I’m having a hard time figuring out when and if opposing gangs should take actions against the PCs.
The crew is at war with another gang, the lampblacks. Does that mean that the Lampblacks will be openly sending thugs to attack the PC crew? Are the built in game mechanics of +1 heat and lowering of hold and possible Tier enough?
1. Should this attack happen during an existing score that the players are running? If the PCs have run a smooth score is it proper to drop the opposing gang attack before the downtime? They will finish the score with zero heat based on their rolls otherwise.
2. Should it be a part of downtime?
3. Should it be a score that you notify them about during free play?
How do other GMs handle this situation?
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See very early Bloodletters for an example of this. Maybe episode 3 or so?
For my money, anything that makes sense in the fiction is fair play. If the enemy knows about the PCs’ score, you could absolutely drop then in during or right after. If you can’t decide how much they would know or how aggressive they’d be, use the magic of fortune rolls. You can even roll them out in the open if you think your players will cry foul.
Here is what I do.
1. Knock down their hold by 1.
2. Add 1 to 3 heat to each heist.
3. Half the coin on each heist.
4. Each game phase roll D6
1-3 enemy gets in the action.
4-6 your clear for now.
5. SET A CLOCK make sure you set a clock for how long the war will last and filling the clock is not always a good thing.
Ex. When the clock is full the local blue coats launch a crackdown