Remember back in 1st/2nd where you could take an entire gang or tribe or whatever as a "contact"? Well, this is kinda a resurrection of that which some may be interested in. Noticed it skimming the house rules, so I thought I'd put it up, though I have the nagging suspicion it might be on this board already (searches couldn't find anything) or be from/inspired by someone here's efforts (in which case I'm sorry, not trying to claim it as my own). Can't remember which (if either) off hand.

Gangs & Tribes - In addition to buying contacts as noted in SR4, characters can purchase affiliation with a local gang or tribe, either as a member or simply an individual with close ties to the group. Purchasing a gang as a contact requires the character to spend build points equal to the sum of it’s Connection and Loyalty ratings, multiplied by the group’s (Size rating +1). A gang’s Size rating determines both the average membership of the group and the number of members the character can call on for aid. At any given time, the character can call on a number of members of the gang or tribe if circumstances permit. This requires the character to make an Etiquette + Loyalty (3) test. If successful, a random number of allied gang members (roll the number of dice in the available members column) come to the characters aid, arriving as soon as the GM deems appropriate. All gang or tribe members called in this fashion have average skill and attribute ratings of 3 and a Professional rating of 2.

Size
Tiny (Rating 1, average 5-10 members, available members 1d3, Example Gang: Local neighbor gangs)

Small (Rating 2, average 10-50 members, available members 1d6, Example Gang: The Red Hot Nukes)

Medium (Rating 3, average 50-100 members, available members 2d6, Example Gang: The Halloweeners)

Large (Rating 4, average 100-200 members, available members 3d6, Example Gang: The Ancients)

International (Rating 5, average 200+ members, available members 4d6, Example Gang: The Cutters)

Btw - The reason I put the Ancients ranked lower than the Cutters is because (as I understand it) the Ancients have multiple independent chapters worldwide, whereas the Cutters have multiple centrally organized chapters worldwide. Ie local control makes each chapter of the Ancients a separate gang (in this system).

Not sure I agree with it, just can't put my finger on why. I'll have to try this out sometime.

Or you could just use Reputation from the old SR CrimeTracker system in Undeworld Sourcebook as the connection rating.

I believe that at 3-4 reputation a gang was "top tier" and at 5-6 they were a minor syndicate. So the Cutters would be a 3-6 depending on how you want to portray them and the Ancients would definitely be a 5-6. Obviously using this system wouldn't allow you to take a contact with the entirety of a Syndicate.

I just handle it by having the character in question take the leader (or sub-leader if a huge gang like the Ancients) as an appropriately connected Contact, and use Loyalty to reflect the character's standing in that particular organization.

I think this could be pretty cool. I think I'd use it to represent having hung out with the lower level members of the gang here and there. For anyone of real import, they'd have to take a regular single contact.

In my Barrens game the PCs more or less all have the Vatos Locos gang as their "contact", which basically mean they can go there unmolested and talk to them and even recieve some info and minor aid without being bribed.

However, Trog (the troll street sammie) have been living their all along, and has begun to donate equipment to them (mostly cheap guns and stuff, but still improvment), and besides is known as a badass in that area, so he could probably have them as a more loyal contact.

Hmm, this reminds me I have to update my AAR soon.. alright but gotta sleep first.

You could improvise by having someone buy the lieutanant of a grunt group as a contact and work from there.

I have to agree with Toturi and Fortune. Just buy a gang leader at an appropriate level of loyalty and connection, and you're set with the gang. I also allow this to create PC Mafia Made Men, Yakuza Lieutenants, Triad soldiers, etc, etc.

I remember this from playing 1st edition. We got good use out of it back then, with a couple of party members buying a gang. It IS different to simply having a gang leader as a contact. You get general respect and even belonging.

For my own tastes, I would ditch the specifics of rolling for how many turn up, etc. I don't tend to run the game in that D&D sort of way. Nor do I roll dice to see how helpful non-gang contacts are. But I definitely agree with the principle. I think just keep them as other contacts essentially, with influence representing the size of the gang and loyalty representing... ah loyalty, and then wing it. But it's definitely a different feel to just buying a gang leader, etc.

Here's a thought,

Instead of using a "available members" notation, have the number of members available equal the surplus hits from the call for help roll (anything over 3 hits).

My PC (Jim the troll) in a new 4th Ed campaign took the chief of a go-gang as a contact, and the GM established that if I bought it at a high enough rating, my PC got side benefits. For example, he's a vehicle rigger, he has Auto Mechanic, so their garage is also his garage, as long as he fixes their bikes (generally off-camera, mundane background activity). Our last session included a scene at the go-gang clubhouse bar, and the GM made up some amusing random ork biker NPCs, and Jim brought his fellow PC, a human mage, into the clubhouse, which lead to some good roleplaying. (Jim had posted a reward if any gang member got a confirmed sighting on a certain NPC we were tracking down... unfortunately, a less-than-bright go-ganger grabbed the wrong dwarf and tried to claim the reward anyways, so Jim had to defuse an interracial incident.) I took a Knowlege Skill of Goblin Rock, on the theory that Jim hears it a lot, whether or not he likes it.
I don't think that "you make your roll, you get #hits gang soldiers" would be good storytelling; the GM would require me to roleplay convincing some gangers to get involved, and without finesse I'd end up with the most hotheaded, trigger-happy members of the gang.