Dillinger: The Mid-West Crime Wave, 1931-1934 2002

The Midwest Crime Wave; 1931 - 1934

DILLINGER is for 3 to 6 players and, although it uses the actual participants and history of the era in some detail, the game is not a historical recreation. It has been designed, and play tested to a virtual fare-thee-well, to bring about 2 to 3 hours of continual fun for the players. All players are involved in every player's turn, so there is no "down time." In essence, while one player is robbing a bank, the others become the Law Enforcement aspect of the game, trying to stop him with roadblocks, tear gas, gun molls, tommy guns, and whatever else they can throw in his path.

If the Bad Guy (there are 20 historical "Bad Guys" from Dillinger, to Jelly Nash, Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson, the incredible Barkers, the inept Kelly's, and the truly creepy Alvin Karpis, all rated for a variety of capabilities) succeeds he not only pockets the take, but he gains Notoriety. And accumulating Notoriety is what the players are doing to win. Obviously a successful kidnapping (a rare event) will bring loads of Points, but convicting another Bad Guy with your in-house mouthpiece (again, real-life lawyers, from the great trial attorney, Sam Leibowitz to the down-and-dirty Louis Piquett) can also get you some Notoriety. Opportunities to amass points are ubiquitous, and winning games usually comes right down to the end.

Each game of DILLINGER includes 1 Rules Folder, 1 Background information Folder, 110 Player Cards, 5 Location Mats, lots of Funny Money, and one small sheet of Mike Lemick colorful cut-and-paste counters.