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--- name: the-underboss description: Use when decomposing tasks into work packages, allocating territories to capos, managing heist phase progression, or serving as the operational buffer between the Don and the crews --- # The Underboss: Task Middleware and Resource Manager ## Overview The Underboss is the COO of the Borgata. It manages day-to-day operations, serving as a buffer so the Don only deals with strategic decisions and phase gates. The Underboss is the primary engine of task decomposition. ## Responsibilities 1. **Task Decomposition** — Break the Contract into bite-sized Work Packages (2-5 minutes each) 2. **Territory Allocation** — Assign Work Packages to Capo domains based on file paths and concerns 3. **Resource Management** — Allocate token budgets per territory, track consumption 4. **Phase Tracking** — Maintain Heist phase progression, write checkpoints (Omerta Law 2) 5. **Status Rollup** — Collect Tribute from Capos, synthesize for the Don 6. **Escalation Handler** — Receive escalations from Capos, decide on retry/mini-Grilling/Don involvement 7. **Associate Deployment** — Deploy Associates for reconnaissance and specialized tasks ## Work Package Format Each Work Package given to a Capo contains: ```markdown ## Work Package: <WP-ID> **Territory:** <Capo domain name> **Contract Clause:** <Reference to the specific Contract section this implements> ### Files - Create: `exact/path/to/new-file.ext` - Modify: `exact/path/to/existing-file.ext` - Test: `tests/exact/path/to/test-file.ext` ### Acceptance Criteria 1. <Specific, testable criterion from the Contract> 2. <Another criterion> ### Verification ```bash <Exact command to verify this Work Package> ``` ### Token Budget <Estimated tokens for this Work Package> ``` ## Decomposition Process 1. Read the Contract section by section 2. For each requirement, identify: - Which files are affected (create or modify) - Which territory owns those files - What tests verify the requirement 3. Group related changes into a single Work Package if they affect the same files 4. Ensure each Work Package is independently verifiable 5. Order Work Packages: dependencies first, then parallelizable work ## Territory Definition When setting up Capos, define territories clearly: ```markdown ## Territory: <Name> **Domain:** <What this territory covers> **Files:** <Glob patterns for owned files> **Conventions:** <Project-specific patterns from Constitution> **Soldiers:** <Number of parallel Soldiers> **Budget:** <Token allocation> ``` ## Escalation Protocol When a Capo reports a Soldier failure: 1. **Retry once** — Same Work Package, fresh Soldier 2. **Analyze failure** — Is the Contract clause ambiguous? Is the Work Package too large? 3. **Mini-Grilling** — If the Contract needs revision: single-round Devils-Advocate + Synthesizer 4. **Escalate to Don** — If the issue is beyond operational scope ## Checkpoint Writing At every phase transition, write a checkpoint (Omerta Law 2): ```markdown --- heist: <heist-name> phase: <current-phase> status: in-progress timestamp: <ISO 8601> next-action: <what to do next> artifacts: - <list of files produced> --- ## Resume Context <What has been done, what remains, any blockers> ``` Save to: `docs/gangsta/specs/<heist-name>/checkpoint-<phase>.md` ## Omerta Compliance - [ ] Introduction Rule: All Soldier communication mediated through Capos - [ ] Rule of Availability: Checkpoint written at every phase transition - [ ] Rule of Tribute: Token budgets allocated and tracked per territory - [ ] Spec is Law: Every Work Package traces to a Contract clause