Friendship is Dragons
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Page 915 - Mafia, Part 14 (Night Phase)
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34 Comments:
Pinkie is not going to die, but her partner instead.
I like Twilight's reactions.
Sorry Rainbow, you missed again.
I like Twilight's reactions.
Sorry Rainbow, you missed again.
Well, considering Pinkie outed herself as a cop and lead the charge against Rarity, she's an obvious target, so make sense for dash to protect her as she's the only one she can be sure of.
Sadly, it's also obvious for the mafia that Pinkie will be shielded by the nurse, so targeting someone else makes sense. Dash might be aware of that, but anybody else beside Pinkie might be mafia, so it's still a good decision she made.
Mmmh, considering Twilights various reactions, I now wonder if she'll be able to keep a poker face and not influence the game during the day in some way, unvolontary or not. I could see her glee or cringe depending on how the accusations go.
Sadly, it's also obvious for the mafia that Pinkie will be shielded by the nurse, so targeting someone else makes sense. Dash might be aware of that, but anybody else beside Pinkie might be mafia, so it's still a good decision she made.
Mmmh, considering Twilights various reactions, I now wonder if she'll be able to keep a poker face and not influence the game during the day in some way, unvolontary or not. I could see her glee or cringe depending on how the accusations go.
Protecting Pinkie was still better than choosing randomly. The Mafia may be pretty likely to forgo targeting Pinkie in favour of a random pony, but they're more likely to target Pinkie than they are to target the specific pony RD chooses to protect.
I'm actually surprised the Mafia didn't go for RD herself. But then, they may not have figured out that she's the Nurse. We have the benefit of omniscience in that regard.
I'm actually surprised the Mafia didn't go for RD herself. But then, they may not have figured out that she's the Nurse. We have the benefit of omniscience in that regard.
Since Mafia is down to one kill attempt, they might conclude that targeting Pinkie is futile, since if the nurse protects her the kill is wasted.
OTOH: The nurse may think that way and decide to protect somebody else... And if the Mafia think the nurse will think that way, Pinkie becomes a viable target again...
OT3H: ...
{Given the need for non-verbal communication during the night phases (and during day phases for Mafia plotting) -- just how much "thinking" can the remaining Mafia really be doing?}
OTOH: The nurse may think that way and decide to protect somebody else... And if the Mafia think the nurse will think that way, Pinkie becomes a viable target again...
OT3H: ...
{Given the need for non-verbal communication during the night phases (and during day phases for Mafia plotting) -- just how much "thinking" can the remaining Mafia really be doing?}
If I read the panels correctly, tonight's victim is Dr. Whooves, not Soarin'
Playing bemused bystander didn't work out for the doctor, did it -- mafia targets him, and cops investigate him; all in the same night. We'd have had a trifecta if the nurse had also picked him.
Playing bemused bystander didn't work out for the doctor, did it -- mafia targets him, and cops investigate him; all in the same night. We'd have had a trifecta if the nurse had also picked him.
Actually, Whooves is the subject of investigation, Soarin is the victim, and Pinkie is getting healed.
Well... Guess the night coloring threw me off, since the next day does have the victim as Soarin'
1) Rainbow Falls.
2) Sonic Rainboom.
3) The best night ever.
Surface to air missile.
Fired by a mare wearing another pony's face as a hat.
Fired by a mare wearing another pony's face as a hat.
Could totally fake out RD for a bit as well.
"Dawn breaks, and Rainbow Dash and Soarin are at work as members of a pegasus aerobatics team. A flash of light from the ground catches RD's attention, and she sees an object flying at her from the ground."
RD:
"...hell. Of course they'd target me..."
Trixie clamps her mouth shut to stop from objecting that the target is wrong.
"RD dodges reflexively, but the object slams into Soarin and explodes into lethal flames and shrapnel."
(Barely-dodged explosion and horrified reaction shot, ready to yoink from the ep)
RD spots the launcher-a crazy howling older woman wearing the likeness of RD's face as a hat--and easily takes her down as she scrambles to reload the missile tube. But the damage is done. Soarin is blown out of the air."
"Dawn breaks, and Rainbow Dash and Soarin are at work as members of a pegasus aerobatics team. A flash of light from the ground catches RD's attention, and she sees an object flying at her from the ground."
RD:
"...hell. Of course they'd target me..."
Trixie clamps her mouth shut to stop from objecting that the target is wrong.
"RD dodges reflexively, but the object slams into Soarin and explodes into lethal flames and shrapnel."
(Barely-dodged explosion and horrified reaction shot, ready to yoink from the ep)
RD spots the launcher-a crazy howling older woman wearing the likeness of RD's face as a hat--and easily takes her down as she scrambles to reload the missile tube. But the damage is done. Soarin is blown out of the air."
Well, since the cops investigated Rainbow Dash, they know who's Mafia.
As long as Pinkie and Rainbow can convince Doc to vote their way, this should clinch the game in Town's favour.
(If they can't, Mafia wins. Lovely how it's all coming down to the wire like this.)
As long as Pinkie and Rainbow can convince Doc to vote their way, this should clinch the game in Town's favour.
(If they can't, Mafia wins. Lovely how it's all coming down to the wire like this.)
Yeah, this basically brings up the scenario I brought up in the comments of the last Night phase - Pinkie now knows who all of the non-Mafia are, which means that by process of elimination she knows who the Mafia are. It's even possible that she chose the Doctor because she already thought he was the remaining non-mafia, and took the opportunity to verify her hunch.
Interesting move by the Mafia to go for a separate target when they probably had a good idea who the Nurse and one Cop were. However, they probably figured that RD would either protect herself or Pinkie, so going for a separate target guarantees a kill. At this stage, any kill is beneficial for them, after all.
Interesting that we seem to be getting Twilight's reactions here...
Interesting move by the Mafia to go for a separate target when they probably had a good idea who the Nurse and one Cop were. However, they probably figured that RD would either protect herself or Pinkie, so going for a separate target guarantees a kill. At this stage, any kill is beneficial for them, after all.
Interesting that we seem to be getting Twilight's reactions here...
Yeah, the mafia have an advantage in that they know who the mafia are. *Anyone* they pick to kill will help their cause. Unlike the cops who might waste a turn by investigating a non-mafia. Or the nurse who might waste a turn by protecting a mafia.
So the smart move is to pick non-obvious targets. RD and Pinkie are too obvious. With a non-obvious target, best case the nurse wastes her protection on one of the obvious targets. Worst case, it's a straight roll of the dice whether the nurse will protect whomever they target.
So the smart move is to pick non-obvious targets. RD and Pinkie are too obvious. With a non-obvious target, best case the nurse wastes her protection on one of the obvious targets. Worst case, it's a straight roll of the dice whether the nurse will protect whomever they target.
Why do the cops only get one investigation? From my understanding of the rules each cop should be able to investigate.
I think its 1-2 means ONE target, 3 or more means multiple targets for all classes.
This comic arc inspired me to read up on Mafia as a party game, and my impression is that there are multiple variants of the rules on roles and what they can do. (For instance, in some variants, Mafia can kill one person a night, though I believe that happens when there are no cops or nurse.)
So in the game being played in-comic, it looks like the cops can investigate a single pony per night.
So in the game being played in-comic, it looks like the cops can investigate a single pony per night.
Yeah, werewolf/mafia has lots of variants. Generally, the most common rule is that vanilla mafia get one kill a night, and beyond that, things depend on power roles.
Seeing this, the cops are essentially acting as both masons and seers, so if they could investigate once each, and see each others results, they could find the mafia quickly.
Incidentally, a lot of mafia is homebrewed and houseruled to the extent that moving to a new group can seriously mess with everyones view of the rules.
Seeing this, the cops are essentially acting as both masons and seers, so if they could investigate once each, and see each others results, they could find the mafia quickly.
Incidentally, a lot of mafia is homebrewed and houseruled to the extent that moving to a new group can seriously mess with everyones view of the rules.
oh this is great its awesome seeing someone's watching reactions as to WHo is WHO ^_^
[particularly her surprise at Flutter-Mafia I think. NO ONE is gonna guess THAT.]
As a result, im pretty sure FLUTTERSHY will win.
Pinkie has made her role clear, Rainbow pretty much as as well, Trixie is also semi obviouse, but Flutters is gonna be a heck of a shock I think.
[particularly her surprise at Flutter-Mafia I think. NO ONE is gonna guess THAT.]
As a result, im pretty sure FLUTTERSHY will win.
Pinkie has made her role clear, Rainbow pretty much as as well, Trixie is also semi obviouse, but Flutters is gonna be a heck of a shock I think.
Fluttershy might be able to pull off a victory by convincing Doctor Hooves that she is the second cop, and that Pinkie Pie is Mafia. It would be a tough sell, considering that Pinkie was right about Rarity, but Fluttershy might be able to spin that as Pinkie playing the long con and sacrificing one Mafia to protect herself and the others.
In fact, Fluttershy might even offer up Trixie as a sacrifice, saying that she investigated Trixie but not Pinkie. With both professed cops pointing at Trixie, she'll probably get lynched, and then Fluttershy targets Rainbow Dash the next night. That leaves Pinkie and Fluttershy both claiming that she's the cop and the other is the last Mafia, and it comes down to Doctor Hooves trying to pick who's telling the truth.
What *won't* work is trying to lynch Doctor Hooves, since Pinkie knows he's a civilian, and Rainbow Dash trusts Pinkie Pie, and he won't vote against himself.
In fact, Fluttershy might even offer up Trixie as a sacrifice, saying that she investigated Trixie but not Pinkie. With both professed cops pointing at Trixie, she'll probably get lynched, and then Fluttershy targets Rainbow Dash the next night. That leaves Pinkie and Fluttershy both claiming that she's the cop and the other is the last Mafia, and it comes down to Doctor Hooves trying to pick who's telling the truth.
What *won't* work is trying to lynch Doctor Hooves, since Pinkie knows he's a civilian, and Rainbow Dash trusts Pinkie Pie, and he won't vote against himself.
The Mafia got Twilight last night phase; they forwent a second kill in order to ensure they got her on the off chance the nurse tried to save her (which, in the event, Rainbow Dash did).
This makes a lot more sense once I'd remembered Twilight was dead. *facehooves* XD
I don't like that look on Twilight's face in the last panel...
That's the look of someone who wants to interfere.
That's the look of someone who wants to interfere.
The Mafia has one chance to win though, and that's to convince that Pinkie Pie is playing them in an attempt to create a scenario where she's assured of victory by misleading them about the mafia. Soarin isn't around anymore to dispute any stories about who the second cop is, one of them would have to pretend to be the cop. Since Rainbow Dash trusts Pinkie, they need to convince The Doctor to vote with them to kill Pinkie Pie this round, or somehow convince someone to kill Pinkie next round. Perhaps trying to convince him that RD and Pinkie are working together here could work. If the Mafia can't do that, they lose.
It's likely that the town has it in the bag, actually, since Soarin reveals he's the cop after he's eliminated. In the previous day phase, Soarin supported Pinkie's accusation of Rarity, which when combined with the knowledge that Soarin was a cop, implies that he at least didn't have an issue with Pinkie claiming to be one. If the Doctor picked up on that, it's all over bar the shouting for the Mafia.
If he didn't... than Pinkie still has a track record of having called out one Mafia and helped to identify another. Trixie will have to do some fast-talking to claim that Pinkie eliminated two Mafia just to 'build trust', particularly given that that set the Mafia past an important threshold.
If he didn't... than Pinkie still has a track record of having called out one Mafia and helped to identify another. Trixie will have to do some fast-talking to claim that Pinkie eliminated two Mafia just to 'build trust', particularly given that that set the Mafia past an important threshold.
Newbiespud's Note: The contents of the Night Phase pages are spoilers for those deciding to skip until the end. Try not to spoil who's who in future comments sections.