So I bring this before the collective wisdom of this forum with a heavy heart and in need of guidance.

I'm a UK based TO who out of the local FLGS has organised a number of small scale tournaments

We've two organised events coming up and I have concerns that I'd appreciate your insight on.

The issue I have is that one of our most regular players has come under suspicion of cheating their way to regular victory.

Typically they fly very high PS pilots with VI and they have a habit of picking up their dial once the lower pilot skill opponents start moving and the accusation is that they subtlety adjust their manoeuvre.

When they pick up their dial to "check their manoeuvre" (very regularly) they hold it cupped in hand with thumb over the visible manoeuvre, occasionally the dial dips below the table level (remember this is during activation phase)

Now this is obviously massively against the spirit of the game (assuming it's happening) and I'm at a bit of a loss as to how to act.

I'm talking about an individual who travels to store championships, regionals & is intending on attending nationals.

I've suspected the player of making these adjustments myself and I've had these suspicions supported by other local players but as they are close friends of mine, I've no 'recorded' evidence and as I feel I have to maintain my impartially as TO I'm a little unsure as how to proceed.

I'm thinking of adding to the tournament description that when you check a dial, though that is fine to do, please pick up with finger & thumb, glance at it and put back down.

I'd appreciate any thoughts you might have on the subject.

"There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt." ~ Buddha Shakyamuni

I see two ways you could approach this:

Subtle: Set up the "top table" to be filmed for upload to YouTube, if this player continues their suspicious habit of victory they will end up at the top table for the majority of the tournament. That being said, you've altered the environmental conditions to which he feels comfortable with the slight-of-hand and an absence of proof does not prove his innocence. Rather it only proves, under the new environmental conditions, he is not willing to take the risk as he no-longer feels comfortable. The biggest draw back here, if he is set in his ways and the new environmental conditions do not change his actions, you will only know if he has cheated after he has already won. Unless you wish to set aside the time to playback the footage between rounds, in which case I don't know how you'd justify that without suspicion from the players that you're looking for something.

Blunt: Announce that it has come to your attention that a player, to remain nameless, has been thus accused. Then decree that, should any player wish to check their dial before their ship activates, they may only do so by involving the TO. Here the TO will reveal the dial to both himself and the player requesting the dial-check to ensure that it will not be altered illegally. You will also have to decree that if any player checks their dial without the TO's involvement they will be given a warning and upon the third offense disqualified from the tournament.

The gaming group I TO for is good and I know them well, I have never encountered this level of suspected cheating and can therefore only offer you my opinion as I have no experience to back up either option. I do know, where this to occur in my group, I would go with the blunt option as I did have to employ a similar technique for one particular player's severe lack of sportsmanship. It was negative to the point where people would rather not participate than have to engage him as an opponent.

Ultimately you will know best what will work, based on the personalities of those you game with. Best of luck to you.

Not cool man. Not cool. Be blunt. No touching dials after all have been set. Maybe have opponents turn over opponents dials. ???

Not cool man. Not cool. Be blunt. No touching dials after all have been set. Maybe have opponents turn over opponents dials. ???

This is just checking dials, some players like to confirm that they took the maneuver they think they took before moving a lower PS ship and doing something stupid...like barrel rolling an Academy Pilot into Soontir Fel's path. This is, in our group, widely accepted as allowable but that is because we all play by the rules and trust each other to play fairly...

If you are afraid of calling out a specific action for a specific player, you could have a pre-flight where all types of infractions are covered and the consequences. If you give other examples... you could include dial shenanigans and be blatant about showing it with the whole spy vs. spy lookaround while turning the dial cupped in your hand. It shouldn't be your only example of bad play, but it should get the point across.

If you want to be direct, talk to the player in private and say you don't think he is doing anything, but it is something that was noticed and he should be aware of what he may be unintentionally doing. In other words, express concern, but give him the benefit of the doubt.

Personally, I would recommend being direct.

If you are afraid of calling out a specific action for a specific player, you could have a pre-flight where all types of infractions are covered and the consequences. If you give other examples... you could include dial shenanigans and be blatant about showing it with the whole spy vs. spy lookaround while turning the dial cupped in your hand. It shouldn't be your only example of bad play, but it should get the point across.

Bonus awesome points if your Pre-flight is done before a projection screen dressed as Jan Dodonna.

From the FAQ:

"After the Planning Phase, if a player wishes to look at one of his dials, he must inform his opponent first. Manipulating dials after the Planning Phase will not be tolerated."

This player (and everyone else) needs to be informing his opponent that he is going to pick up the dial before he does. Additionally, the purpose of picking up a dial is to remind a player of the chosen maneuver - it should only take a moment to do that and the dial should go right back down. There is zero reason for the dial to be in his hand any longer than it takes to pick it up, look at it and then put it back down. It definitely should never go out of his opponent's sight. He can always look again later if he has bad memory.

If you're looking for a good consequence (after a verbal warning) I would go with allowing the opponent to set the dial (possibly restricted to a white or green move depending on how charitable you're feeling).

On top of the existing rule stated above concerning looking at set dials, it seems to me that once the dials are down and both players are done, the dials cannot be touched again except to reveal them in turn during the activation phase. Make it a rule - no looking at dials during activation. Hands off at that point. Simple. Good luck with your situation.

I have to agree that addressing it in the pre-tournament breif is probably the best way of going about it, reminding people that they have to ask their opponents permission to check their dial and at no point should the dial be taken from the table. If you really want to make a point of it, show everyone how they should be picking up their dial to check it. I usually pick up my dial so that my fingers are on both halves of the dial and equispaced around the circuference. Give the technique a funny name like "spider claw" and people will take it light heartedly and, more importantly, remember it. Maybe make the ruling that you can only check your dials immediately before one of your ships is going to move as, until that point, you wouldn't need to check them.

If you want to catch the guy in the act, you just have to watch him. make sure that you stand on his side of the table and then, when his game has reached the activation phase, watch what he does. I can be difficult to see if he is actually changing his dial, unless he is moving from one 2 turn to the other, but him dipping the dial underneath the table should be easy enough to spot.

Personally I would make the announcement and see what happens. If he is winning by cheating, then it stands to reason once he is unable to do so he will start to lose his matches. See where he comes in that tournament, before he can figure out another way to manipulate his dials. If he's still at the top tables, then he is probably just a good player with bad habits. If he scrubs out, you may have to watch him in future as well.

Typically they fly very high PS pilots with VI and they have a habit of picking up their dial once the lower pilot skill opponents start moving and the accusation is that they subtlety adjust their manoeuvre.

When they pick up their dial to "check their manoeuvre" (very regularly) they hold it cupped in hand with thumb over the visible manoeuvre, occasionally the dial dips below the table level (remember this is during activation phase)

I'm skeptical that a player could make an effective change to their manuver without being noticed doing it, but then you mention that the player in question actually fiddles with the dial and it has dipped below the table level on occasion.

I would start with a general announcement, no accusations without real evidence, that if players want to check their dials after planning, they must not manipulate that dial, and the dial must stay visible to both players at all times.

If he is cheating, the mere announcement may cause him to knock it off.

If not, he may at least not act in such a suspicious manner when checking dials.

When I check my own dials, I announce it to my oppponent, and pick it up with just one hand. Look, maybe ponder for a second or two, and then put it down again. Easy peasy.