- Mafia III Lincoln Clay drives the entire revenge campaign against Sal Marcano's empire.
- Three underbosses — Cassandra, Burke, and Vito — provide services shaped by district assignments.
- Balanced territory distribution preserves loyalty and unlocks the most ending options.
- Wiretaps and informants reveal enemies, collectibles, and racket objectives before every fight.
- There are no cheat codes — power comes from progression, upgrades, and underboss support.
Who Is Lincoln Clay in Mafia III?
Mafia III Lincoln Clay is a Vietnam War veteran who returns to the fictional city of New Bordeaux in 1968. After a brutal betrayal at Sammy's bar orchestrated by Sal Marcano's organization, Lincoln survives, rebuilds, and wages a district-by-district war against the Italian mob. His story transforms from a personal revenge mission into a full takeover of the city's criminal empire.
Video Highlights:
- Introduces Lincoln Clay, New Bordeaux, and the revenge storyline
- Showcases the open-world structure and 1968 setting
- Official launch trailer from the verified Mafia Game channel
| Story Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Setting | New Bordeaux, 1968 |
| Protagonist | Lincoln Clay, Vietnam veteran |
| Antagonist | Sal Marcano and the Marcano family |
| Core allies | Father James, John Donovan, Sammy Robinson |
| Underbosses | Cassandra, Thomas Burke, Vito Scaletta |
| Theme | Revenge, race, and organized crime in 1960s America |
The opening chapters are linear and focused on survival. Use them to master cover shooting, takedowns, and stealth before the campaign opens into district management.
Campaign Walkthrough: Lincoln's Rise
The campaign moves through six major phases, from the prologue betrayal to the final confrontation with Sal Marcano. Each phase shifts the gameplay emphasis — early chapters teach combat, mid-game builds your empire, and the finale demands your strongest loadouts.
Prologue: Return to New Bordeaux
Play through "Before They Bury You," "A Taste of the Action," and "The Home Fires Burn." Learn cover shooting, takedowns, and weapon switching. The betrayal at Sammy's bar establishes Lincoln's revenge motive.
Build the Revenge Operation
Work with John Donovan and Father James to map the Marcano network. Prioritize missions introducing informants, wiretaps, and racket investigations — these systems power everything that follows.
Recruit the Three Underbosses
Recruit Cassandra in Delray Hollow, Thomas Burke from the Irish mob, and Vito Scaletta in River Row. Complete each recruitment chain before expanding aggressively so all support services unlock.
Take Over District Rackets
Investigate rackets across nine districts, destroy revenue sources, and defeat each racket boss. Complete optional sabotage objectives before the boss fight to maximize takeover value.
Eliminate the Marcano Lieutenants
Remove targets like Ritchie Doucet, Olivia Marcano, and Frank Pagani. Balance district expansion so all three underbosses keep earning income and stay loyal.
Finish the Marcano War
Assault Sal Marcano's casino, confront Sal, and make the final decision that determines how Lincoln's story ends.
| Phase | Chapters / Targets | Key Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Prologue | Before They Bury You | Survive the betrayal |
| Build the operation | Somethin' I've Got to Do | Identify the Marcano network |
| Recruitment | The New Boss | Recruit all three underbosses |
| District takeovers | 9 districts | Sabotage rackets, assign territory |
| Lieutenant war | 8 named targets | Expose and eliminate lieutenants |
| Finale | Kill Sal Marcano | Make the ending decision |
Some collectibles and optional racket objectives are easy to bypass during main missions. Sweep interiors and side rooms before leaving a cleared racket site.
Underboss Management and District Strategy
Lincoln's empire runs on three lieutenants, and how you distribute territory shapes perks, income, dialogue, and even the endgame. Treat districts as a three-way business rather than a reward pile for a favorite.
Cassandra
- Haitian mob leader
- Weapons and arms delivery
- Communication disruption support
Thomas Burke
- Irish mob leader
- Vehicle delivery and upgrades
- Explosives and vehicle combat support
Vito Scaletta
- Southside Union leader
- Cash and income support
- Reinforcements and Consigliere backup
| Strategy | Approach | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Balanced distribution | Rotate assignments, keep earns close | First playthroughs, full perk access |
| Specialist-focused | Stack districts on one underboss | Matching a specific playstyle |
| Loyalty-focused | Complete personal missions for all three | Preserving ending options |
Repeatedly starving an underboss of territory breeds resentment and can trigger betrayal, locking you out of services and closing off ending paths.
Best Weapons and Vehicles for Lincoln Clay
Choose tools by engagement type: silenced pistols for infiltration, shotguns for interiors, and rifles for long sightlines. Vehicles matter just as much — durability often beats raw speed when approaching a fortified racket.
| Tier | Gear | Best For | Upgrade Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Silenced Pistol | Quiet eliminations, recon | Magazine, reload speed |
| S | Shotgun | Close-range ambushes, interiors | Reload speed, capacity |
| A | Submachine Gun | Moving firefights, suppression | Recoil control, ammo capacity |
| A | Rifle / Sniper | Rooftop guards, long sightlines | Accuracy, optics |
| A | Explosives | Sabotage objectives, vehicles | Carrying capacity |
| B | Muscle Cars | Fast escapes, roadblocks | Acceleration, handling |
| B | Sedans / Utility | Urban firefights, durability | Braking, resistance |
Call Cassandra, Burke, or Vito through the weapon and vehicle wheels before difficult missions — restocking and vehicle delivery turn hard fights into manageable ones.
Endings and Completion Checklist
The ending is decided by more than the final confrontation. District assignments, underboss loyalty, and Lincoln's last choice all shape the closing scenes: leaving New Bordeaux, ruling with the surviving underbosses, or ruling alone.
Campaign Milestones:
- Recruit Cassandra, Burke, and Vito
- Complete optional racket objectives before boss fights
- Keep district earns balanced across all three underbosses
- Finish underboss personal loyalty missions
- Make a manual save before the final decision
- Sweep each district for magazines, albums, paintings, and posters
Buy survivability and ammunition upgrades before the final Marcano stronghold. Keep one reliable close-range weapon and one accurate firearm for rooftop and hallway fights.
FAQ
Q: Who is Lincoln Clay in Mafia III?
Lincoln Clay is a mixed-race Vietnam War veteran and the protagonist of Mafia III. After Sal Marcano's organization betrays and nearly kills him in 1968 New Bordeaux, he builds a crew with Cassandra, Burke, and Vito Scaletta to dismantle the Marcano empire district by district.
Q: Does Mafia III have cheat codes for money or weapons?
No. Mafia III has no built-in cheat console or button-code menu. Weapons, vehicles, money, and upgrades come from normal progression: complete racket objectives, assign districts to underbosses, collect income, and purchase upgrades that match your combat style.
Q: How do district assignments affect the ending?
Assignments control underboss income and loyalty. Consistently ignoring an underboss can create resentment and betrayal, while balanced distribution preserves services and keeps the most ending options open. Lincoln's final decision then determines whether he leaves New Bordeaux, rules with the underbosses, or rules alone.
Q: Which underboss should I give districts to?
For a first playthrough, rotate assignments so Cassandra, Burke, and Vito earn roughly equal income. This unlocks the widest range of services — weapons from Cassandra, vehicles from Burke, and cash and backup support from Vito — while minimizing loyalty risk.