A mob war is a time when two or more rival families begin open warfare with one another, destroying each others businesses and assasinating family members. Mob wars are generally disastrous for all concerned, and can lead to the rise or fall of a family. The Five Families of New York go to great lengths to avoid a war, as not only do the families lose considerable money and valuable men, gangland killings also cause public outrage and can trigger mass crackdowns from authorities like the FBI.