Club Business

Club Business is a multiplayer mode in Grand Theft Auto IV downloadable content The Lost and Damned. It is a fresh take on Co-Op multiplayer and a random cooperation mission.

Player Setup

Each player spawns as a biker, along with a Sawn-off Shotgun, Automatic 9mm Pistol and several Pipe Bombs.

One player out of the group randomly spawns as the Ride Leader, gaining certain responsibilities in the process.

Objective

The objective of the game is much like Team Mafiya Work, only everyone is on the same side, working to complete the same goals. Angus will relay instructions to the players on various tasks, such as destroying vehicles, transporting club members, ambushing AOD convoys and holding out against a sustained police assault.

Often, after each mission, the players will have to return to the Lost Clubhouse, where they can quickly resupply, re-arm and retrieve another bike if theirs was lost during the mission.

Ride Leader

As the Ride Leader, the player is often responsible for leading their teammates to the next objective, as well as being the target for random Angels Of Death attacks.

Convoy

As in the main game, during Club Business, the team can form a convoy, as long as they stay in proximity to the Ride Leader, they will gradually gain cash ($5 approximately every 20 seconds), as well as health and armour. Hence, it can be a good idea to stick close to the Ride Leader, instead of trying to complete the mission solo.

Switching Leader

The Ride Leader is determined on the previous mission's performance. The player who completed the most objectives, or accumulated the highest score, will become the new Ride Leader once the mission is completed.

Killing the Ride Leader will not achieve anything, so don't do it.

Scoring

Completing objectives earns a flat rate of $500 each. Therefore, some objectives (Like ambushing and killing several gang members) can be much more lucrative than those which only have a single target or destination.

Killing police and pedestrians doesn't earn any money, unless they are transporting an objective (such as an Old Lady, or a bike you need to steal), in which case they are worth $100 each.

Team-killing, intentional or not, deducts $200 from your cash total.

End Game

The game ends when either the time limit expires, or the cash total is reached. Bear in mind, however, that the cash total is the overall team score, not individual, meaning the game can finish quite rapidly if the limit is set low.

Hints & Tactics

• Follow the Leader: Not only does riding in convoy grant you gradual health, armour and cash bonuses, but they will rely on you to protect them if the Angels Of Death try to assassinate them. What's more, giving the Ride Leader a lift on your bike grants you an automatic convoy bonus, so having the Ride Leader ride around with another player is always a good idea.

• Pull together and spread out: Know when to stay in a pack and when to split up. When a mission has multiple objectives, communicate with your team and make sure everyone is heading to their own objective, instead of everyone taking out each one together. On the same note, when there is only one objective, don't go walkabout, as police and gang shootouts can escalate very fast.

• Know your rides: Some missions may be bike-friendly, but sometimes a car can be a much safer and faster option. It pays to have one player in a car, preferably a supercar, with the power to catch up and ram tricky targets that are making an escape. Plus, cars offer much more substantial protection against gunfire. However, this does mean you won't be able to use the Convoy bonus.

• Watch your fire: If Friendly Fire is on, be doubly aware of your teammates. Nothing will piss off your friend more than getting ahead of a target, dropping a Pipe Bomb, only to blow up half your team by accident. Make sure you have a clear line of fire between you and your target, especially on bikes, as the Sawn-Off can often one-shot anyone, including your own team. As a rule of thumb, shoot with automatic weapons from the back, with the Sawn-Off at the sides and drop bombs if you're in front.

• Stonewall defence: Occasionally, Angus will tip off the team to a police raid, who are gunning for one player in particular. Instead of going on the run, take cover, preferably somewhere sheltered, and defend the target. Often, if you can, the clubhouse is a great chokepoint to fend off the police, as they can only come in through the ground level doors.