# 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:** 87
**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:** [September 19, 2015, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1721 "2015-09-19T06:24:58Z")
> [@Cygnus42](#): > > 24 hours later…it must be really long. > > Maybe the wolf skipped town instead… Oh, I’m not letting the last furry off the hook that easily. (Ahem) I am Town. I believe you, **Cygnus42** , are also Town\*. Therefore: **Vote Sangfroid** I’m not voting **sangfroid** because he is a relatively low-volume poster; obviously, I have no business dinging anyone for that. I would endorse him [when he says](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18540644&postcount=388) “I tend not to post much until I have something of value to add.” Except his posts typically haven’t. Often, he posted in a way seemingly designed to stir suspicion without allowing himself to be pinned down. [Here’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18560015&postcount=739) a representative sample following Day 1: > [@sangfroid](#): > > There was so much churn and misdirection this cycle about the tie vote potential, self-voting, and so on as well as the typical big heaping pile of last-minute shenanigans that I’m surprised anyone Town can even think straight at the moment. Excellent wolf strategy in my opinion. > > We all know this is a game of information. And disinformation. And misdirection. > > For myself, I am taking a very close look at those who put a whole lot of effort into adding to that big 'ol pile of churn (the recently dearly departed excepted, of course). Note how the post does exactly what it decries: stirring up directionless suspicion, increasing the sense of paranoia without attempting to actually draw any conclusions from what happened. It’s an empty gesture, ostensibly pro-Town while neither committing himself to anything nor helping Town players find a way through the murk. I didn’t produce a vote candidate every time I posted, of course, but I at least tried to [explain where my head was at](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18560086&postcount=740) and why I wasn’t able to pick a candidate, rather than just throw a bunch of confetti in the air. There’s more: > [@sangfroid](#): > > I’m also looking very closely at those who have cavalierly tossed my name out there for essentially no reason at all. Doesn’t get much scummier to me. > [[Link]](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18559716&postcount=732) > [@sangfroid](#): > > All that said, I do have serious reservations about those who have darted me so far, starting with **Dante G**. > > My vote will likely fall to one of them soon enough. > [[Link]](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18565636&postcount=856) > [@sangfroid](#): > > You want some meat from me, eh? Most wolves do. Pretty much everyone who voiced suspicion of **sangfroid** got called scummy — and possibly voted — in return. The shadiness of this, I’m afraid, largely slipped past me in the moment, though that was not the case for [**Thing Fish**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18568601&postcount=880), [**Tex Cat**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18544623&postcount=452), and even [you yourself](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18607666&postcount=1205). When he did finally start pointing a finger, as we all remember, he mostly pointed it at himself. There are almost too many of these to cite, but I think [this was the first](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18599663&postcount=1137). (There are [others](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18607335&postcount=1197).) At first, this struck me as a weird kind of egotism run amok; it takes on a different cast when you look at a couple of other posts. The first was this, made as the case against Alpha Wolf **Sario** mounted on Day 4: > [@sangfroid](#): > > **Sario** did indeed check out of the game starting around 410, and should not be lynched for no other reason than we cannot afford to waste another Day as well as lose another Townsperson just for disengagement. So he’s so willing to die for Town he’s practically hurling himself into the street, and then he turns around to plead for the life of … the eventual Alpha? As [**Biotop**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18615052&postcount=1287) wondered: > [@Biotop](#): > > So why didn’t **Sangfroid** switch his vote to **Sario** thus saving his own skin? Better a mere wolf than an Alpha perhaps? Interesting … reminds me of an [earlier post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18565636&postcount=856) from **sangfroid** : > [@sangfroid](#): > > I am trying, best as I can, to figure out just who the wolves have set up as their sacrificial lamb in the Town conversation, because I really believe there is one. The above post in and of itself would not be particularly suspicious. But join that with the spectacle of this selfsame, ostensibly Town player practically begging to be lynched? Who flings suspicion in the air that often, somehow, doesn’t quite settle on anyone (other than **TexCat** )? I think **sangfroid** knew that no one would take his [“Shoot me now!”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEr0EAcSWcc) routine seriously — at least not at first, not before he had the chance to stir up a good amount of shit. I think he pegged **TexCat** as the Alpha and pursued her so doggedly because he knew who the Alpha really was. And when the tie emerged, I think he was quite happy to take the noose if it saved **Sario** , which it very nearly did — he couldn’t very well vote for himself. I think when you look at my record against **sangfroid’s** , I have played an objectively more pro-Town game. I can defend every post and vote I made, and am happy to do so. You’re a strong player. I think you’ll make the correct call. \*And if you’re the last wolf … well, my hat’s off to you. You deserve to win. ---
**Author:** ![sangfroid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@sangfroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sangfroid)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1722 "2015-09-20T00:42:32Z")
Well done, **Nonsuch** , old chap. But I’m still not the last wolf. So the wheel of the universe spins on, and the fate of all matter in existence comes down to one **Cygnus42**. Mere member of a message board community? Great minds think not. Will our universe (beloved town of Cecilton included of course) continue to expand for countless millennia yet? Or collapse back upon itself in a paroxysm of unimaginable gravitational force, to reemerge, newborn, only this time with a reasonable explanation for all that “missing mass”, and no more wolves to trouble innocent, unsuspecting lifeforms? Only time will tell… _…no pressure, **Cygnus** …_ ---
**Author:** ![Cygnus42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Cygnus42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cygnus42)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1723 "2015-09-20T15:26:48Z")
Ok, time to wrap this game-thing up… **Vote Nonsuch** It’s true that I was certainly suspicious of \*\*sangfroid \*\*early on, as were a couple others. I think **Nonsuch** ’s post above manages to cherry-pick all of the anti-sangfroid sentiment, and put it together nicely. But, I think that after further review, I believe that \*\*Nonsuch \*\*is the remaining wolf. There are more little clues that point to Nonsuch. My look at the voting record above is a good start. Also, the question on why \*\*Sario \*\*voted \*\*sangfroid \*\*instead of a non-wolf, to create a tie. There were 2 non-wolves available in that scrum to pick from. Also, post #1351 - **Johnny B** puts a mild smudge on sangfroid to suggest he’s a wolf, relating to the sangfroid vote. So - I certainly can’t be 100% sure, but I’m feeling confident about this vote. If I"m right, and Nonsuch is the wolf - you’ve played a good wolf game. You avoided suspicion most of the game, and had many people leaning town on you, keeping you out of the spotlight. If I’m wrong, and sangfroid is it…well, good game then. Enjoy the well-deserved win. But, I think the residents of Ceciltown, living and deceased, will be able to celebrate after this Day. ---
**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:** [September 20, 2015, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1724 "2015-09-20T22:41:02Z")
> [@Cygnus42](#): > > On Day 3, we had the Seer result + JSexton surrender claim - so a vote elsewhere wouldn’t have mattered. On Day 6, he broke the tie between two wolves. So, he was stuck voting for a wolf either way. That isn’t true. I’ve stated [before](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18560086&postcount=740) that I have no compunction about voting alone if I think it’s justified; I stayed out of the **Texcat/Septimus** car wreck because I didn’t believe in either case, even though it meant my vote supposedly “didn’t count.” I could have voted again for my pet candidate, **precambrianmollusc** — I was strongly tempted to do so — but I didn’t want to risk a random result with the tie and so chose who I saw as the best of the two candidates, because I thought it was the better decision to help our side. In retrospect, it looks like a choice that would produce the same outcome either way, but it certainly didn’t appear that way to me on the Day. I said on [at least one occasion](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18616541&postcount=1312) that I felt obligated to work out cases against players on my own, rather than too frequently piggyback on what other players did. Some of that was motivated by a desire to offer my perspective, such as it was, to my fellow players; some of that, unfortunately, was stubbornness, like a kid refusing to be helped tying his shoes. Regardless of the reasons, it looks to have been a mistake; I would probably have done Town more good to let others do more of the heavy lifting, to say nothing of ending up with another Wolf vote or two, and thus not be in the position of losing us the game. > [@](#): > > **sangfroid** has 3 wolf kills to his name. The vote on day 5 is significant though (hence the \*) - while the rest of us were incorrectly lynching PlumPudding, he put the last vote on Diggit - while Diggit had a lead over Plum. The Plum bandwagon took off after that, however. Woulda been easy to avoid the wolf vote there and go Plum instead. And woulda been just as easy to change his vote had **Diggit** remained in danger — he had a full (RL) day before the voting Day ended. That’s assuming a plan to bus **Diggit** wasn’t already in play, of course. In any event, your case against me is essentially hinging on this single vote, outweighing everything I’ve pointed out — the lengthy persecution of **TexCat** , the weird efforts to make himself a target while still claiming to be Town, and his generally vague, opaque style of posting. Evidently my game has not been as strong as I thought/hoped it was, if it can’t measure up to that. I’m disappointed. (In myself, not you.) You have half a day to change your mind. I hope you will at least think on your vote some more before **storyteller** ends the last Day. ---
**Author:** ![Cygnus42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Cygnus42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cygnus42)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1725 "2015-09-21T14:22:33Z")
Well, I hear what you’re saying. All I can go by is trying to make sense of the various little clues that popped up along the way. I think that more of them line up against you rather than for you at this point. I also don’t want to drive myself crazy with second-guessing, with just a couple hours to go. So, I’m content to leave my vote where it is. A lot of what’s in \*\*sangfroid’s \*\*favor comes from that \*\*Sario \*\*vote - why would Sario vote for a fellow wolf to create a tie, instead of a townie? After that point, multiple townies pointed out to me that sangfroid is pretty unlikely to be wolf after that. So, if sangfroid is in fact the last wolf…the explanation of that mess should be interesting. As a side note…I wonder if many Mafia games end this way - last few people being low volume posters, who don’t have that much to work with in the end? All three of us have been pretty quiet, so that doesn’t leave much evidence to work with. ---
**Author:** ![Cygnus42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Cygnus42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cygnus42)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1726 "2015-09-21T16:13:34Z")
Well, I guess that’s the end, one way or the other. Now to just wait for the official pronouncement from storyteller… ---
**Author:** ![sangfroid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@sangfroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sangfroid)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1727 "2015-09-21T16:51:56Z")
Well, just a waiting game now. And a big shout-out _Thank You!_ to our host, difficulties and all notwithstanding, and to all our other players, deceased and living. It has been quite a learning experience. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1728 "2015-09-21T20:25:58Z")
**I will end the Day, and the game, in about fifteen minutes.** ---
**Author:** ![Cygnus42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Cygnus42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cygnus42)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1729 "2015-09-21T20:41:11Z")
So nervous… ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1730 "2015-09-21T21:07:50Z")
**FINALE** \*The dusk of the last Day seemed delayed, somehow, as if an unseen force couldn’t possibly allow this one to end on time. It was almost surely the West Windsor Zoning Commission, but no more of that. In the end, it was **Nonsuch** they led to the noose. He went quietly enough, with minimal dramatics and a calm, rational argument. No preacher was offered; nobody was left in town who even sort of fit the bill. **Cygnus** fit the noose and **sangfroid** pulled the lever, and the rest was silence. Well, a dull wet thud, and _then_ silence. Nervously the remaining two watched as the body swung in the breeze. They waited. Waited for the claws, and the hair, and the chaos and violence. They got instead an undisturbed sunset. After several minutes had passed, it became clear: Nonsuch, an ordinary peasant, had been lynched. Instantly **Cygnus** and **sangfroid** turned to one another. Threats were uttered; vile imprecations hurled. Questionable lineage was suggested on both parts. Suddenly, **Cygnus** reached into his jacket and grabbed at the package secreted within. With one fluid motion he tossed it at **sangfroid** , then leaped back as a flurry of leaves struck sangfroid full in the face. ‘HA!,’ shouted **Cygnus** , exultant. ‘Wolfsbane!’ When he had done picking the last bits of leaf from his cheeks and nose, **sangfroid** stared in confusion. ‘What the hell was that?’ ‘Uh. Wolfsbane!’ shouted **Cygnus** again. But with less exultation. ‘I’m not a Wolf,’ replied **sangfroid**. ‘You’re a Wolf.’ ‘Your mother’s a Wolf,’ **Cygnus** shot back, before realizing that didn’t make a lot of sense. ‘But,’ said **sangfroid** , gesturing at the empty gallows, ‘if you’re not a Wolf, and I’m not a Wolf, and **Nonsuch** was not a Wolf…’ ABOUT THAT, said **Nonsuch** , who was a Wolf. The two remaining peasants spun and cowered in terror. DON’T BE AFRAID, **Nonsuch** howled. YOU HAVE DEFEATED US FAIR AND SQUARE. I WILL NOW LEAVE YOUR TOWN IN PEACE, OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE SANCTITY OF OUR GREAT BATTLE. ‘Really?’ asked **sangfroid**. OF COURSE NOT, came the reply. I’M GOING TO EAT BOTH OF YOU. And he lunged. **Cygnus** and **sangfroid** were flung to the ground, the latter near to **septimus’** long-discarded sword. His eyes fell upon it, and a brilliant idea ran through his mind. With initiative he hadn’t known since his youth, he seized on the hilt of the blade… …and used it to pull himself to his feet and run. Toward the end of Town they ran, **Nonsuch** in pursuit, but it was hopeless. The Wolf was faster, and quickly gained ground. Before long they could hear him at their heels, his snarling growing in volume and intensity. Grimly, they closed their eyes and waited for death. Instead there was a thunderous crack, and when they opened their eyes, **Nonsuch** lay on the ground, silent and quite dead. Ahead of them stood a strange figure – a man, tall and thin, in strange blue denim pants and a patterned shirt. In his right hand was a rifle, of sorts, but larger and heavier. And in his left… well, the Savior of Ceciltown had no left hand – just a strange mechanical saw fastened where the hand should have been. ‘Who are you?” the Survivors asked their rescuer.\* But that, of course, is another story. * * * **Nonsuch** , a Wolf, has been lynched. TOWN WINS!!! Thanks to everyone for the game, and for your patience with my sometimes odd circumstances. I hope everyone had a good time, and I look forward to doing this again when life is less insane! ---
**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:** [September 21, 2015, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1731 "2015-09-21T21:11:59Z")
A death worthy of an Italian opera. Thank you, **storyteller** and all my fellow players. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1732 "2015-09-21T21:12:59Z")
Am I reading this right that you have another Evil Dead game planned? ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1733 "2015-09-21T21:13:22Z")
Woooooooooooottttttttttttt wooooooooooottttttttt ---
**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:** [September 21, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1734 "2015-09-21T21:15:29Z")
Does this mean I can stop refreshing every three minutes? Go Town! ---
**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:** [September 21, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1735 "2015-09-21T21:16:30Z")
Well done, Cygnus! ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1736 "2015-09-21T21:18:20Z")
Nice going and well played nonsuch, if you look over at the forbidden thread you will see it it wasn’t certain ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1737 "2015-09-21T21:20:35Z")
Go town! Great game everyone. ---
**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:** [September 21, 2015, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1738 "2015-09-21T21:21:54Z")
Wow!! Whoooo Hooooo !!! ---
**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:** [September 21, 2015, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1739 "2015-09-21T21:27:13Z")
Here’s to \*\*Cygnus42 \*\*! Slayer of Wolves— ! He correctly voted for all five! ---
**Author:** ![TexCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/texcat/32/9041_2.png) [@TexCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TexCat)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1740 "2015-09-21T21:28:10Z")
Yay! Well done, townies! And good game, wolves. It’s been a while since we’ve had a game so close that it came down to the last minute like this. **Any chance of seeing the wolf board?** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099.md?page=86) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099.md?page=88)