# MAFIA: The Game - Ideal for Beginners \[Game in Progress\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 14, 2015, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099 "2015-07-14T00:45:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![DiggitCamara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@DiggitCamara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiggitCamara)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/201 "2015-07-20T15:26:10Z")
> [@Dante\_G](#): > > As of this moment, I don’t really. I’m sure you are looking for me to answer just so you can see what kind of player I am and get an early feel for me, but rest assured, I am not trying to tip my hand in favor of any side just yet. I shall wait until the true Day 1 phase starts to start playing strategy. I have to say that this is one of the scummiest posts I have ever seen. In particular > [@](#): > > I am not trying to tip my hand in favor of any side just yet. This is a very black and white kind of game. Most of us are townies. We want Town to win. Are you with Town or against it? ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/202 "2015-07-20T15:27:36Z")
Yup. Weird thing to say. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/203 "2015-07-20T15:35:18Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > I’ll go ahead and tip my hand even in these earliest of days - I would like the Town to win. Me too, fellow Townsperson! It certainly is a nice day for us, two perfectly normal townspeople, to be walking around on two legs and eating peanut butter sandwiches, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/204 "2015-07-20T15:38:03Z")
I feel good about this day in the way that a Townsperson would feel! ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/205 "2015-07-20T15:54:49Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > I feel good about this day in the way that a Townsperson would feel! Just so long as you don’t tip your hand. ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/206 "2015-07-20T16:06:05Z")
> [@DiggitCamara](#): > > I have to say that this is one of the scummiest posts I have ever seen. In particular > > This is a very black and white kind of game. Most of us are townies. We want Town to win. Are you with Town or against it? Well obviously I want Town to win the game, but you have to think - everyone in the game is going to answer as such. So me saying it does not hold anymore credibility than my previous statement of neutrality. I can see where you would consider it somewhat scummy to say what I said, but this early in the game, no one player is any more believable than another. ---
**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:** [July 20, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/207 "2015-07-20T16:09:02Z")
Heck, I’m not just Townie, I’m vanilla Townie. And a newbie. Are newbies usually vanilla Townies? I would guess so. That would put the eye of suspicion on more experienced players, or they could be Masons. Or vanilla Townies. Another hot day, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/208 "2015-07-20T16:25:25Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Heck, I’m not just Townie, I’m vanilla Townie. And a newbie. Are newbies usually vanilla Townies? I would guess so. I believe the roles are assigned randomly. Anyway, for what little it may be worth, I will state for the record that I’m a townie. Coincidentally, I was beginning to look like a werewolf in real life the past couple of weeks. I shaved off my hair and beard this weekend, so now I am as smooth as Yul Brynner. I prefer the all-over stubble look (when I can convince myself that I look like Jason Statham), but it’s a pain to keep it that length. My wife says I look 10 years younger without the beard. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/209 "2015-07-20T17:09:03Z")
**DAY ONE** \*Everything was fine, they had been assured. Everything was perfectly under control, all the inexplicable disappearances were entirely explicable. The Town Council – veterans all of the Troubles, **ShadowFacts** and **sachertorte** and **USCDiver** and **Inner Stickler,** and the head councilor **NAF** – had been very clear on this point. The citizens of Ceciltown thus gathered in the Public House for a meeting with the Council with curiosity, but no great concern; there were no Werewolves. Mrs. Wallace had simply gone to visit her sister. Along with 37 sheep, 2 cows, and the farmer’s guard dog. No Werewolves. On the crude stage in the Public House was a large shape, covered with a tarp. No doubt a weapon to battle the Werewolves, prepared cleverly by the clever folks on the Council. A needless weapon, surely, since there were no Werewolves, but a welcome one nonetheless. And so they milled around the foot of the stage, talking amongst themselves and waiting for the Council to appear. Sometime around noon it finally occurred to them that perhaps the Council was not coming. Some enterprising soul – it might have been the miller, he’s never been the brightest of candles, if you catch my meaning – finally climbed on the stage to investigate the tarp. As it turned out, the Council had been there all along. The five bodies were arranged in a sort of strange modern art sculpture. Atop them was a note. In a rough scrawl, the note read: IT WAS US. And then, below, in parentheses: (THE WEREWOLVES) And below that, in smaller print: (P.S. THERE ARE WEREWOLVES). Panic set in, but gradually.\* * * * \*\*Day One begins here, and will end at noon o’clock Eastern time on Monday, July 27. Whichever player has the most votes at that time will be lynched, with ties resolving as previously described in the rules. Voting may commence as of this moment. Also as of this moment, the Wolves must cease any strategic discussion at their off-board location (non-strategic discussion, recipe swaps, and the like are still permitted). Good luck!\*\* ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/210 "2015-07-20T17:18:30Z")
Panic!!! ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/211 "2015-07-20T17:38:30Z")
I’m not sure how I feel. Wait a minute. Wait a minute… I feel panic!! > [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Heck, I’m not just Townie, I’m vanilla Townie. And a newbie. Are newbies usually vanilla Townies? I would guess so. That would put the eye of suspicion on more experienced players, or they could be Masons. Or vanilla Townies. > > Another hot day, eh? Just a sort of general note of caution - I think it’s usually a little bit better for Town to keep specific role information (i.e. whether one is vanilla or not) as vague as possible until there’s reason to do otherwise. This is because you’re either telling the truth, in which case the wolves have a little piece of information they wouldn’t already have and can make inferences based on it, which is bad for Town, or you’re not telling the truth, in which case Town players might also be misled along with the wolves, which could be bad for Town. **Dante G** : > [@](#): > > Well obviously I want Town to win the game, but you have to think - everyone in the game is going to answer as such. So me saying it does not hold anymore credibility than my previous statement of neutrality. Credibility’s up to the rest of us to decide, though, right? I mean if I say “I am a werewolf and I’m going to kill you\*” you still have to decide whether or not you believe me. The question is more about _why_ on earth would I say that if I was Town. So. If a player, speaking hypothetically, was Town, what good reason would he have to say > [@](#): > > rest assured, I am not trying to tip my hand in favor of any side just yet. ? \*I am not saying this. I am not a werewolf. I love peanut butter but not human individuals. Wait, no, I mean, I do love humans! Just not, like… god damn it! ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/212 "2015-07-20T18:04:33Z")
> [@Plumpudding](#): > > I was trying to say that _if_ scum would try to last minute vote, _we_ get information, and a lot at that. That information is worth a lot more that our first mason. Anyone changing their vote last minute, **without** a proper reason is painting a red target on their ass. This creates a lot of opportunities to catch scummy behaviour, and if anyone slips I’ll be on their ass like a mudslide. The last thing scum want, it seems to me is attention. Switching at the last minute is going to cause attention. Thing is, whether you consider the tie-breaking rule “proper” Mafia or not is irrelevant. This is the game we are in and as good townspeople we need to use it to our best advantage. We potentially have a new way to discover the Alpha if we use it. Consider what happens if the second mason is voting one side in a tie, and the Alpha on the other. The mason will know that one of the opposites in the tie is the Alpha! The same goes for a tie when the Alpha is not involved. When the mason’s side wins, he/she will know for certainty that the other side DOES NOT include Alpha. As the game progresses this information will be able to be used by more townspeople as roles are revealed. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/213 "2015-07-20T18:05:17Z")
> [@storyteller0910](#): > > **Also as of this moment, the Wolves must cease any strategic discussion at their off-board location (non-strategic discussion, recipe swaps, and the like are still permitted).** Damn wolf scum … WHAT RECIPES ARE THEY EXCHANGING!!! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/214 "2015-07-20T18:05:42Z")
> [@Dante\_G](#): > > As of this moment, I don’t really. I’m sure you are looking for me to answer just so you can see what kind of player I am and get an early feel for me, but rest assured, I am not trying to tip my hand in favor of any side just yet. I shall wait until the true Day 1 phase starts to start playing strategy. \*\*Vote Dante G \*\* Not trying to tip my hand in favor any side just yet? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/215 "2015-07-20T18:14:58Z")
And that’s just one example. We can help uncover wolves and their Alpha using the tie. We may lose a mason or two, but if the wolves or even the townspeople kill masons after a tie, it will still give more info to the town than the wolves. I will even argue that a tie in the very first round while all masons are still alive could even be the best strategy. ---
**Author:** ![DiggitCamara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@DiggitCamara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiggitCamara)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/216 "2015-07-20T18:27:15Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Vote Dante G > > Not trying to tip my hand in favor any side just yet? Dammit. **I** wanted to cast the vote for him, _first_. (For the same reason, by the way) \*\*Vote Dante G \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/217 "2015-07-20T18:43:23Z")
Wow! I feel so special. I will Vote Sangfroid. I have no reason at this point to suspect him, but I figure if nothing else, it will incite chatter amongst the players. ---
**Author:** ![Sario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sario/32/18580_2.png) [@Sario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sario)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/218 "2015-07-20T18:46:03Z")
**Story** are we using this thread or are you going to make a Day One thread? ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/219 "2015-07-20T18:57:22Z")
So **Dante G** breaks out of the pack as the first scum lynch frontrunner. His post was such a tell that I can’t help thinking he’s probably town —if scum gave themselves away that quick, this game would be pretty short. Sitting on my vote for now. ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/220 "2015-07-20T19:01:01Z")
> [@Nonsuch](#): > > So **Dante G** breaks out of the pack as the first scum lynch frontrunner. His post was such a tell that\*\* I can’t help thinking he’s probably town \*\*—if scum gave themselves away that quick, this game would be pretty short. > > Sitting on my vote for now. You would be right in that thinking, sir. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099.md?page=12)