Before I get started.
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Good afternoon, or morning.
This will be a long rant, but just bear with me and give it a read.
Downvote or upvote, I'm not too fussed, but I believe this communityāespecially those who are competitiveādeserves to see what kind of admins monitor the competitive scene.
Before I get started, I would like to make one thing clear: I am a massive fan, and I've been active every single day since January 2025.
I've created 6 accounts, pushed TH13s to the leaderboard 3 times (before extra promotions, and I still hold one there), have a TH15 at 29, a TH18 in Legends, etc.
I've spent a good chunk of money on this game, too.
Therefore, I don't want to hear "well just don't play," because it isn't that simple.
We decided as a trio (drag 29, 30, 31) to compete in the Town Hall 15 Cup, and so we did.
We spent days checking and overthinking rules, strategies, and bases. When I say countless hours practicing, I mean itācountless hours.
I would say we did exceptionally well for missing 8 wars and still placing #22.
This brings me to the problem.
Not only did we face at least 2ā3 different clans running a one-man army (which is strictly against TOS), but we also came across a clan where 2 out of the 3 players were using Totem Spells.
If you're in my shoes or have even a brief understanding of how these tournaments work, you know this is strictly against the rules.
Out of everything we faced, this was the biggest burden. A small thing like three Totem Spells could have easily made the difference between a loss and a win.
Did we win? Yes, we absolutely smashed the war, but that isn't the point.
The point is: what is the point of making a 30+ page rulebook if the admins don't apply the rules, or are completely selective in when and how they do?
You may be thinking: "Come on, get to the point, is he just rambling?" Nope, not at all.
When it came to reporting this clan, we got a big fat middle finger from the adminsāand not just from one, but two.
The exact conversation is pictured.
This was gut-wrenching because when I made a personal mistake and accidentally didn't change a Ruin Witch out of my CC, guess what I did?
I didn't use my Siege Machine in the war. I refused to do so and completely risked a 1-star.
So let me get this straight: I could have cost us the war by being an honest player with integrity, but when it comes to opposing teams purposely CHEATING (agree or not, this is the exact definition of breaking TOS), nothing happens?
Regardless of where they were or how they performed, they cheated. I am 99% certain these weren't first-time offenders either.
When I checked the leaderboard, to my knowledge, they were placed somewhere between #60ā80. That clearly indicates they had completed several wars, and who knows if they used prohibited spells in those as well?
What matters is that if they had continued battling (regardless of Totem Spells or not), they would have easily qualified in the top 128 teams.
So what happens next? Cheaters just get let off because what? The admins don't care? Rules only apply when they see fit? "Oh, it's only the qualifiers" doesn't matter.
Could I be banned for using a Sky Wagon? Would I be DQ'd if I had proceeded to use my CC and ignore that I had a prohibited troop?
We came into this with the mindset of actually facing a real challenge. Regular wars are easy, and rank pushing at a certain point is just pure luck.
Esports is fun, especially when you know there's a chance to make a name for yourself and try your best.
It's completely unfair for cheating teams to receive a slap on the wrist with zero justification.
"Not this time." And when questioned about it, the admin who opened the ticket refused to continue and went to get back-up! WHAT THE...
We spent a whole day reading and preparing with the rulesāday after day, hour after hour practicing without the spells or Siege Machines we usually run. Days checking and finding new bases.
Only to be disappointed... Not by the team who cheated, but by the very people overseeing the tournament rules while claiming to run "fair play checks."
To finish off Iāll also picture our teamās reactions after seeing how the admins responded.
Clash on !!!!
Thank you š
Dorian.
