War mode is essentially a family draft mode. This doesn't actually require families in order to do, and starting war mode actually cost hearts. The host is considered the village sided family, but, the second person to join will be considered the mafia. Starting war mode means that you lose your hearts if you suicide before the game starts or if you join the game before the mafia and village leader is selected.
The mafia and village leader don't actually play the game, but, begin the draft phase directly "after" they are both in the game. Mafia and village leader spend hearts in order to decide how many villagers, mafia, and what kind of village or mafia there will be. The most hearts that can be spent per game is ten. Leaving after you join, even before the match has begun, is a rule violation, only if you are the village or mafia leader.
Examples of how the system works is like so
Village Cost
- Village/Mafia Leader: 0 Hearts with 10 in storage
- Villager: 0 Heart
- Cop: 1 Hearts
- Doctor: 1 Hearts
- Role: X Hearts
Mafia Cost
- Vanilla Mafia: 2 Hearts
- Disguiser: 3 Hearts
- Vent: 3 Hearts
Third party may be allowed. There can only be a maximum of seven villagers with a minimum of four, while a maximum of three mafia with a minimum of one. There is one third party at minimum number of villagers and two third parties at maximum number of villagers.
So the way it works is after the draft, the players who join are randomly selected to be sided with the village or the mafia. It cost no hearts to join the game and the people who join are rewarded with points for winning and are allowed to leave the game before it starts, but, aren't allowed to leave the game after the game starts or game throw. If the person who started the war, wins, they get a certain number of "family points" sent to the family they own based on the ratio of hearts they used compared to the enemy. If the ratio is 1:1, then 100 family points are rewarded. If the ratio is 3:4, then 134 family points are rewarded to the 3 while only 75 family points are rewarded to the 4.
Family points may be used only by people who are in a family, to upgrade a families village, giving members the ability to, during a war game, draft and unlock new roles that they can draft. Disguiser for example, has to be unlocked using family points in war mode. Vent has to be unlocked during war mode. The only thing that doesn't have to be unlocked, is third parties, which have everything.
Village tree starts with a vanilla villager, cop, and doctor, while mafia tree starts with just vanilla mafia. War points add up and can be used only be the owner of the family. War points have to be "contributed" to the family by will in order for the family leader to use the points.
EDIT: war mode always appears first in the lobby and the leaders don't actually take part in the game. Mafia leader is the only one who can see the mafia meeting while village leader can only see the day meeting.