Anti-Cheat Features in TOAW III

[jonnymacbrown]

"So WHY cheating?"

When I first began playing PBEM back in the Talonsoft days (late 90's) I played a Borodino game as Russians against a renowned opponent; one who was a serious scenario designer and well respected fellow. Half way through I realized that he had never lost a melee; even when charging Russian guns in redoubts with light cavalry. When he cleared Borodino proper with light cavalry, wiping out the A rated Imperial Guard heavy-infantry regiment in its entirety, I opened up a practice game and tried some of those melee myself and lost quite a few. Why was he cheating? Some people just want to win I suppose. One give away was his bragging about his skills. He was also practicing gamesmanship: cheap-shit stuff like charging his own cavalry through his own supply trains. He eventually disappeared from the scene, and I never said anything; just quit the game. I would say the anti-cheating devices are a good idea because anyone willing to go through elaborate cheating maneuvers is going to give himself away in other ways, and the simple fact that if you continually save and re-save your opponent will get the message is good enough to promote accurate play. I don't mind an opponent re-doing a move because he made some strategic mistake (like sending a division in the wrong direction). To me, cheating is manipulating combat results and that I figure is what the anti-cheat device is supposed to prevent. Happy Hunting jonny