# The Engine Room: FORBIDDEN thread for Mafia SS Insipid **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 4, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327 "2009-08-04T20:02:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [August 4, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/1 "2009-08-04T20:02:44Z")
Living players should stay out. Everyone else is welcome to make non-spoiled comments. If you’d like to see the spoilers, send me a PM. Game thread is [Mafia: Mutiny on the SS Insipid](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=526504). ---
**Author:** ![MHaye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@MHaye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHaye)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/2 "2009-08-04T20:38:31Z")
I’ll watch unspoiled for a Day, so I can have the fun of making some wild guesses first. The reason I didn’t sign up was that I’d just put myself down for the Weird West game, or I would have been in like a shot. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/3 "2009-08-04T20:55:40Z")
Chronos seems to be making sense. He seems to have forgotten about the existence of multiple votes in his discussion of the brig, though. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/4 "2009-08-04T21:01:02Z")
There is a major pro-Town benefit to promotion and demotion–lets the Town switch around who’s in the information roles. If one player is the Doc for a long time, the Town becomes very dependent on the side of that player. By switching around, it spreads the info and the trust. The Brig is mostly intended as a non-permanent lynch option. They can take a player out of the game, but reversibly. Note that a mutineer in the Brig cannot kill–this can become critical for the Town in the end game. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say there’s not many mislynches available in a small game. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/5 "2009-08-04T22:25:51Z")
Great set-up, Pleo. I wish I’d seen the thread in time to sign up! ---
**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:** [August 5, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/6 "2009-08-05T14:41:33Z")
> [@Mafia: Mutiny on the SS Insipid \[Game Over\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-mutiny-on-the-ss-insipid-game-over/504896/70): > > Anyhow – It occurred to me overnight that in the midgame we just might be able to break this game apart, if I read the rules correctly. > > I believe people in the Brig cannot take any actions, including participating in the Mutineers’ Night discussions and spacing. If this is accurate, then once we have trusted people as CO, XO, and Security, we can throw people in the Brig and methodically lynch the rest, then methodically lynch the people in the Brig. Exactly right! Well, except for the no Night discussion. Players in the Brig can talk, but nothing else. > [@](#): > > In other news, I want to experiment with this game’s rule that we may cast multiple votes to lynch. In the interests of fairness and non-randomness: **Lynch Everybody**. (Yes, that means I’m voting to lynch all ten players, even myself.) Making busy work for the moderator will not improve your odds. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/7 "2009-08-05T14:45:51Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Exactly right! Well, except for the no Night discussion. Players in the Brig can talk, but nothing else. Do they have to tap out messages in Morse code on the bulkhead? ---
**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:** [August 5, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/8 "2009-08-05T17:27:46Z")
Well, I was thinking more of subdermal communicator implants. 🙂 ---
**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:** [August 5, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/9 "2009-08-05T21:22:08Z")
Great quote from the scum boards: > [@Mutineer](#): > > Skimming the scum pm is a scumtell! ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/10 "2009-08-05T22:22:20Z")
Chronos’ arguments seem very, very spot-on. That being said, I don’t trust him. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/11 "2009-08-06T17:07:47Z")
> [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](#): > > Chronos’ arguments seem very, very spot-on. That being said, I don’t trust him. Chronos has some kind of anti-Charisma. Everyone thought he was scum in the last game, and I think the game before, even though he was always making cogent arguments and generally advancing the ball for Town. (Well, except when he made an honest but very bad assumption in the last game which everyone picked up on). ---
**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:** [August 6, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/12 "2009-08-06T17:48:25Z")
Don’t underestimate the effect of scum undermining confidence in good players. When the “town” ignores or attacks a good idea, part of that is the scum misdirecting the crowd. ---
**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:** [August 7, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/13 "2009-08-07T17:51:53Z")
> [@Mafia: Mutiny on the SS Insipid \[Game Over\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-mutiny-on-the-ss-insipid-game-over/504896/44): > > Ensign 7/c, just my luck on the randomized rank. Where’s Floyd when I need him? Is this a Planetfall/Stationfall reference? > [@Mafia: Mutiny on the SS Insipid \[Game Over\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-mutiny-on-the-ss-insipid-game-over/504896/118): > > There is no mention of whether they can or cannot communicate with their fellow Commie Traitor Mutineers on the Scum board. And this is obviously a Paranoia reference. Yes, this post has no relevance to actual game discussion, I just found the allusions amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/14 "2009-08-07T17:54:10Z")
The thought of a Paranoia-inspired Mafia is amusing. (PM sent to everyone: You are a Troubleshooter. Your job is to prevent subversion and hunt down Commie Mutant Traitors. Alpha Complex wins when all the Commie Mutant Traitors are dead. You are also a Commie Mutant Traitor…) ---
**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:** [August 11, 2009, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/15 "2009-08-11T03:34:59Z")
Looks like they’re working themselves towards a rushed last-minute lynch choice. Anyone want to lay odds? ---
**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:** [August 11, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/16 "2009-08-11T19:09:07Z")
A mislynch, but not a frantic one. I think this is one of the most rational Day Ones I’ve seen in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Normal\_Phase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Normal\_Phase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Normal_Phase)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/17 "2009-08-11T19:17:09Z")
I wasn’t lying; I am happy with it, despite carelessly getting myself killed. 🙂 I would say that it could seriously stink if I was wrong about Chronos, except that I think I am still really the only one on that bandwagon. ---
**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:** [August 11, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/18 "2009-08-11T20:11:47Z")
Heh, I just realized that **Chronos** could place himself in the Brig. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/19 "2009-08-11T20:17:29Z")
With the rules clarification, it looks to me like the best move for the engineer is to watch Ichini. ---
**Author:** ![MHaye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@MHaye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHaye)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327/20 "2009-08-11T20:58:43Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Heh, I just realized that **Chronos** could place himself in the Brig. There is a delay on promotions, I think? If not, Ichini Sanshigo could promote Chronos then, in her new capacity of Chief of Security, arrest him. It’s the sort of thing I’d be tempted to do just because it’s funny. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-engine-room-forbidden-thread-for-mafia-ss-insipid/505327.md?page=2)