Part 43

Dive into the lore of Mafia: The Old Country with Part 43. Learn about the American Mafia, family structures, and key characters like Salieri and Tommy.

Hey there! Welcome to Part 43 of our Mafia: The Old Country guide. This section isn't about a specific mission or action, but more about diving deep into the world and lore of the game. Think of it as getting to know the family a bit better before we jump back into the action.

We'll be covering some cool background info, like who's who in Salieri's crew and the general structure of the American Mafia. It's good stuff to know to really get into the game's atmosphere.

What's Covered:

• The American Mafia: Its origins and structure.
• Key players in Salieri's organization.
• The hierarchy within a Mafia family.

Let's break down some of the characters and concepts you'll encounter.

You'll see that the game uses voice actors who have been in other well-known titles. For instance, the voice of Harrison (who is Tommy Angelo in the game) also voiced Vince in GTA: The Ballad of Gay Tony. And the voice of Ralph (and Lucas Bertone, who shows up later) has been in games like Max Payne and Neverwinter Nights 2.

The main part of this chapter is a cutscene where Don Salieri is presiding over a meeting in his office at Salieri's Bar. Tommy, Sam, and Frank are there, along with the guy Tommy rescued recently. Salieri is clearly annoyed with Morello but tries to play it cool, saying he's a reasonable person. He then turns to Tommy, asks his name, and offers him a chance, saying he likes new faces and they're all one big family.

(Fun fact: Don Salieri kinda looks like Paul Sorvino as Paulie Cicero in the movie Goodfellas!)

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Now, let's get into the real deal about the American Mafia, drawing from what Wikipedia tells us:

The American Mafia, also known as Cosa Nostra or La Cosa Nostra, is basically an Italian-American criminal society that branched off from the Sicilian Mafia. They don't really have a formal name for themselves; they just call it 'Cosa Nostra,' which means 'our thing.' The press sometimes calls it the 'National Crime Syndicate.'

This whole thing kicked off in places like New York's Lower East Side in the late 1800s, right after a bunch of Sicilians and Italians immigrated. It's got roots in the Sicilian Mafia, but it's been its own thing in the US for ages. Over time, other Italian criminal groups kind of merged with the Sicilian Mafia to form what we now call the pan-Italian Mafia in North America. Today, they still work with the Sicilian Mafia and other groups like the Camorra and 'Ndrangheta.

In New York City, there are five main Mafia families: the Gambino, Lucchese, Genovese, Bonanno, and Colombo families. These Italian-American Mafia families pretty much run organized crime across the US, controlling things in major cities like Chicago, Detroit, Boston, and, of course, New York. Even though each family works independently, there's a national coordination group called the Commission, usually made up of the bosses from each major family.

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Back to Salieri's office scene: Salieri introduces everyone. He tells Tommy that he already knows Paulie and Sam. He points out Frank as his 'right-hand man' who handles the 'legal' side of things. Luigi is the bartender and apparently a great cook. Salieri mentions that Paulie will introduce Tommy to Vincenzo and Ralph later. He emphasizes that there are many of them, but these are the key people for now.

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Let's talk about the hierarchy, specifically Salieri and Frank's positions. This is how a typical crime boss structure works:

Boss (or 'capo famiglia'): This is the top dog. They have absolute command and are feared for their ruthlessness. All the profits flow up to them.

Underboss: The second-in-command. Sometimes this is the boss's son, but Salieri's group doesn't seem to have one explicitly mentioned.

Consigliere: This is the advisor or 'right-hand man.' They counsel the boss and are part of the 'Administration' along with the boss and underboss. While they're third in command, they don't directly manage soldiers or capos. They're supposed to be a trusted confidant, offering unbiased advice, though real-life consiglieri might be a bit more hands-on than the image suggests.

The term 'Consigliere' was really popularized by The Godfather. In that context, they advise the boss and can even represent him in important meetings. They're like the mob's elder statesman – usually devoid of personal ambition, dispensing advice.

In real life, the consigliere is typically the number three person in the family, after the don and underboss. There's usually only one, but bosses have sometimes appointed more. The boss, underboss, and consigliere form a three-person ruling panel, or 'Administration.'

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Finally, Salieri lays down some ground rules:

“Now listen, and listen good, we have some rules around here: Don't cross paths with the cops. They're on our payroll, so…”

And that's where this part of the guide wraps up. It's all about understanding the world you're stepping into. Knowing these basics will definitely make your experience playing Mafia: The Old Country even richer!