# Gangs

In the wake of crisis and war, Gang activity surged. Stronger than ever in a lawless world - Enhanced with fantastic technology, no longer held back by ethics and morals, 'free from the shadows'....

Seen by most of the population as nihilistic, murderous and vile, occasional rumors suggest Gangs sometimes involve themselves with vigilantism, hacktivism, perhaps even plotting against The Enders, seeking to destroy a world they cannot save.

## Starting and Recruiting

Outside of [BitNode-2](bitnodes.md), you need to have -54000 karma or lower to create a Gang. It takes a long time to reduce your karma, but Gang is a great help. If you have access to [Sleeves](sleeves.md), you can make them commit crimes and "farm karma" for you.

Creating a Gang in other [BitNodes](bitnodes.md) will offer more [Augmentations](../basic/augmentations.md) than other [Factions](../basic/factions.md), but they will not be a way to destroy the [BitNode](bitnodes.md) alone.

After creating a gang, you will be able to start recruiting, adding members to your gang as you gain Respect. While in a BitNode, your gang and gang member stats will not reset if you install augmentations.

## Respect

Earned as your gang members complete tasks, Respect affects your gang's productivity, including your Faction Reputation (needed to buy augmentations from your Gang Faction), and the number of recruits you can have. An individual gang member's Respect is lost or reset if they Ascend, or are killed in a Territory Warfare clash.

## Ascending

When experienced enough, gang members are offered Ascension, a permanent boost to their stat multipliers at the cost of resetting their base stats and equipment to 0, and reducing your Gang Reputation by the same amount as that member had earned since they last Ascended.

## Equipping and Managing

Buying Equipment for a gang member will give them a stat boost until they Ascend or are killed, at which point most equipment will reset.

Augmentations you install on gang members (in the Gang Equipment subpage) do not reset when they Ascend.

Active gang members earn stats, respect and money based on their current stats, their equipment, and the effects of Ascending.

## Wanted, Territory and Clashes

Your gang's "Wanted Level" can make tasks much less productive, and is affected by the tasks assigned to gang members. "Ethical Hacking" or "Vigilante Justice" tasks can lower Wanted Level.

"Territory Warfare" is a special task that builds Power for your gang. If "Territory Clashes" are enabled [see the Territory subpage of your Gang page], members have a chance to win or lose territory by clashing with other gangs. The % of Territory you control affects most aspects of your gang productivity.

Note that gang members can die during clashes, even if your gang wins.
