# Mafia REUNION observation and comments ie the FORBIDDEN THREAD **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [January 6, 2017, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439 "2017-01-06T02:30:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/361 "2017-03-22T21:23:41Z")
Reading toDay’s action, I’m kinda glad I got killed. This usually the point in the game when the pressure is on and I choke. And both sides seem to be playing very very well. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/362 "2017-03-22T23:19:17Z")
I’m guessing Bravo’s Town, Biotop and TexCat are Mafia, and I couldn’t say about anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/363 "2017-03-23T19:51:20Z")
Hi. I’m back. At least this time I was dead before I had to travel for an extended time. And none of the old gang were Town in this game. Zeriel went all wolfy. Cookies was a bit murdery. And I found a nifty cult. And storyteller was sort of here, but not here. Eh, he died early in that game anyway. > [@NAF1138](#): > > I would change the switch mechanism and how it worked. I would adjust some of the third party stuff too. And I would add in another killing role. I would also account for the fact that having the scum team split is inherently more pro town than anticipated so I would probably add one scum player to each team. The switch mechanism ‘bothered’ me mainly from the fact that it was generally unnecessary. I don’t think the switches offered any balance mechanism and ultimately the switches tossed in a probability that certain actions wouldn’t happen. My personal point of view is to avoid unnecessary randomness in the game. Switches are slightly better than flipping a coin, but not by much. It would be sad if the game ended up hinged on whether or not someone (basically randomly) decided to flip/or not to flip. I was surprised at the lack of killing roles. I expected multiple serial killers just to thin out what was a very large and unwieldy game. Furthermore, putting Batman and the SK on switches may have (or had the potential) to limit deaths. And I was completely wrong about who I suspected to be fellow cultists. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/364 "2017-03-23T23:15:32Z")
My philosophy on the switches when playing was this: don’t bother worrying about them. My power didn’t include them. Mod PMs and the rules provided no clarifying information. So since I wasn’t in control of one and I had no reliable way of obtaining any information on them, it’s best to just ignore them. If something about the switch ended up screwing me over, well, that sucks, but there probably wasn’t anything I could have done about it. So spending time trying to figure out what they did was a fool’s errand. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/365 "2017-03-24T03:15:46Z")
Personally, I would use [random.org](http://random.org) to handle switching or not same as I would in any other info-free prisoner’s dilemma. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/366 "2017-03-27T03:50:42Z")
Last call for my totally awesome, fast-paced Lovers game on Giraffe. [Lovers of Elysia Mafia -- Rules and Sign-Ups - The Giraffe Boards](http://www.giraffeboards.com/showthread.php?t=43460) Sign-ups close in about 24 hours. ---
**Author:** ![HookerChemical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@HookerChemical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HookerChemical)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/367 "2017-03-27T19:17:33Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > My philosophy on the switches when playing was this: don’t bother worrying about them. > > My power didn’t include them. Mod PMs and the rules provided no clarifying information. So since I wasn’t in control of one and I had no reliable way of obtaining any information on them, it’s best to just ignore them. If something about the switch ended up screwing me over, well, that sucks, but there probably wasn’t anything I could have done about it. So spending time trying to figure out what they did was a fool’s errand. I was more or less in the same boat, not having a switch or power. I think there’s some potential for scum to get an advantage from switches from killing claimants when they control the counter switch. I think the switch operation needs to be clarified a little bit. It seems that most of the discussion wasn’t about how to get information from switch claims or kill reveals, but as to how the things worked. Maybe something like this would be clearer: > [@proposed switch wording](#): > > You have a switched labeled [role]. Each night, you can flip the switch. If one switch labeled [role] is flipped toNight, [role] will not have a power starting with this Night and through the next Day. If zero or two [role] switches are flipped, [role] will function as normally. This may not be exactly how the switches work, but it’s my best interpretation of their application. ---
**Author:** ![MHaye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@MHaye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHaye)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/368 "2017-03-27T19:41:53Z")
Well that was fun, if a bit weird. I stopped playingn because of fatigue; in particular really fouled up the last game I played in. Rubbing elbows with long-lost associates was nice, even if I didn’t do anything to get Hockey Monkey for outing me in Conspiracy I. What? Of course I store up grudges. I wait until we’re enemies again, _then_ I pay them back. I really was flummoxed by the triple Patsy claim. Complete nuts. It’s as ballsy as NAF and I claiming Masons one game. Peeker never trusted me again. Ah, memories. I’ll take spoilers please. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/369 "2017-03-28T04:09:28Z")
This is a really exciting endgame! Well done, players and mods. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/370 "2017-03-28T21:13:30Z")
Well, my vote analysis system is viewing all of the six unknowns as essentially equal at this point, except for Johnny Bravo, who it views as highly likely to be scum. The reason for this is that _if Bravo isn’t Mafia, then **none** of the 16 players who voted for **brewha** on Day Two were Mafia_. This seems highly unlikely. Unless maybe the Mafia decided that it wasn’t in their interests to take out the Town holder of the Batman switch, which logic I don’t really see. Other than that, Bravo just seems to have been super townie these last few days. I can’t find holes in any of his arguments. And Biotop’s posts last night definitely felt like frantic scum Biotop. So in conclusion, I dunno. Today I would probably want to lynch Hawkeye (as per Bravo’s argument) and put off the tough decisions another Day. But if Hawkeye flips scum, I wouldn’t consider it a strong argument for Bravo being Town at this point; conceivably the whole Patsygate plan was set up with the intent that Bravo would unravel it and rake in massive town cred. Considering how much Bravo has been leading Town lately, if LyLo arrives and he isn’t dead or under a lot of suspicion, I would likely bet on him to be scum. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/371 "2017-03-29T00:35:16Z")
But then again…looking at Day Ten vote records, which was really the only Day all game when a Mafia came fairly close to being lynched without actually being lynched (I don’t think Day Eleven votes are useful, because the Mafia clearly decided to bus TexCat either early in the Day or, more likely, during the Night): When Zeriel led the vote 6-2, hawkeyeop and raventhief voted TexCat in consecutive posts to make it 6-4 and keep the issue somewhat in doubt. That doesn’t seem like a decision Mafia would make at that point. Plumpudding was the very first vote on TexCat, which counts for something but could more plausibly be a distancing vote. Both Bravo and Biotop voted for Zeriel on Day Ten, but then voted TexCat very early on Day Eleven, consistent with what we’d expect from bussing Mafia. Combined with my earlier suspicions of Scathach for not leaving an interpretable vote record, this now has me thinking that Scathach is the false Patsy and the remaining Mafia is either Biotop or Bravo. ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/372 "2017-03-29T04:03:29Z")
To beat a dead feline, I just want to say for the record again re: Texcat: Totally called it! ---
**Author:** ![Koldanar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@Koldanar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koldanar)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/373 "2017-03-29T23:38:24Z")
Dagnabbit! They weren’t bluffing, those vengeful scum. Now, is bio or Johnny the scum. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/374 "2017-03-29T23:40:09Z")
> [@Koldanar](#): > > Dagnabbit! They weren’t bluffing, those vengeful scum. Now, is bio or Johnny the scum. Welcome to the lost souls! Have a beer! Now go focus on Pleo’s game! ---
**Author:** ![MHaye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@MHaye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHaye)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/375 "2017-03-29T23:56:36Z")
Well dang. And… Spoilers please? ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/376 "2017-03-29T23:56:59Z")
> [@Koldanar](#): > > Dagnabbit! They weren’t bluffing, those vengeful scum. Now, is bio or Johnny the scum. Did you really think they were bluffing? ---
**Author:** ![Koldanar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@Koldanar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koldanar)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/377 "2017-03-30T00:00:42Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Did you really think they were bluffing? I wasn’t sure. I didn’t want to go with their blackmaiL either though. If I have been playing a selfish game, who knows. Can I get spoilers please? ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/378 "2017-03-30T00:21:14Z")
Sure can. I was wondering how you would react to the blackmail ploy. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/379 "2017-03-30T00:31:18Z")
You played well **Koldanar.** You died with honor. I’m glad we kept you alive. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439/380 "2017-03-30T03:10:59Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > When Zeriel led the vote 6-2, hawkeyeop and raventhief voted TexCat in consecutive posts to make it 6-4 and keep the issue somewhat in doubt. That doesn’t seem like a decision Mafia would make at that point. Plumpudding was the very first vote on TexCat, which counts for something but could more plausibly be a distancing vote. > Combined with my earlier suspicions of Scathach for not leaving an interpretable vote record, this now has me thinking that Scathach is the false Patsy and the remaining Mafia is either Biotop or Bravo. Oh my God! I got something right! All it took was for me to have died over two months ago! Thinking about it, Bravo has done way too much analysis to have overlooked the fairly straightforward vote analysis in that first paragraph. I think he is the last Mafia. I can’t take it anymore…please spoil me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-observation-and-comments-ie-the-forbidden-thread/776439.md?page=20)