Finally getting here, everyone. Thanks for waiting so long.
Vector: Would you rather have a mind shield or an anti-tech field? Would your alignment change the answer to that question?
I'm assuming, for purposes of this question, that both of these are basic.
Probably an anti-tech field. From what I see/remember of the rules, mental powers are usually tuned to town's investigative roles, whereas tech is either mad scientists or aliens (more heavily weighted to aliens). Scum investigation is generally less valuable to the scum than town's, and the anti-tech could be useful if one pulled the attention of a dopp with a killbot. Or, you know, any other nasty tech from aliens and so on.
That, and I really don't like the "we investigated you and have no idea what you are" phenomenon. The existence of the advanced mind shield makes nothing entirely confirmable, but as far as degrees go, I'd rather have folks be as certain as possible.
If I were an alien, I have no idea. I don't think I've ever played an alien other than that one time I swapped in for ExKirby as the ExtyOp. I guess a tech field, because if I were a third party I'd probably be more paranoid about getting one-shotted by some random attack than I would be about investigation.
And if I were a dopp... huh. I really don't have much dopp experience, either, but I'd probably take the mind shield and trust my ability to bluff out of "unreadable" over the usual investigative roulette.
a. What specific, concrete things will you be doing to improve your play this game?
I'll be extremely careful about whom I vote and for what reason, and think twice even about RVS ones (unlike my bungled attempt against Toaster last time).
Just don't let it make you too cautious. I didn't see what happened last time, but I suspect that if you're having trouble even in RVS, the issue may be your "power" rather than your vote placement.
Dariush, how would you play as a war vet?
I'll openly state I am one and lurk lurk lurk.
Maybe I don't understand what's going on here, but how does "lurk lurk lurk" ever benefit the town?