Crew & Combat
Reviewed 2026-10-15
Checked recruit assignments, escort limits, and payroll decisions.
Reviewed controls, progression and available mode rules against the current catalog, simulation and visible menus.
You are only as strong as the crew watching your back. Managing who fights, who guards, and who drives is the core of street survival.
The Roster
Access the Crew menu to hire different archetypes. Each archetype has distinct health, attack, defense, and upkeep cost.
- Corner Boy — Eyes Open: Cheap upkeep and spots rivals moving on your turf. Upkeep: $25.
- Soldier — Reliable: No standout skill, no weak points either. Upkeep: $60.
- Enforcer — Intimidation: +15% control gain when garrisoning a block. Upkeep: $120.
- Wheelman — Fast Mover: Assaults launched with this crew resolve 25% faster. Upkeep: $95.
- Sharpshooter — Overwatch: High attack, low survivability. Best on offense. Upkeep: $160.
- Bruiser — Wall: Soaks damage in autonomous battles before anyone else. Upkeep: $175.
- Fixer — Clean Books: +8% income from every business you own while active. Upkeep: $100.
- Capo — Command: +10% attack for every other crew member in the same battle. Upkeep: $320.
- The Ghost — Silent Work: Assaults with The Ghost never raise your heat. Upkeep: $700.
- Juggernaut — Unmovable: Garrisoned blocks with Juggernaut lose control 50% slower. Upkeep: $520.
- The Oracle — Foresight: +20% income citywide and rival attacks are warned in advance. Upkeep: $450.
Garrison vs. Escort
When you hire a crew member, you can assign them as an Escort, Garrison, or Assault crew member.
Escorts accompany you directly, Garrisons hold a specific territory to defend it from rivals, and Assault crews are dispatched to attack targeted blocks. A block without a garrison is highly vulnerable and recovers control much more slowly; while it does not automatically fall, it is easy pickings for any rival push.
Concrete Decisions
When Escort is full, hiring on owned turf places the recruit in that block’s garrison; hiring elsewhere is refused. Check the roster cap separately from the escort cap. Use Reassign, then Escort Player or Garrison Territory..., and confirm the assignment text changes before leaving the panel.
Concrete Decisions
Base-cost comparison: no discounts, perks, deaths, or income. Upkeep is per minute of simulation time, charged in five-second ticks. Reserve includes hiring plus one minute of payroll; it is not a forecast of your cash balance.
- 3 × Soldier: hire $6,600; upkeep $180/minute ($15 every five seconds); hire plus one-minute reserve $6,780.
- 1 × Enforcer: hire $6,500; upkeep $120/minute ($10 every five seconds); hire plus one-minute reserve $6,620.
Three Soldiers cost more to hire and maintain than one Enforcer, but cover three assignments instead of one. The Enforcer improves garrison control gain. Choose coverage or recovery deliberately, then verify assignment labels and Net Profit; neither option guarantees a won battle.
Wounded City Takeover crew recover over time; Crew → Heal pays cash for immediate treatment. Check health and upkeep before redeploying. Player lives are separate: a new City Takeover run has one life, plus an optional rewarded revive when available.
Read the Trait, Not Just the Attack Number
A recruit's best assignment often comes from their trait. Enforcers belong where control matters, Wheelmen shorten dispatched assaults, Fixers justify their payroll across a large business network, and Bruisers protect higher-damage teammates in autonomous battles. Legendary crew are powerful but still occupy payroll and assignment space; they do not replace the need for a balanced roster.
Before moving a garrison into your escort, inspect the block it leaves behind and any active rival objective. Reassignment creates a real defensive gap. For the opposite decision—what weapon and vehicle should support that escort—continue with Progression & Loadouts.