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Then it should be more like angry mob violence, right? More Gangs of New York than drug wars. A fire here, broken windows there, mugging and slugging members of other gangs, raiding their bases, and fleeing whenever the police come around, that kind of thing?

Depends on what kind of gang it is actually.

Somewhat like that, but in another world. We're talking of dwarves here, and in modern, steam-powered, setting. And no police, since the place was like an abandoned city ruled by criminals instead of a working central government.

Any case, thanks for the time and suggestions! I finally had an idea of what to do.

@SailusGebel criminal ones. And their weapons range from steam-powered battle axes and war hammers, to steam-propelled guns.

Who supplies the dwarves with Toyota truck and the AK-47's? Wait, I know who. It's elves. It's always elves.

No-no, I mean, size, what kind of city they are in, do they have someone above them, are they a feeder to an organised cartel or simply a bunch of thugs.

@beast_regards Toyota and AK is too mainstream (yet badass), though my technicals here are called 'airships' and 'dirigibles'.

@SailusGebel a ruined capital city. As in huge-ass city. Back story is, one of my characters fucked up, wiping out the entire city population including the government. But there were survivors: the poor peeps, and the criminal gangs, all living underground. When the city was wiped out, they emerged and, of course, started to rule what was left.

So my other character undertakes an operation to take the city back. However, he should be avoiding conflict (the main reason for the entire story), and his forces are tied, forced to defend their base from two sides. So his solution is to send a petty criminal to take down the criminals.

I would say it's okay if it resembles army-to-army clash. They don't have to be from army to imitate whay they think army is supposed to do.

Cargo cult.

^ yeah, Arc 5 of my Saint Series work deals with cargo cults, gang violence, fanaticism, 'progressive' ideas/wokism and business wars/hostile takeovers.

So, what's the problem?

The tactics of my gangs read like it's too efficient/refined for a gang that should be composed of ordinary criminals banding together.

I'd like it to be a bit cruder, since those are basically just undisciplined peasants with weapons.

But they are influenced by cargo cult. Can't you simply add a few dialogue where a few of them mentio they read it in a book, saw a play, heard from a friend of a friend, or saw military in action?

Hmm...wait, my world has a cargo cult, but this same cult persecuted these people because, well, criminals take away cargo. Hence, they are not ascribing to the religion of the place. If anything, my gangs here are akin to pirates; live free, die free.

Wait, are we talking about the same cargo cult?

Yeah. The Church of the Golden Hammer persecuted the criminals of the dwarf capital city, Hemelin, and brought order to the area. These criminals hid themselves in the underground tunnels until Hemelin's population was annihilated by one of my characters. Now the city is in ruins, they get to have it as their playground. And my main character, Kuro, is taking Hemelin back.

I was talking about this cargo cult.