La Famiglia: The Great Mafia War

2023 · Wargame

La Famiglia: The Great Mafia War

Teams of two vie for control of Sicily during a violent turf war set in the 1980s. Players choose from six mafia family factions, each with distinct special abilities, and coordinate with a teammate to seize regions on the island. Gameplay alternates between a planning phase—where players recruit fighters, develop abilities, and place secret orders—and a combat phase, when orders are revealed and resolved. Combat uses a streamlined system that emphasizes bluffing and psychological play, with options like bombs and tactical placement affecting outcomes. Victory goes to the team that best combines their families’ asymmetrical powers and coordinates actions to dominate the map.

Players
4
Playing time
120–180 min
Age
16+
Complexity
4 / 5
8.2 on Ludoyafrom $71.96EconomicMafiaArea MovementTeam-Based GameVariable Player Powers

On Ludoya's tables

Full stats in Ludoya
97
Plays logged
222
Players
2h 49m
Average play
42
In collections
16
On wishlists

8.2/10

from 26 Ludoya reviews

  • Garfield8.0

    #25 Very thematic area control game. It's a little bit too long, especially when a player suffers from AP. Because in this game you can analyse too much. But I still like it very much, nice action selection mechanism and very good iconography. [c] Theme: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Very good --> Gameplay: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Engaging --> Interaction: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Direct confrontation, action selection --> Artwork: ★★★★★ <!-- size 7]Very nice --> Luck: ★★☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]Order of resolving the combats --> Strategy: ★★★☆☆ <!-- size 7]Good amount of possibilities --> Components: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Very good --> Play duration: ★★☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]Too long --> Easy to teach: ★★☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]Not complicated but a lot (45min) --> Rules quality: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Very good --> Setup time: ★★☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]It takes its time --> No downtime: ★★☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]Can suffer from AP --> Replay value: ★★★☆☆ <!-- size 7]Different factions, different control tiles --> [/c]

  • Balleflass9.0

    I really like this one! But there are a few things keeping it from being a 10. 1. Clearer borders between mandamenti and areas. Maybe a darker thicker border and making sure no mandamenti share color with adjacent mandamenti. 2. Player aids that explains turn structure and iconography. 3. A better combat system as it is too swingy, even with the official optional rules in the rulebook. The positive is that it is fast tho. 18 Awaken Realms Premium sleeves (Most likely Paladin rebrands?)

  • Josu Txasko7.0

    Un euro complicadito con peleas por los territorios, coches que ponen bombas y lanchas que atacan desde el mar. Pero sin flipar, que es todo bastante abstracto. Me parece que la colocación de fichas es bastante original y sobre todo el jugar por equipos, aunque hay que tener bastante compenetración para hacer un juego interesante.

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Rules questions

Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.

If I move another player's influence token to take an action, do I have to pay them or anyone else?

Yes — if you move another player's influence token you must pay that player 1 Money before receiving any money from the action, and some actions (like Gaining Influence) also require paying amounts into the supply and 1 Money per token moved; see pages 8 and 10.

When I choose the "Gaining Influence" column, do I perform the column action immediately and what are the costs?

You move all influence tokens from one top-column to bottom action spaces and then perform the action shown above that column, but before performing it you must pay the pictured column cost into the supply, 1 Money per influence token moved into the supply, and 1 Money per influence token belonging to another player (paid to that player); see page 10.

When I remove influence from my family mat, do I always get an advanced order or an instant effect?

Removing influence reveals the space beneath: it may be a new base value (changes future base values) or a one-time instant effect which you resolve immediately; additionally, removing the first influence token from one of the three columns A/B/C on a row grants the matching advanced order token; see page 11.

How and when do I place or flip a Mandamento control token, and when do I lose control?

You control a Mandamento when you have at least one Soldato in at least two areas of that Mandamento; immediately place a control token in the adjacent sea space (crest down), and if you still control it at the management check flip the crest up; remove the control token immediately when you lose control; see page 12.

Can teammates put Soldati in the same area or help by sharing areas and orders freely?

No — teammates may share information and money (at a cost) and use speedboats together, but they may not have Soldati from both families in the same area, move through or take control of areas controlled by their teammate, issue orders in areas controlled by the teammate, or each control one area of a Mandamento to together claim it; see page 12.

In the Encounter Phase what order are orders executed and what happens to order tokens after execution or if I lose the area?

Supply orders resolve first, then attack orders, both in ascending Initiative (ties by turn order); after an order is executed you take back any order tokens without a protective vest immediately, and at the end of the encounter you take all your order tokens back — if you lose an area before its order executes you must remove that order token and it does not execute; see page 14.

Opens Ludoya's rules assistant, which reads this game's rulebook.

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Game facts (players, playing time, age, credits) from BoardGameGeek.