Welcome to New Sterling. The networks are dead. The towers went dark. What was once the hottest financial district in the world is now a maze of diesel fumes and flickering streetlights. Light industry crawls back online. Heavy machinery rumbles in the distance. And in the gaps between... plenty of dirty work for those willing to take it. You've got three thugs, five bucks, and a hideout that's seen better days. Build your crew, take on jobs, and carve out your piece of the city—or watch everything fall apart. Getting Started Your hideout is home base. From here, browse incoming job offers, check your roster, and head into the city. Jobs come in throughout the day—collection runs to shake down local businesses, goods exchanges to move product, or riskier operations that pay better but demand more. Select your crew carefully: up to four thugs can deploy on any job, but sending wounded or unmotivated members is asking for trouble. Navigate menus with the arrow keys, confirm with Space or Enter. Use Shift + number keys to switch between locations in the toolbar. Gear Up Fists won't cut it for long. Visit the Hardware Store for basic weapons—bats, pipes, crowbars—or hit the Black Market for something with more bite. Weapons break with use, so keep your crew equipped. Every thug carries up to six items, so manage your inventory before heading out. Stay Alive Combat takes its toll. Health doesn't recover on its own. The Clinic patches up your crew at a cost. A beaten-down thug is a liability. Keep them healthy or leave them behind. Keep Them Loyal Your crew expects to get paid. Every week, wages are due—two dollars per head, minimum. Pay well and they'll stick around. Underpay, and motivation drops. Hit zero, and they walk. Good jobs boost morale. Bad calls drain it. Build Your Reputation Every job has consequences. Work with the community and they'll open doors for you—new recruits, better tips. Cross the wrong people and the heat rises. Push too hard and the cops take notice. High heat unlocks dangerous jobs, but also dangerous attention. Story Events Some mornings bring more than routine work. Special events appear as the days pass: territory disputes, rival stash houses, witnesses that need handling, recruits looking to join. These jobs demand more but define who you become in New Sterling. The Grind The city runs on a clock. Shops open at eight, close at eight. Jobs stop coming after ten at night. At dawn, it all resets. Build your capital. Expand your crew. Equip them for the fights ahead. New Sterling doesn't forgive the unprepared. Tips > Don't send your whole crew on risky jobs. Keep reserves healthy for when things go wrong. > Weapons are investments. A well-armed thug survives longer and earns more. > Watch motivation closely. A disloyal crew member walking out mid-week can derail your plans.
