Kingpin
Kingpin Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Objective
Participants play the roles of the eponymous kingpins – mafia bosses. The objective of the game is to defeat the enemy mafia, led by the opponent.
Game Components
The game contains the following components:
- double-sided board,
- 24 gangster tiles,
- 3 action tokens,
- 12 fire tokens,
- game rules.
The Board
The double-sided board represents a territory which is an object of the mafia rivalry. The game takes place on one chosen side. The board is divided into squares. There is the action track next to them.
Area of influence: 6 squares – 3 for each side – are placed on the opposite corners of the board. On such squares on their side of the board the players can play their gangster tiles (see: "Game overview").
No man's land: The red squares on the board. Taking control of no man's land is one of the ways to win the game (see: "Ending the game").
Gangster Tiles
24 tiles in 3 colors – 8 in each color. The tiles represent the gangsters belonging to three mafias:
- blue is the Italian mafia,
- green is Yakuza,
- orange is the Russian mafia.
Gangster tiles are in their mafia's color. At the bottom of a tile there are the gangster's name and surname and their toughness (red blob icon), while on the remaining sides the information about attacks, support, guard and whether they are a sniper or not (see: "Game overview") is placed.
Additionally, 3 tiles from each mafia are the starting tiles marked with a white color of the reverse (see "Game setup").
Action Tokens
3 tokens used on the action track, one for each mafia.
Fire Tokens
12 tokens used for marking the squares under the sniper's fire. 3 for the Italian mafia, 3 for the Russian mob and 6 for the Yakuza.
Game Setup
Before the beginning of the game:
- Take all the elements out of the box.
- Place the board between the players with the chosen side up.
- In any random way choose the player, who will start the game.
- The starting player must choose the gang they would like to control, then the opponent does so.
- Each player separates the 3 starting tiles and places them face up on the table so that both players can see them. Then each player shuffles the rest of their tiles and places them on the table face down.
- Each player places their sniper's fire tokens on their side of the table.
- Action tokens should be placed on the action track on the number 25.
- Now the game can be started.
Game Overview
The game is divided into subsequent turns. In every turn the players may take one action each. There are two kinds of actions: movement and attack.
Movement
As an action, the player can:
- play a new tile,
- turn a tile,
- move a tile,
- perform a castling.
After a move the starting player moves the action token in the color of the player who has just taken an action one number down.
Playing a New Tile
The player can put one of their tiles lying face up on the table into play. The tile is placed on a free square in their area of influence. The tile can be turned in any direction.
After playing a tile, the player – until they have tiles in their deck – draws one tile and places it face up on the table.
Sniper: The player who puts a sniper into play should immediately mark the squares under the sniper's fire with fire tokens. If the sniper is moved to a different square, the tokens should be moved accordingly.
Turning a Tile
The player can turn one of their tokens 90, 180 or 270 degrees in any direction.
Forbidden different-angle turn: a tile turned to an angle other than 90, 180 or 270 degrees is not allowed.
Moving a Tile
The player can move one of their tiles to an adjacent square in any direction. Adjacent squares are connected only by their sides.
The square the tile is moved to has to be free – two tiles can never occupy the same square.
After making a move the player may (but does not have to) turn this tile 90, 180 or 270 degrees in any direction.
Illustrated rules: a move with a turn and a move without a turn are both allowed. Forbidden: a move to an occupied square, a diagonal move, and a move by two squares.
Castling
The player can switch places of two of their tiles which are adjacent to each other – are connected by their sides.
After performing a castling, the player may (but does not have to) turn one of the tiles involved in the castling 90, 180 or 270 degrees in any direction.
Illustrated rules: castling without a turn and castling with a turn are allowed. Forbidden: castling of tiles which are not adjacent, and castling of gangsters belonging to different players.
Attack
Attacks are performed in order to liquidate gangsters belonging to the rival mafia.
During this action the player may initiate a shootout (pistol icon) or a raid (car icon).
An attack can be performed only if it results in the liquidation of at least one enemy tile (see below).
Attack's impact on the number of actions: After performing an attack, the action token is not moved.
Shootout
The attacking gangster has to have at least 1 aim (pistol icon) directed towards the enemy tile. The enemy tile has to be on an adjacent square.
The player who starts the shootout chooses their attacking gangster and the enemy gangster who is to be attacked. These two gangsters participate directly in the shootout, and all the adjacent tiles participate indirectly.
The gangsters who fight each other directly exchange fire as well as shoot at any enemy tile which is adjacent to them, depending on the aim (pistol icon) they have directed towards the enemy. Every enemy who is attacked also shoots at the attacker.
Forbidden shootout: the tile initiating the attack (blue) does not have any aim directed towards the enemy (orange), so the shootout cannot be started.
Example: The Italian gangster (blue) attacks the Russian one (orange). The Italian directs 2 aims towards the opponent. The attacked gangster's toughness = 2. The shootout results in a success. The orange player has to remove their tile from the board. After the attack, the Italian has to move to the square occupied by the defeated gangster. The player controlling the Italian mafia does not move the action token, because the enemy gangster was liquidated.
Fire Exchange
The gangsters who participate indirectly in the shootout do not exchange fire, even if they have an aim (pistol icon) at another tile participating indirectly.
Example of a fire exchange: The shootout was started by the Italian gangster Marco M'Oniola. His opponent Vasili Ivanov is directly involved. Grigori Skuvayev and Caesare Breve participate indirectly.
Gangsters who exchange fire in this shootout:
- Marco M'Oniola shoots at Vasili Ivanov. Vasili does not exchange fire with Marco. His aims are not directed towards Marco.
- Marco M'Oniola and Grigori Skuvayev — they both have aims directed towards each other.
- Vasili Ivanov and Caesare Breve — they both have aims directed towards each other.
Gangsters who do not exchange fire in this shootout:
- Rocco Cinghiale, despite being adjacent to Marco, who started the shootout, does not exchange fire with him, because they belong to the same mafia.
- Caesare Breve and Grigori Skuvayev do not exchange fire, because they both participate indirectly in the shootout.
- Tony Falconieri, despite being adjacent to Vasili Ivanov — who participates directly in the shootout — does not exchange fire with him, because he does not have any aim directed towards Vasili. An aim directed at Michail Pushonov does not count (see below).
The remaining gangster does not participate in the shootout:
- Michail Pushonov does not exchange fire with Tony Falconieri, because he is not adjacent to the gangsters who participate directly in the shootout.
Notice! All fire exchanges take place simultaneously!
During a fire exchange the players determine the power of attacks directed at every gangster and then compare it to the gangster's toughness.
The power of an attack on a gangster is the total number of all enemy aims (pistol icon) directed at them – also those belonging to other adjacent enemy units participating in the shootout.
Toughness is the total number of toughness points (red blob icon) on a tile.
If the power of the attack of the starting gangster and other gangsters who shoot at the attacked one is smaller than the attacked gangster's toughness, the attack cannot take place. Such an action cannot be performed.
If in any case the power of the attack is at least equal to the opponent's toughness, they are liquidated – the tile should be taken off the board and put into the box.
After liquidating an opponent who was chosen to be attacked, the gangster has to immediately – during the same action – enter the square earlier occupied by the defeated gangster without turning. It may happen that a gangster will liquidate more than one opponent during a single attack, but they always have to enter the square chosen while declaring the attack.
Notice! All fire exchanges during a shootout take place simultaneously!
Only after resolving all fire exchanges should the dead gangsters be removed from the board and the winning one be moved to a new square.
Notice! Gangsters who do not participate directly or indirectly do not count in the shootout.
Notice! A gangster cannot attack another gangster from the same mafia.
Example: The Yakuza gangster Yamada Hanushi (green) starts the shootout by attacking the Russian gangster (orange). Yamada has 2 aims directed towards the opponent. The attacked gangster's toughness = 3.
Takeshi Sato — another Yakuza gangster — participates indirectly in the shootout, having an additional aim directed at the Russian. The power of the attack — the sum of Yamada's and Takeshi's aims — is equal to the opponent's toughness. The opponent dies.
During the same fire exchange the Russian gangster shoots at Yamada and kills him, because 3 aims is equal to the Japanese gangster's toughness = 3. Both tiles are removed from the board. Takeshi Sato stays where he was, as no one shot at him.
The player controlling the Yakuza does not move the action token, as the enemy gangster was liquidated.
If the attack had been initiated by Takeshi Sato, the shootout would have taken place identically, but at the end, after removing the tiles from the board, Takeshi would have moved to Vasili Ivanov's square.
Example: The Russian gangster Vasili Ivanov (orange) initiates a shootout by attacking the Italian gangster Marco M'Oniola (blue). In a direct fire exchange Vasili aims at Marco with 3 aims. Boris Stiepanov, participating indirectly, also aims at Marco with 1 aim. The power of the attack on Marco equals 4 aims, which is more than his toughness = 3, so Marco dies.
In the same fire exchange Marco shoots at Vasili, as he aims at him with 2 aims. Tony Falconieri, participating indirectly, also aims at Vasili with his 1 aim. The power of the attack on Vasili is 3 aims, which is equal to his toughness = 3, so Vasili dies.
During the fire exchange between Vasili Ivanov and Tony Falconieri Vasili does not shoot at Tony, as he does not have aims directed towards the opponent. Boris Stiepanov survives the fire exchange between himself and Marco M'Oniola, as Marco's 2 aims provide the smaller power of the attack than Boris's toughness = 3. Michail Pushonov and Luigi Derida do not participate in the shootout despite having aims directed towards their enemies.
Example: The Italian gangster Marco M'Oniola (blue) initiates a shootout by attacking the Russian gangster Boris Stiepanov (orange). In a direct fire exchange Marco aims at Boris with 2 aims. Luigi Derida, participating indirectly, also aims at Boris with 2 aims. The power of the attack on Boris equals 4 aims, which is more than his toughness = 3, so Boris dies. In the same fire exchange Boris shoots at Marco, as he aims at him with 1 aim. Vasili Ivanov, participating indirectly, aims at Marco with his 3 aims. The power of the attack on Marco equals 4 aims, which is more than his toughness = 2. Marco also dies.
Luigi Derida survives the fire exchange between himself and Boris Stiepanov, as Boris's 2 aims provide the power of the attack smaller than Luigi's toughness = 3. Vasili Ivanov survives the fire exchange between himself and Marco M'Oniola, as Marco's 2 aims provide the power of the attack smaller than Vasili's toughness = 3.
Tony Falconieri and Michail Pushonov do not participate in the shootout despite having aims directed towards their enemies.
Example: The Russian gangster Vasili Ivanov (orange) may start a shootout, attacking the Italian gangster Caesare Breve (blue). Vasili is aiming at the opponent with 3 aims. Caesare's toughness = 2, but 2 vests reduce Vasili's power to 1. The attack is possible, because Vasili is helped by his comrade Michail Pushonov, who participates indirectly, aiming with an additional 2 aims at Caesare. On the upper side of the Italian tile there is 1 vest, which reduces Michail's power to 1, but with Vasili's 1 aim it is enough to liquidate Caesare.
If the shootout had been initiated by Michail, the situation would have looked just the same.
Raid
In order to perform a raid a gangster has to have at least 1 aiming (car icon) at an opponent on their side. The enemy tile has to be separated from the tile with the car icon with one free square – not occupied by another gangster – in a straight line.
The player moves the attacking gangster tile by one square without turning, then the attacks are resolved just as during a shootout, but in order to determine the power of the attacker the car icon should be counted on an appropriate side instead of the pistol icon.
All other sides of this tile count as in a normal shootout and pistol icons are used. Car icons are used for determining the power of an attack only if a tile is initiating the raid. If the attacked tile has car icons, they do not count, but pistol icons do.
Correctly initiated raid.
Forbidden raid – there is another gangster between the attacking gangster and the attacked one.
Forbidden raid – there is no straight line between the attacker and the attacked.
Forbidden raid – the attacked gangster is farther away than 1 square.
Example of a forbidden attack: The Italian gangster (blue) attacks the Russian one (brown). The Italian directs 2 aims at the opponent. The attacked gangster's toughness = 3. The shootout was futile – the action cannot be performed!
Example: The Italian gangster (blue) attacks the Russian one (brown). The Italian directs 2 aims towards the opponent. The attacked gangster's toughness = 2. During the same fire exchange the Russian gangster shoots at the Italian, as he has 2 aims directed towards him. The Italian gangster's toughness = 2. As a result of this shootout both gangsters die – they should be removed from the board. The player controlling the Italian mafia does not move the action token, because the enemy gangster was liquidated.
Notice! During a fire exchange, car icons (raid) do not support comrades from the same mafia.
Notice! A gangster with a car icon cannot double their move! The move by one square forward may only occur when the opponent's gangster on the next square in line is attacked!
Guard
A guard (vest icon) reduces the power of the attack of a shootout (pistol) or raid (car) on the side where the guard is.
The power is reduced by 1 per every vest.
Example: The Russian (orange) aims at the opponent with 3 aims. The Italian's (blue) toughness = 2, but 2 vests reduce the power of the attack to 1. The guard placed on the Italian gangster's left side successfully prevents the Russian's attack.
Example: The Russian aims at the opponent with 3 aims. The Italian's toughness = 2. 1 vest reduces the power of the attack to 2, which is enough to liquidate the Italian gangster.
Support
During a fire exchange, gangsters may be supported by their comrades.
If a gangster is adjacent to their comrade who has a support icon (pen) directed towards them, they get +1 aim (pistol icon) on every side where they have at least 1 aim (pistol icon).
The supporting tile does not have to participate in the shootout!
The gangster supported by his comrade has 1 additional aim (pistol icon) on every side where he already has an aim (pistol icon).
Example: The Italian gangster (blue) Marco M'Oniola cannot start a shootout. Marco does not get support from Marina, as she is not turned correctly.
Example: The Russian gangster (orange) Grigori Skuvayev starts a shootout by attacking the Yakuza gangster (green) Takeshi Sato.
In a direct fire exchange Grigori aims at Takeshi with 2 aims.
Michail Pushonov, who participates indirectly, also aims at Takeshi with his 2 aims, additionally supported by 1 support icon (pen) from Tanya Danilevska, who does not have to participate in the shootout at all – it is important that she is adjacent to Michail.
The power of the attack on Takeshi is 5 aims, but it is reduced by 3 vests placed on both of the attacked sides of Takeshi. Still, the result is 2 aims, which is equal to his toughness = 2, so Takeshi dies.
In the same fire exchange Takeshi shoots at Grigori, as he aims at him with 2 aims, which is equal to his toughness = 2, so Grigori also dies.
Takeshi also shoots at Michail, but 1 aim is not enough to liquidate the enemy.
Tanya Danilevska does not participate in the shootout, but she supports Michail with an additional aim (pistol icon).
Support may also apply to raids (car icon), but only when the square which the attacking gangster moves through is supported.
Example: The Italian gangster (blue) Tony Falconieri can initiate a raid by attacking the Russian gangster (orange). Supported by Marina Fiori, he has 1 additional car icon, which results in 3 aims. The attacked Vasili Ivanov's toughness = 3. As an effect of the raid, Vasili Ivanov would be liquidated.
Sniper
Some of the gangsters are snipers, acting differently from the rest of the mafia. A sniper cannot initiate an attack but they fire at the squares marked on their tile.
Each enemy tile on a square under the sniper's fire (marked with a fire token) will have its toughness reduced by 1 during a shootout or a raid. If two snipers fire at one square, the toughness of the enemy tile is reduced by 2.
A vest (guard) does not protect from the sniper's fire.
A sniper cannot be supported with a support icon (pen).
Notice! Snipers cannot initiate attacks. Even if two enemy snipers fire at each other, nothing happens.
Snipers reduce the enemy's toughness only during an attack.
Example: The Japanese gangster (green) can initiate a raid by attacking the Italian one (blue). The Yakuza soldier aims at the opponent with 2 aims. The Italian's toughness = 2, but 2 vests reduce the power of the Yakuza attack to 0. However, the attack is still possible, as two Yakuza snipers fire at the square where the Italian gangster stands, reducing his toughness during the shootout by 2. As an effect of the raid, the Italian gangster would be liquidated.
Example: The Russian gangster (orange) Rafail Chomonov can initiate a shootout by attacking the Italian gangster (blue). Rafail aims at the opponent with 2 aims. Caesare's toughness = 2, but 1 vest reduces the power of Rafail's attack to 1. However, the attack is still possible, as the Russian sniper reduces the Italian's toughness by 1 during the shootout. As an effect of the shootout, Caesare Breve would be liquidated.
Example: An example of sniper's fire as marked on a tile (illustration in the rulebook).
Ending the Game
The game ends when one of the players meets any of the winning conditions or when any of the players runs out of actions.
Winning Conditions
In order to defeat the opponent, the player has to:
- liquidate the enemy kingpin – move any one of their tiles beyond the opposite area of influence through a square marked with a red triangle, or
- take control of no man's land – place there 3 of their tiles when the opponent does not have any tiles there, or
- liquidate all enemy gangsters.
Example: The Russian gangster goes beyond the opposite area of influence. The player controlling the Russian mafia wins.
Example: 3 Russian gangsters stand on no man's land. There are no Yakuza gangsters there. The player controlling the Russian mafia wins.
Defeat
The player who runs out of actions – goes below 1 on the action track – loses and his opponent is the winner.
Notice! There are no draws in "Kingpin" – there is always a winner and a loser.
Example of an Advanced Attack
Example: The Italian gangster Tony Falconieri initiates an attack by performing a raid on the Yakuza gangster Yamada Hanushi.
In a direct fire exchange Tony aims at Yamada with 3 aims: his 2 aims and 1 aim from Marina's support.
Ceasare Breve, participating indirectly, also aims at Yamada with 2 aims: his 1 aim and 1 aim from Marina's support.
The power of the attack on Yamada is 5, but it is reduced by 1 vest on the side where attacks come from.
Yamada's toughness, reduced by 1 by the Italian sniper Monica = 2. As an effect of the attack, Yamada Hanushi is liquidated.
Simultaneously, Yamada shoots at Ceasare, but he has too few aims to force his way through Ceasare's guard.
During the same attack another fire exchange takes place – between Tony Falconieri and Yoichi Nakamura. Tony aims at Yoichi with 2 aims: his 1 aim and 1 aim from Marina's support. The power of the attack equals 2, but it is reduced by 1 vest on the side where Tony attacks. Yoichi's toughness reduced by 1 by the Italian sniper's fire = 1. As an effect of the attack, Yoichi Nakamura is liquidated.
During the same fire exchange Yoichi shoots 1 aim at Tony, so his power equals 1. Tony's toughness, reduced by 2 by the fire of both Yakuza snipers, Ryo and Masaru = 1. Tony Falconieri is liquidated.
Keiko Tanaka does not participate in the shootout.
Optional Rules
The players may decide to apply one or more of the following optional rules.
Goodfellas
Before the start of the game, the players do not separate the starting tiles, but put all their gangsters face up on the table. They can play any of the available gangsters from the first action on.
A Very Long Night
The players do not use the action track. The game ends when one of the players meets any of the winning conditions.
Designer Notes
First of all, thank you very much for buying our game. We hope that you will enjoy playing just as much as we enjoyed creating it. Believe us, it took many days and hours of intensive thinking and good fun. It seems unbelievable that we came up with the idea of this game while… working out a version of the MtG gameplay – for playing on three tracks and less dependent on the coming cards. Therefore the style of the first version of the game was typically fantastic. Traces of this can still be seen, for example in how raids work. Also support, provided by orcs and dwarves, seemed more intuitive than distributing ammo (especially when supporting a raid).
Only some time later, when we realized that the game had some potential, we decided that it needed a fresh convention… and then it struck us: Sin City, Max Payne, GTA, Godfather, Scarface – this was it. You would not have thought about it if we had not written this, would you?
Originally, the game did not have the "clock" and the tiles were not drawn at random. We (authors) enjoyed this version most, so when you get to know the rules well, we strongly recommend this gameplay mode.
Secondly, some tactical advice: choose the army whose style will suit you. The Russians are always the first choice – they have the best direct firepower and they are good at fighting for no man's land. If you like mobility, definitely choose the Italians, but controlling them requires more "sense" of the game rules. The Yakuza is completely different, as you do not fight for the area of influence, but for passing – you have to be quick and clever, attack the opponent before they dig in. Cut the distance to the opponent's cars and do not let them cut the distance to yours. Do not stick to defence, do not fear fire exchanges and sacrificing your gangsters.