Ballas: Difference between revisions

The Ballas are the [[Grove Street Families]] primary enemy and most influential gang in [[Los Santos in GTA III Era|Los Santos]]. In the beginning of the game they are the largest and most powerful street gang in Los Santos. They are enemies with all Family sets (especially the [[Grove Street Families]]) and the Varrios Los Aztecas, and have establish ties with the [[San Fierro Rifa]] and the [[Loco Syndicate]] for narcotics, and the [[Russian Mafia]] for weapons. Their relationship with the Los Santos Vagos is largely "hit-or-miss"; this is because the Ballas and Vagos are natural enemies on the streets (and will act with hostility upon spotting each-other), but briefly collaborate for mutual interest in the drugs trade - especially in relation to [[Big Smoke]]'s crack empire. The Ballas also collaborate with [[CRASH]], primarily for street intelligence. At some point, Ex-Grove OG [[B-Dup]] also starts to associate and collaborate with the Ballas for the interest of drugs.  

Upon CJ's return to Los Santos, the Ballas attempt to finish of the Grove Street Families during the first mission [[Sweet & Kendl]] through a drive-by shooting on Sweet, CJ, Big Smoke and Ryder after leaving Beverly Johnson's funeral but miss and are only successful and destroying Big Smoke's car. The OG's must then make it back to Grove Street in one piece on bicycle while avoiding the Ballas car.  

During the early game, the Ballas are very successful at spreading crack-cocaine into [[Ganton]] and [[Grove Street]] in an attempt to weaken the Grove Street Families. By doing this, they turn members into weak and hopeless addicts while influencing high-ranking members with the money that can be made from drugs - taking them away from gang-banging (as is the case with [[B-Dup]]). However, one of their crack houses on the [[Idlewood]]/Ganton border is destroyed by CJ and [[Ryder]] on Sweet's orders during the mission [[Cleaning the Hood]]. This decreases their crack influence. In retaliation for the destruction of the crack house in Idlewood, the Kilo Tray Ballas attempt a drive-by shooting in Grove Street during the mission [[Drive-Thru]]. However, CJ, Sweet, Big Smoke and Ryder are able to catch them on the way to Grove Street when pulling out of a [[Cluckin' Bell]] drive-thru in [[Willowfield]]. A car chase follows and the Ballas car is destroyed - though Big Smoke does nothing and is more concerned with eating his food - providing one of the many early in-game hints for his true connections with the Ballas.  

The Ballas eventually suffer a major loss when many members of the "Rollin' Heights Ballas" and the "Kilo Tray Ballas" are killed in a drive-by shooting that involves Sweet, Big Smoke, Ryder and CJ during the mission [[Drive-By]]. CRASH tips off all gangs in Los Santos with the exception of the Varrios Los Aztecas about a weapons and ammunitions train during the mission [[Catalyst]]. All gangs prepare to rob it - but the Ballas and the Los Santos Vagos fail and the train is instead robbed by the Grove Street Families via CJ and Ryder.

The Ballas eventually lose [[Glen Park]] to the Grove Street Families in a gang war during the mission [[Doberman]]. This puts the Ballas on a more equal footing with the Grove Street Families and their position as the dominant and most powerful gang is threatened. The Ballas attempt to regain their dominance by wiping out the Grove Street Families through a gang war on Grove Street itself in the mission [[House Party]]; however, Sweet, CJ and other Grove Street members are able to successfully defend their territory and the Ballas fail.  

CRASH tips off CJ about a weapons deal taking place between the Ballas and the [[Russian Mafia]] at a Willowfield warehouse during the mission [[Gray Imports]]. CJ is able to disrupt the deal and members of the Ballas and Russian Mafia are killed along with the Russian Mafia shot-caller of the deal. A high-ranking member and OG of the "Front Yard Ballas" called [[Kane]] is then killed along with many other Ballas during a Ballas funeral at [[Vinewood Cemetery]] at the hands of Sweet, CJ and other Grove Street Family members during the mission [[Los Sepulcros]].

The Ballas then regain all of their power and influence back when Grove Street leader Sweet is shot and injured during a gang war and arrested while CJ is abandoned from Los Santos by CRASH during the mission [[The Green Sabre]]. The Grove Street Families fall apart with no leader or OG's and the Ballas begin cementing their influence by distributing crack cocaine again. All family sets are eventually wiped out or in hiding and the Ballas start controlling remaining Family territory - including Ganton and Grove Street itself, [[Playa Del Seville]], [[Santa Maria Beach]] and [[Temple]] while regaining back Glen Park.

The Ballas make no major presence and have no more significance in relation to the games story for the rest of the middle game chapters. However, the Ballas do make one minor appearance during one of the middle game missions. During [[Pier 69]], CJ, [[Cesar Vialpando]], and the [[San Fierro Triads]] ambush a drug deal between Ryder (on the behalf of Big Smoke) and the Loco Syndicate in [[San Fierro]]. Many Ballas make a presence during this mission to provide protection for Ryder. CJ and Cesar are successful at disrupting the drug deal and Ryder is killed along with his Ballas protection. For the rest of the middle part of the game, the Ballas make no more appearances until the "Return to Los Santos" missions/chapter is unlocked towards the end of the game.

Following the release of Sweet from prison and the return of Carl "CJ" Johnson, the Grove Street Families win back their territory from the Ballas (specifically Ganton, Glen Park, and parts of Idlewood) during the missions [[Home Coming]], [[Beat Down on B Dup]], and [[Grove 4 Life]] and put an end to the remaining drug influence in Grove Street by killing the dealers. That same year, the Crack Palace operated by Big Smoke is destroyed and Smoke is killed in the final mission [[End of the Line]], causing the Ballas to lose a lot of drug influence on the streets and if the player chooses, can take over all of their territories in Los Santos (as part of the gang war mini-game), completely wiping out the Ballas for good.