Nameless Mafia roles, and more then one mafia

[Maniac_nmt]

I've noticed most mafia games have you taking on the role of a specific character. Has anyone ever tried running one where you don't get a character name, but just a role?

I was thinking of Starship Troopers as a mafia. The MI you could pad out with names, but the bugs would all end up as 'Brain Bug 1', 'Warrior 2', etc. Has anyone ever tried something like that?

Also, what about having multiple mafias active? Staying with SST, you could have a MI mafia, colonists (neutral), bugs, and a Skinny mafia. How about a mafia you have to build? That is, the Skinnies could form a mafia if they could find each other (if they targeted a fellow skinny with a power, instead of using it on them, they'd merge up into a new mafia).

Lastly, non-aligned recruitables/mercenaries. Switching universes for a minute, I was thinking of Battletech, with a head person being the MRBC, and playes acting as different mercenary groups (Kell Hounds, Erdani Light Horse, Hanson's Roughriders, all 'neutral' of course). One of the other factions could then hire out a merc company to perfom certain functions (i.e. Wolf's Dragoons could be hired to perform a hit for the town, or Avanti's Angels could be hired to role block a townie). How would your work this?

This would also factor into multiple mafias with different win conditions. House Kurita would win if it eliminates House Davion or defeats the clans. House Davion and House Steiner could merge, and win if they defeat the clans. Clans could win if they defeat the Inner Sphere, House Liao wins if they defeat a particular Republic character.

[jsoccerdude]

There are games with more than one mafia(Carlos's games usually, Futurama, Disney games).

The nameless mafia is how it's played in real life usually, and I believe is what Thawmus plans to do with his new game, but I don't know for certain.

[JKLantern]

GG I had two mafias, although the second mafia (The Vaughan Brothers) functioned more like a team of serial killers.

[The BoyBlunder]

Yeah, its not at all that uncommon.

[michiganj24]

Well their was a merc mafia but not quite the same.
I see where you are going with the last one and a few have attempted it but ultimately the game never gets off its starting blocks as the concept gets quite convoluted and the mods want to swallow a cyandide tablet


Lastly, non-aligned recruitables/mercenaries. Switching universes for a minute, I was thinking of Battletech, with a head person being the MRBC, and playes acting as different mercenary groups (Kell Hounds, Erdani Light Horse, Hanson's Roughriders, all 'neutral' of course). One of the other factions could then hire out a merc company to perfom certain functions (i.e. Wolf's Dragoons could be hired to perform a hit for the town, or Avanti's Angels could be hired to role block a townie). How would your work this?

This would also factor into multiple mafias with different win conditions. House Kurita would win if it eliminates House Davion or defeats the clans. House Davion and House Steiner could merge, and win if they defeat the clans. Clans could win if they defeat the Inner Sphere, House Liao wins if they defeat a particular Republic character.

[JKLantern]

Lastly, non-aligned recruitables/mercenaries. Switching universes for a minute, I was thinking of Battletech, with a head person being the MRBC, and playes acting as different mercenary groups (Kell Hounds, Erdani Light Horse, Hanson's Roughriders, all 'neutral' of course). One of the other factions could then hire out a merc company to perfom certain functions (i.e. Wolf's Dragoons could be hired to perform a hit for the town, or Avanti's Angels could be hired to role block a townie). How would your work this?

This would also factor into multiple mafias with different win conditions. House Kurita would win if it eliminates House Davion or defeats the clans. House Davion and House Steiner could merge, and win if they defeat the clans. Clans could win if they defeat the Inner Sphere, House Liao wins if they defeat a particular Republic character.

Depending on which time period/conflict I use for Battletech Mafia, the Mercs would have different roles. For example, if I were to do Fourth Succession War, Wolf's Dragoons goal would be to destroy the Draconis Combine, and the Kell Hounds would (eventually) be after Yorinaga Kurita.

[hellskingpin]

I don't think I've ever run a game that didn't have two mafias. That bad?

[CarlosMucha]

in my last game also I made something that I don't know if it was done before: give more of one character to some of the players. is a nice touch and made things more unpredictables.

For my new game it will be far MORE surprising and confussing things thant that, thought. :p

Soo, anything is posible, just try to make every role a role that players can enjoy if is possible.

:)

[CarlosMucha]

Well their was a merc mafia but not quite the same.
I see where you are going with the last one and a few have attempted it but ultimately the game never gets off its starting blocks as the concept gets quite convoluted and the mods want to swallow a cyandide tablet


why the game never "gets off" what do you mean?

[Thawmus]

My Vanilla Mafia game has exactly 0 characters in it.

[sstralkowski]

Neutral mafias are pretty common. Only my first game didn't have one. I think they're a great tool to use.

[tidge]

Another thing Carlos has done in his games: He has made "mafias" of only one player! (My IMF "team" for example, even tho' they had only one power! grr...JK!)

I think I would actually prefer some Theme games to not have named roles. I was a liability to the mafia (and dead weight to the town) in games which had characters that left me clueless who was who.

(I also think it makes the games creepier, more fair if the writeup didn't serve to turn every role into FLAVOR cop.)

[sstralkowski]

Another thing Carlos has done in his games: He has made "mafias" of only one player! (My IMF "team" for example, even tho' they had only one power! grr...JK!)

I think I would actually prefer some Theme games to not have named roles. I was a liability to the mafia (and dead weight to the town) in games which had characters that left me clueless who was who.

(I also think it makes the games creepier, more fair if the writeup didn't serve to turn every role into FLAVOR cop.)


Yeah, go take a look at the Aaarrrgghhh!!!! thread. It sums up a lot of complaints about the write-ups being too detailed.

[CarlosMucha]

Yeah, go take a look at the Aaarrrgghhh!!!! thread. It sums up a lot of complaints about the write-ups being too detailed.


were is that thread??

[Amora's_best_friend]

Shape shifters = throw a spanner into the works.

Also, having really unexpected characters as mafia/town is funny.

[CarlosMucha]

Shape shifters = throw a spanner into the works.

Also, having really unexpected characters as mafia/town is funny.

yea! Like Hanna Montana in the Oscars last night!

[madslaust]

Muppet Show Mafia (mine, not Rokk's) had three mafias.

[madslaust]

yea! Like Hanna Montana in the Oscars last night!
What is it with you and underage girls??

:noid:

[CarlosMucha]

What is it with you and underage girls??

:noid:


I never was "in" that. I just love her songs and her character!

[madslaust]

I never was "in" that. I just love her songs and her character!
Maybe.

:cheeky:

(Just jossing with you, Carlos ;) )