So, how would you make this game? What system? what mechanics would be important and how would they best be handled?

RPGPundit

CONFESSION: I've never seen it.

REALISATION: I'm the best person in the world to write it.

The game basically already exists.  Games Workshop created it, it's called Mordenheim.  

Though to do it more about the story and less about the actual gang wars.  I'd use Warhammer or Dark Heresy as the base.  Using the character selection system from Dark Heresy.  Each class represents one of the gangs both in terms of what's unique about each game and also to show progression within the gang.

I can't think of another system that would handle that level of grit as well.

My first instinct would be to just use WFRP.

WFRP makes sense to me...
I read the book before I saw the movie and the book is a good deal more grim... but colorful.
It is basically a Necromunda/Mordheim type of lawless situation... similar to post-apocalypse or Westerns.

Common weapons are brickbats, clubs, hand axes, and kitchen knives... as well as personalized stuff like Hell-Cat Maggie's claws.
The gangs don't differ much except for maybe their political patrons and gang 'colors'... plug uglies in top hat/helmets... dead rabbits with a dead rabbit standards...
You'd want a system for gauging your position in the gang as well as your gang's standing with other gangs and the city bosses who pull strings behind the scenes.
I might want some sort of subgame for running rat vs. dog vs. man with boot arena fights... and various kinds of gambling.

I would use something simple like Over the Edge.

Regards,
David R

WFRP sounds like a good choice to me.  That or I'd pick some random system I like which would serve it's purpose and strike me as mechanically interesting at the time.

Wushu or Exalted would be great for this!:p:D

But seriously it would seem to me that asystem utilizing a wound system would be good. I mean if you were to use something like D20 modern it seems like a large pool of HP would break the suspension of belief so to speak. While I would embrace a "Die Hard" style of play. It seems to me that a well placed hatchet could and should have powerful reprecussions (sp?). I think that, that would be best represented by a wound system. Does WFRP use wounds? I'm not familiar with the system.

Quote from: Ronin;303618Wushu or Exalted would be great for this!:p:D

But seriously it would seem to me that asystem utilizing a wound system would be good. I mean if you were to use something like D20 modern it seems like a large pool of HP would break the suspension of belief so to speak. While I would embrace a "Die Hard" style of play. It seems to me that a well placed hatchet could and should have powerful reprecussions (sp?). I think that, that would be best represented by a wound system. Does WFRP use wounds? I'm not familiar with the system.

WFRP has a simple yet descriptive crit system and is pretty gritty.  With the right GM it would server very well for a deep wounds system.

WFRP, True20, or a stripped down version of SR4.

I'd use TFT with modified talents and no magic of course.  

I've always wanted to run an 1800's CoC game with Gangs of New York elements.

Quote from: Xanther;303630I'd use TFT with modified talents and no magic of course.  

I've always wanted to run an 1800's CoC game with Gangs of New York elements.

Pardon my ignorance but TFT? Whats that?

Quote from: Ronin;303631Pardon my ignorance but TFT? Whats that?

TFT = Two Fisted Tales from Precis Intermedia. Easily the BEST systems for classic pulp gaming.

TFT would be good. I think the violence of GoNY could easily be simulated with WoD. Not a bad system at all for grisly hand to hand combat.

We often abbreviate it as 2FT.

RPGPundit

Using 2FT would avoid any confusion with The Fantasy Trip...

"I've always wanted to run an 1800's CoC game with Gangs of New York elements."
That would be cool... Cthullhu By Gaslight would have useful reference. Maybe there are ghouls lurking under Four Corners making off with the casualties of the gang wars.