Bussing

Bussing is the act of distancing yourself from your partners, usually by helping to lynch them. The term comes from the phrase "to throw under a bus", i.e. sacrificing them to gain credibility. It is almost always done by Mafia, and is a common suspicion when someone is suddenly lynched for what seem like minor or spurious reasons, and yet turns out to be Scum.

How It's Played

Early in the game, one Mafioso launches an attack on another member of their Faction. The attack must not be completely irrational, and the gambit-player should give at least some reasoning. The busser's vote does not move throughout the rest of the Day, and usually one of those two parties is lynched.

A variation of this gambit is when one Mafia member claims Cop and claims a guilty result on a fellow mafia member. When the latter player is lynched, the "Cop" is considered verified. This gambit only succeeds when the claim is believable and some reason exists to allow the "Cop" to survive the following Nights.

Why It Works

If the busser is lynched, the bussee remaining is considered to be a guaranteed townie. The WIFOM argument being: why else would the now-dead Mafioso have tried so hard to get them lynched? This reasoning applies, too, if the bussee is actually lynched; the busser is considered to be obviously pro-town (although lately it has become suspicious to have 'too easy' of a lynch on scum, particularly early in the game).