On Townblocs

Original Lecture: On townblocs

The best way to organize blocs as town is to not try and form blocs. :P

That sounds stupid. Surely, there's a place for townblocs in games, right? Yes. There is! But when I say "not try and form blocs", I mean not forcing their existence. The best townblocs I've seen are the townblocs that weren't formed strictly as townblocs. By which, I mean, they evolved naturally. The players inside the bloc didn't force the existence of the bloc. Heck, it's a rarity for them to have even called it a townbloc in the first place. Basically, as town, the best way to have a townbloc is to not interfere with the formation of a townbloc by wanting one.

If a townbloc forms, it will form. It might take more time than you would prefer, but it'll happen without interference if you let it. And when it does form? It'll be without the influence of scum (most likely), AND be harder for the scum to break up! Because instead of players working together because they forced themselves to work together, they're working together because they want to work together. Rather than it making sense to work together, they feel like they should be working together. That organic, natural, flowing townbloc is difficult to break for scum because it is the natural order of things and breaking said order is artificial. It's harder for the scum to be in, too, because they can't force their way into the townbloc, and instead, have to be integrated into it slowly and patiently. (A process most scum cannot--or, if they can, WILL not--give the time to.)

Inversely, the best way to organize a townbloc as scum is to make sure it's formed, preferably early. The earlier a townbloc is formed, the more likely it is scum have infiltrated it, and ALSO the easier it is to break. Because the bonds which tied the players together were weaker (thanks to having rushed the formation of said townbloc), the bonds are more easily shattered as well. Think of a townbloc like a friendship or even a relationship. If you go into one only having known the person for a day, you're far more likely to have that friendship/relationship fail, simply because you learn that you're not nearly as compatible as that initial common factor would suggest you were. Same concept applies to blocs. The earlier they form, the more frequently they fall. This artificial force binding the bloc together will eventually fatigue, and the scum have a buffet of paranoia to feast on.

Thus, as scum, ask to form a townbloc. As town, note the potential existence of it, but don't force it. The cards will fall where they will fall, and as a result, will inevitably organize the bloc with rankings.