you’ll need to use all your cunning and resources to stay ahead of the competition. As you improve your operation, become more infamous, and upgrade to more lavish speakeasies and even casinos, you’ll attract the attention of the outside mafia and the cops. You need to use your leverage to keep your business running and receive your share from Lucky Luciano.

You need to hire goons to help you take over Manhattan during this exciting and dangerous time. You can associate with outside mobsters — and even attack and rob rum runners to gain valuable resources to gain an edge over your rivals. You need to manage your cards carefully, placing your Capos strategically to deliver illicit liquor and reach Manhattan’s goals to earn income. You will cook your books to fill your safe with tax-free money.

The ultimate goal is simple: accumulate the most money and become the most successful mobster in the city. Do you have what it takes to rise to the top of the speakeasy scene and take over Manhattan during Prohibition? It’s time to grab your fedora and find out in Speakeasy.

Speakeasy is an immersive game set in the streets of Manhattan during the Prohibition Era of the 1920s. During the 13 rounds of Speakeasy, representing the 13 years Prohibition lasted, you will send your Capos to visit with “Persons of Interest”, enhancing your Operations board through strategic card play and executing a variety of actions to build your criminal network.

As you expand your operations by opening Speakeasies, Stills, Nightclubs and Casinos, these buildings will provide benefits such as increasing income or producing barrels. Managing your fleet of trucks will be necessary to transport your illicit liquor from your Stills or delivering barrels bought from Rum-runners to your establishments. As you develop the multiple arms of your Operations, your Infamy will grow, increasing the value of your liquor sales.

To keep your operations running, you will use your leverage to send Family Members to your establishments, greasing the palms of the Cops, and ensuring the smooth pickup and delivery of your liquor. Family Members can also be dispatched to the City Docks. There, with the help of your hired Goons, they can ambush Rum-runners, stealing their barrels of liquor to deliver them to your operating buildings, and gaining pocket cash from valuable crates on their ships.

Cooking the books and managing your money are the keys to your success, but these do not come without challenges. You can store money in your safe, away from the prying eyes of the Cops and your opponents, but if your pocket cash runs low, you’ll need to dip into your safe. But first, you’ll need to launder that money at a 2:1 ratio when spending it. Money is power and you strive to become the most powerful Mobster in Manhattan.

Each Act of Speakeasy culminates in a Mob War, where you will compete not only against fellow players but also incoming Mobsters for control of districts and zones in Manhattan. This ensures the area control contests remain just as engaging and tense, regardless of the number of players.

Speakeasy will contain more volume of components than any of our previously released Deluxe Lacerda titles. The game box will include a custom designed insert and with a deeper box than On Mars, Kanban EV, or The Gallerist.

The contents of the Speakeasy: Upgrade Pack (included free for all backers) will be revealed over the course of the campaign. See the Stretch Goal section below for more information on how these items will be revealed.