Uh spindog wasn't voting yet, but what is wrong with voting early? It doesn't end the day unless three more dogs vote the same and hammer. Sniffs you suspiciously.
*stands talk and calm, allowing and even enjoying the sniff, then sniffs back with open curiosity, still calm and seeming interested*
Yeah! I mentioned I'm back after a break. It's been **years** since I even thought about mafia. I almost immediately edited to adjust my wording there, until I thought, whoops, that's probably against the rules and would look wrong even if it's allowed, and didn't edit. I'll probably misword a few terms as I knock my long forgetting period into the past.
There's nothing wrong with random early voting, that's a common start strategy, and may even be the best.
But what Max suggested wasn't random, it was connected based on images. In a subtle way, it sets up the idea that 'hey, maybe both these less-doggy image folks are both cats'. However, for most humans, and perhaps especially those less trained in logic, that helps set up the bias that if one is found to be a dog, that can feel like 'reason to believe the other is also a dog'. Which isn't factual, but it's really smart to do, if you get away with doing it.
My concern and focus about it - if Max is informed minority, and either Imp or TCk is also informed minority, then it's pretty darn useful to set that idea up, then just try to get the non-partner of those cat-alikes picked for lynch (or night kill them) and then we have that potential idea that the partner's not scum, since the other cat-lookin' player wasn't scum.
It's pretty high-level play if so. Subtle and has likely effect over time, it's something a psychology-aware person, or very experienced, strong player might set up over time and play with over time, or drop if it was useless. If either Imp or TCk were godfather especially, this could be a very good subtle bias to lay to protect that partner.
**I do not want my eventual death as dog to make anyone think TCk is less likely to be scum**. That said, there's other reasons why known-to-be-strong-player-Max-as-dog might propose such, it's a decent pot-stir, and Max himself could, before day one end (thus for sure while he's still alive), unwind the bias and not risk harming town.
But we have a number of players I think are newer/less confident here. And I think I'm a likely early death, so I'm going to play pretty open-handed and give what I can and dare from the start this game.
Quick mechanical observation: Imp joined the discord relatively recently, despite being active prior to that at the start of the day. This means that Tric overlooked requiring their presence there, which would've been rather difficult to do if Imp was assigned a role with a secret chat of some sort. We most likely only have 2 hidden chats based on the fact that Tric publicly requested that Meph create "Dog Heaven" (deadchat) and "Catlandia" (mafiachat!), thus Imp is not scum!!
*winces* I'm going to discuss a counter idea to that, as if I wasn't Imp, because I want us all to learn and think carefully. Especially if there's a point in this game where I'm no longer alive.
We know our host made a mistake that created a Dog in the Know. Therefore, we know our host made at least one mistake and could make others.
However, if Imp wasn't already part of the Discord, and got told or invited to join it, even early in the game, there's a chance that Imp-as-scum is smart enough to think that could look suspicious - or that a late joining might look less suspicious. So, it's at least possible that Imp was invited early, and active, and joined late for *reasons*. I'd just ask, treat that (and related stuff, connected to imp or anyone) as evidence, not necessarily proof.
I prefer to play in a game with strong logic and reasoning. I am town and want a town win, but I'd rather we get there carefully more than just raw luck. Especially if Max isn't town, because if Max isn't... luck may not be on town's side.