# Simpletown Mafia the Third **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [February 10, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735 "2016-02-10T18:28:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**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 3, 2016, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/321 "2016-03-03T22:21:28Z")
> [@TexCat](#): > > Yay! And good game, scum. I thought we were lucky to get SNF, and I’d have been voting Kimble and not Biotop toDay. > > Interesting that scum couldn’t talk. So on N1, Biotop investigated the same person that SNF killed. Did yall try to leave hints in thread about what you were going to do at night? > > Thanks for game Sacher! I really had no idea what I was doing. So if Biotop WAS leaving me hints, I totally missed them. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2016, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/322 "2016-03-03T22:21:41Z")
Very nice game! Thanks to **Sachertorte** , and to both Scum and Town. > [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > Well played, scum. Especially you, Biotop. You’re really good at sincerity. At the end I was 90% convinced that we were lynching town, but that it would be okay because there was only one scum remaining. I also had misgivings, and almost wanted to write an apology to Biotop, but I did have Town leans on everyone else. (Among other players, septimus was by far most suspicious. :eek: ) If somehow Biotop was not Scum, or there was a 3rd Scum, I knew I was headed for MisLynch Day 4, but felt saying anything would just make it worse. :smack: ---
**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:** [March 3, 2016, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/323 "2016-03-03T23:54:28Z")
Good play Town. Especially \*\*JB \*\*for his early insight and \*\*septimus \*\*for figuring out what was going on. I almost got septimus lynched on Day 2! So close. Sigh. Anyway, not being able to coordinate was murderous because I couldn’t talk to SNF about how we should respond to Day 1. I do want to note that I did not lie about picking Mahaloth for lynch because I did not. I had no say in it. I would have probably lynched JB first night and tried to talk my way out of that. I think Mahaloth is fun to have around. I also want to say SNF is not to blame for our demise much as I jumped on his play and mischaracterized it. We could not communicate, so he had no way of knowing I was trying to get him to vote for me. I should have responded better to the early accusations, but I was floored that the one about killing Mahaloth was the one catching on…and the one accusation that was not true. Sigh again. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2016, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/324 "2016-03-04T00:20:13Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > I really had no idea what I was doing. So if Biotop WAS leaving me hints, I totally missed them. I felt that such communication would be useless. If I had actually investigated something worthwhile, then maybe I would have tried. However, the Town Detective might have been useful to have around with only two Scum but one who would give a false read. Otherwise, any attempt to communicate with SNF would probably have just come back to bite me. SNF, I so wanted just one night to communicate freely so we could have had a chance to establish a plan of play. I feel like Scum nights are very important in setting up the next day and was surprised in an earlier game when \*\*Chronos \*\*said Scum rarely plot and scheme on their boards. Seems a big opportunity to waste and one I certainly missed having this game. ---
**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 4, 2016, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/325 "2016-03-04T00:28:53Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > I felt that such communication would be useless. If I had actually investigated something worthwhile, then maybe I would have tried. However, the Town Detective might have been useful to have around with only two Scum but one who would give a false read. > > Otherwise, any attempt to communicate with SNF would probably have just come back to bite me. > > SNF, I so wanted just one night to communicate freely so we could have had a chance to establish a plan of play. I feel like Scum nights are very important in setting up the next day and was surprised in an earlier game when \*\*Chronos \*\*said Scum rarely plot and scheme on their boards. Seems a big opportunity to waste and one I certainly missed having this game. I agree. One night would have been great. Like a night 0 chat. Especially for my first scumming. Even if there was no other night talk afterwards. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2016, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/326 "2016-03-04T00:36:30Z")
I agree with Sachertorte that scum rarely plot and scheme as much as the townies think they do. I have very recently started wondering if there is a correlation between scum winning and the length of the scum chat. I think chattier scum win more, and wish someone would actually do the stats. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/327 "2016-03-04T00:40:57Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > I should have responded better to the early accusations, but I was floored that the one about killing Mahaloth was the one catching on…and the one accusation that was not true. Sigh again. To be fair, you **did** investigate Mahaloth on night one! I was at least right that you targeted him! ---
**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:** [March 4, 2016, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/328 "2016-03-04T00:56:16Z")
True. But I would not kill him early unless I found a power role. Mahaloth is inscrutable and thus good to have around for Scum who know alignment. Everyone will always be suspicious of him. Plus he says “boo!” ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/329 "2016-03-04T01:25:29Z")
Great game. Thanks, **sachertorte** , for hosting. I really was quiet at first because I was overwhelmed and then in the middle because I had nothing of value to contribute. I did try to hint to you, **Precambrianmollusc** , that I knew you were town. This was both much easier and much harder than the other style I’ve played. Usually there are twice as many people, and at least two mafias and one rogue. Most people have secret powers and there is no vote changing, and it’s a faster schedule (two-day days, one-day nights). So it moves faster, but with so many people it also moves slower. Especially with resurrections and saves. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2016, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/330 "2016-03-04T01:27:32Z")
Woohoo . Not seen a no night communication set up before. I was kind of worried that if we did have some power such as a doc that would get balanced by scum being able to talk day and night. ---
**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 4, 2016, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/331 "2016-03-04T01:30:21Z")
> [@Kimble](#): > > How common is it for moderators to only give alignment on flips? Not common. If you had lynched Biotop before snfaulkner you would have learned that he was an Assassin Detecting. If Fair Rarity had died, you would have learned she was a Detective. The only ‘role’ I suppressed was snfaulker’s which was deliberate to dilute the power of the detective. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2016, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/332 "2016-03-04T01:31:57Z")
> [@Fair\_Rarity](#): > > Great game. Thanks, **sachertorte** , for hosting. > > I really was quiet at first because I was overwhelmed and then in the middle because I had nothing of value to contribute. I did try to hint to you, **Precambrianmollusc** , that I knew you were town. That can be dangerous, I or other town could have interpreted that as you knowing I was town because you were scum, and scum picking up on it and night killing you. Good grief indeed bio 😉 ---
**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 4, 2016, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/333 "2016-03-04T01:42:39Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > SNF, I so wanted just one night to communicate freely so we could have had a chance to establish a plan of play. I feel like Scum nights are very important in setting up the next day and was surprised in an earlier game when \*\*Chronos \*\*said Scum rarely plot and scheme on their boards. Seems a big opportunity to waste and one I certainly missed having this game. Interesting. I’m with Chronos. Scum Talk is usually super boring. There might be some insight posted about who is a Town Power role, but I’ve never seen a coordinated effort to plan the next day. I honestly thought not letting you talk wasn’t a big deal. Oops. The truth is, it is quite hard to plan the next day, which is probably why most players don’t do it. Very rarely can scum talk during the Day because it would be too useful. Talking at Night is of limited use since a rigid plan for the next Day can be too binding. I do think a long-term plan could be useful with a larger number of scum, but with two ‘planning’ pretty much boils down to you vote for me and I vote for you to look townie. Despite the score, Biotop and snfaulker were very close to winning. septimus was very nearly lynched on Day 2 and had that happened, Town would have been in a bad position. On thing I do remember, is looking at the Day two situation and concluding that snfaulker was screwed. (I thought snfaulker should have fake claimed at that point, but I think with his first time as scum it was just too much) Then AMAZINGLY Biotop nearly got septimus lynched! That was jaw dropping. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/334 "2016-03-04T01:51:10Z")
Seriously. I believed in the Biotop/snfaulkner/septimus axis right up until the end of the second day. Even when I switched my vote to snfaulkner, it was only because he was pinging my scumdar harder at the time - not because I didn’t think Biotop had been “slipping” about him. It was very well played. But nobody would listen to me about Biotop on that day, damnit! Ironically, even they _had_ listened to me and we’d lynched Biotop, I’m not sure snfaulkner would have ended up standing out as much. Mafia is funny. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2016, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/335 "2016-03-04T02:26:15Z")
I still didn’t listen to you about Biotop even up to moments before the reveal, but I have to hand it to you, JB, this town victory is yours. Your last minute vote switch to SNF plus your continued pursuit of Biotop won the game. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/336 "2016-03-04T02:40:45Z")
Ditto good scum hunting JB ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/337 "2016-03-04T04:41:42Z")
Obliged. Blind squirrels, broken clocks and all that, wot. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/338 "2016-03-04T16:49:55Z")
Scum power roles are super hard to balance. Some are more powerful than their town equivalents(Roleblocker, protector) and some are less powerful(detective), and some vary not only on the alignment of the player, but how many players there are. Roleblockers/protectors are more powerful because instead of guessing who to protect/block among the whole player pool they only have to block players among the non-scum pool. Town detectives are hunting for any mafia among the whole town population and even a negative result is useful, arguably as useful as finding scum. Mafia detectives are looking for town power roles, they have the advantage of looking among a smaller pool than a town detective is, but their results are only useful if they successfully find a power role. That having been said, I think there was some balance issues. While both roles on the scum team were powerful roles(Godfather and Detective), the inability to coordinate was a major blow. How was the Scum Detective supposed to communicate the results of his investigation to the killer? Public breadcrumbs are very risky. I’d also probably allow the detective to either retain his investigation ability if he has to take over the nightkill or let him take up the mantle of Godfather(and the corresponding immunity to Town Detective investigation). The unfortunate conflux of events in this game meant after Day 2 **Biotop** basically became vanilla scum. Then you had 1 vanilla scum against 5 townies(including a detective) which is nearly unwinnable. None of this is to take away from the excellent scum hunting this town did. Even a three man scum team would have had trouble against this town I think. Enjoy, Steven ---
**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 4, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/339 "2016-03-04T18:09:13Z")
> [@Mtgman](#): > > How was the Scum Detective supposed to communicate the results of his investigation to the killer? The Assassin Detective had the option to forgo investigation to instead share results obtained thus far. The other possibility was that the Assassin Detective would inherit the ability to kill after investigation of a Town Power role and would be in position to act. In retrospect, I forgot how quick this game was going to be and the delay in reporting would have been an unfortunate burden. It ended up not mattering either way, but if I were to do this again I would keep the no scum talk rule, but provide investigation results to both scum players each Dawn. It wasn’t pretty but I think the game was adequately balanced. A 10 player game is rather difficult to balance. 2 scum seems too few and 3 is too many. Compensating by powers helps but is ‘swingy.’ Something else that I think of now but not when I was creating the game is maybe giving scum a double kill the first night or two. ---
**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 4, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735/340 "2016-03-04T18:12:06Z")
> [@Precambrianmollusc](#): > > Ditto > good scum hunting JB Oh yeah. I was feeling lots of empathy for Johnny Bravo and would have awarded him a Cassandra award if he got himself lynched. I’ve been there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpletown-mafia-the-third/745735.md?page=18)