Each tab of jobs is now an “Episode” with chapters. As you complete one chapter another opens up until you reach the boss. After defeating the boss you achieve job mastery and restart at chapter 1 until you’ve obtained your 3 levels of job mastery.

Getting HELP in russia is a bit different. It’s only available at certain points in the game and it actually helps complete the job. Defeating the first boss can only be done by getting help from your mafia.

When Zynga announced Russia they told us we would have to choose between the Vory and the Mafiya. There has been a lot of speculation as to what this means. People have been worried that if you choose one side, and a friend or fellow mafia member chooses another side, it will pit you against each other. According to Zynga that isn’t true.

At this point I am working on level 2 mastery of episode 1. Here is what I do know.

In episode 1 chapter 2 you have to choose your side.

I chose Mafiya. Not sure what it did for me. I am to understand that after you complete level 1 mastery you can switch sides in level 2. On level 3 you are supposed to be able to switch back again. According to Zynga after you choose a side for level 3 you are locked in for the rest of the game. I am uncertain if your actions in episode 1 will have any effect on episode 2 and beyond.

Quote from in game play
“You have chosen Mafiya. You have unlocked unique jobs based on that choice. Each Mastery level lets you choose again.”

As I obtain more information on Russia I will post an update.

11% - Mastermind
11% - Wheelman
11% - Buttonman
11% - Bodyguard
15% - Safecracker
15% - Bagman

If you promote someone to one of these positions and they are not giving you the top percentage of a bonus it is a good idea to go back and check on them periodically. The bonus might have increased and the game does not automatically increase the percentage for you. You have to repromote them to that position to get the higher new bonus.

Lots of players wonder what do I need to do to get a higher percentage.

Mastermind is based on the number of jobs completed. Level does not matter (though it follows that higher levels will likely have more completed jobs.) It does not require a specific character type — Maniac, Mogul & Fearless can all be promoted to this position. Max bonus is 11%

Mastermind Estimates
# of Jobs Completed Bonus %
1 to 18 1
19 to 98 2
99 to 498 3
499 to 998 4
999 to 2998 5
2999 to 4998 6
4999 to 6998 7
6999 to 9998 8
9999 to 11998 9
11999 to 14998 10
14999+ 11
Grants more experience from jobs.

Wheelman must be someone who is the Fearless character type. The higher their level, the better. You will be unable to promote Moguls and Maniacs to this position; it will show –% for them on the promotion screen. Max bonus is 11%

Wheelman Estimates
Player Level Bonus %
1 to 18 1
19 to 28 2
29 to 38 3
39 to 48 4
49 to 58 5
59 to 78 6
79 to 98 7
99 to 148 8
149 to 198 9
199 to 298 10
299+ 11
Reduces energy required for jobs.

Button Man must be someone who is the Maniac character type. The higher their level, the better. You will be unable to promote Moguls and Fearless to this position. Max bonus is +11 attack.

Buttonman Estimates
Player Level Bonus +
1 to 18 1
19 to 28 2
29 to 38 3
39 to 48 4
49 to 58 5
59 to 78 6
79 to 98 7
99 to 148 8
149 to 198 9
199 to 298 10
299+ 11
Grants a bonus to attack.

Bodyguard is based upon the number of fights won. Level does not matter; this one especially varies greatly dependong on the player. It does not requre a specific character type — Maniac, Mogul & Fearless can all be promoted to this position. Max bonus is +11 defense.

Bodyguard Estimates
# of Fights Won Bonus +
1 to 18 1
19 to 98 2
99 to 498 3
499 to 998 4
999 to 3998 5
3999 to 6998 6
6999 to 9998 7
9999 to 19998 8
19999 to 39998 9
39999 to 49998 10
49999+ 11
Grants a bonus to defense.

Safecracker is based on the number of successful heists (robberies). Level does not matter; this one will vary greatly depending on the player. It does not require a specific character type — Manic, Mogul & Fearless can all be promoted to this position. Min bonus is 5%, max bonus is 15%

Safecracker Estimates
# of Successful Heists Bonus %
1 to 18 5
19 to 98 6
99 to 498 7
499 to 998 8
999 to 3998 9
3999 to 6998 10
6999 to 9998 11
9999 to 19998 12
19999 to 39998 13
39999 to 49998 14
49999+ 15
Grants more money from fighting and robbing.

Bagman must be someone who is the Mogul character type. The higher their level, the better. You will be unable to promote Maniac and Fearless to this position. Min bonus is 5%, max bonus is 15%

Bagman Estimates
Player Level Bonus %
1 to 18 5
19 to 28 6
29 to 38 7
39 to 48 8
49 to 58 9
59 to 78 10
79 to 98 11
99 to 148 12
149 to 198 13
199 to 298 14
299+ 15
Grants more money from jobs

Musket - 25 Attack 5 Defense
Cannon - 33 Attack 7 Defense
Bayonet - 4 Attack 16 Defense
Saber - 17 Attack 13 Defense
Red Coat - 8 Attack 32 Defense
Tri-Point Hat - 8 Attack 12 Defense
Flintlock Pistols - 14 Attack 6 Defense
Davy Crockett Hat - 21 Attack 9 Defense

If you are giving out a link that looks like http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=000000

Change it to: http://mwdirectfb10.zynga.com/mwfb/remote/html_server.php?xw_controller=friendbar&xw_action=send_add&fid=000000

Change 000000 to your profile ID.

The add to mafia feature in our get user link tool at http://www.mafia-wars-tips.info/fb has been updated to use the new link and now works.

You must be facebook friends before you can add someone using this link.

*** UPDATE ***

This link stopped working for me this morning.  I will keep looking into it.

**** Update 2

The link started working again.  If it stops working again just try  later.
You will know if it worked because you will get the message “[name] has been added to your mafia”

New contest on the discussion board. Visit to win 25 Bodyguards, Cell Phones, and Blackmail photos! Thats a total of 75 Items.

Vist the facebook page. Become a fan. Then read the rules on the discussion board.

-=[ Weapons, Armor, and Vehicles ]=-

When you add a new member to your mafia they do NOT bring anything to fight with. You must supply them with equipment from your own inventory or they will not help in a fight.

Next to each item you can buy there is an attack and defense value. It is widely believed that the combined value of these two scores in conjunction with the combined value of of your attack and defense score determine the fight.

Note: Speed boats have an attack and defense of ZERO. They are useless in a fight. If you bought more then the two required to unlock a job you are wasting your money. Sell all but two.

Get one of each of the best weapons, armor, and vehicles for every member of your mafia. You can rob people to help fund this goal. The best you can buy until you reach level 99 is: Chain Gun, Body Armor, and Town Car. You can also get loot from jobs, fighting, and gifts that are better then what you can buy.

You can also buy 1 limited edition loot for every two mafia members you have. The problem here is once you get to a high level you can’t get rid of it. Sometimes it will be selected in a fight over another item of the same attack value even if its overall combined value of attack + defense is lower.

-=[ Fighting ]=-

Before level 10 fighting isn’t fully functional. Links to view your opponent before attacking them on the fight list don’t exist until after lvl 10. Also weapons beyond what you may purchase don’t get used even if someone gifted it to you and it shows up in your inventory.

After level 10 you can use loot that someone gifts to you that might be beyond your level and you can view your opponent before you attack them.

Once someone falls below 20 health they cannot be attacked anymore. That is why the attack again button disappears from the screen. These players are whats known as ‘iced’

If you click on the profile of an iced player and attack them you may get xp and money but they will not take damage and they will not get a notice in their history box.

You cannot hitlist or punch someone who is iced. If you try it will tell you they are already dead or too weak.

If you tick someone off and they keep robbing you, attacking you, and putting you on the hitlist you have a few options.

First, don’t heal. If you remain iced they can’t hitlist or attack you.
Don’t repair your properties right away. Once they reach 70% damaged they can’t be robbed anymore and you still receive 30% income.

You can ask someone bigger in your mafia to pay them a visit. Sometimes this works.
You can message them and ask why they are targeting you.

If you hitlist them back and/or attack them back your link will show up in their history box making it easy for them to find you and beat you up again.
Sometimes you need to just lay low for a few days and hope to fall off their history box.

Last but not least, you can send them a friend request and join their mafia. You can’t attack and rob someone in your own mafia.

-=[ Robbing ]=-
Robbing is action that can get you hit listed but it’s a great way to get money to build your empire.

You can’t rob anyone until you are level 15.

You can only rob someone with the number of mafia equal to your level.
Likewise you can only defend your properties from someone with the number of mafia equal to your level.

Example: You are level 22 and have 501 mafia. You can only rob with 22 mafia members.

When looking for a target to rob look for someone who has less mafia then their level. If it says they are level 30 and have mafia of 15 its safe. If it says they are level 30 and have mafia of 30 they might have a mafia of 501. Why does this matter? When they retaliate and attack you in a fight they will bring all 501 to the fight.

Also look for big properties. A casino pays out a lot more then a vegetable stand.

-=[ Properties ]=-
Before level 15 you can’t get robbed.
After level 15 you can get robbed and you can buy protection for your properties.

When purchasing new properties buy 10 at a time. The price goes up every time you buy. Buying 10 gives you a bulk discount. The price goes back down after you sell. It also goes back down for undeveloped land after you use it by developing on it.

After you purchase 10 properties buy the protection before buying any more.
Subsequent purchases of protected property will automatically be protected for no additional fee. If you wait the price will go up for the protection.

Mafia Mike’s are special. Buy as many as you can. After you add to your mafia come back and buy more.
These can only be purchased one at a time.
They cannot be robbed.
You can buy one for every two mafia members you have.

Undeveloped land, Mafia Mikes, & Rent Houses can’t get robbed.
Damaged property can’t get robbed once it reaches 70% damage. They still produce 30% income.

-=[ Hitlist ]=-
I don’t suggest hit listing people who are bigger then you. Maybe a punch in the face.
All too often I see lower level players who, once they get hit listed, hitlist everyone who attacked them and the person who took them out.

Don’t attack the messenger. All that will do is get retaliation from people who already proved they are bigger then you.

Either go after the person who hit listed you and hitlist them back or lay low and let it pass. Wait until you are bigger before starting wars.

*** Original Post Below ***
In an earlier post I mentioned how you can tell your non-mafia friends to hide all of the mafia wars posts that flood their walls. Now the last post was a great tip and I still use it to hide games and applications (lollipop) that I don’t want to see, but what if you could stop flooding your friends without teaching them how to do anything? — You can!

I recently came across a setting that YOU can do to keep your job and gift request posts from taking over the wall space of your non-mafia friends.

First you will need to create a friend list and put all of your mafia into it. See my witness protection post for more info on that.

Next you will need to mouse over settings on the upper right hand side and click on applications.

Find Mafia Wars on the list and click Edit Settings.

Click the pull down menu for privacy and select customize.
In the next window select some friends.
In the textbox type the name of your friends list that contains all of your mafia friends.
Change the pull down menu under networks to ‘none of my networks.’
Click Ok, then Ok again.

Now mafia people will be able to see all your job requests and people not in your mafia wont. If people not in your mafia browse to your profile they will still see your mafia wars posts but these won’t show on their wall when they are trying to learn where their best friend ate lunch today.

The in game link is broken when using IE8 (maybe other versions too).  I’ve opened a ticket with zynga.  Firefox seems to work.  Direct links work.  I have the direct fight list link on my toolbar at http://www.mafia-wars-tips.info/fb/  Just click on fight located on the left side.

[update: this problem seems to be resolved]

I noticed that one of the achievements “Getting the Crew Together” required re-promoting someone to my top mafia to trigger the award.

To make it easier I added a “Promote to Top Mafia” link on my tool bar.  If you want to keep someone already in your top mafia but don’t want to search 40 pages to find them just copy their link into the toolbar, click go, and click promote to top mafia.  Then put them in the spot they are already at.