I don't want to use those mods, they make the game look bad and not fun for me. Luckily, I don't play the game to "compete" and be the best, just for fun when I feel like taking part in some medieval combat. I'm sure I'm not alone in that. And for people who play the game to see higher numbers than others' on their screens, and the atmosphere and visuals mean nothing to them, sure they might as well be playing with a calculator, but I don't care if what's fun for them isn't the same as what's fun for me. All it means is that their lives are most likely pretty sad and they need points to validate themselves, to themselves, and presumably in their heads to others.
If your goal is to "stay competitive" and have every advantage every other player has, first of all that's never gonna happen because you're never gonna have exactly the same reflexes, time spent, natural ability in certain areas that matter to this particular game, and many other variables that make people different from one another. But if we're only talking about advantages within the structure of the game, and all that matters is a higher score, then do what you gotta do. Because you can. Because the engine allows it and there is no way around it and no amount of rule positing and finger wagging by the devs or anyone else is gonna make a difference for people like that. If they can get away with it, they will. And until they can't, because the game won't allow them to, not the people around them, they will continue. And according to some comments by people working on MBG, it is something that is being taken into account. Whereas Warband as a game is all about its modability, which is why crpg exists in the first place, and is what makes it difficult or as I understand it, impossible, to detect and disallow these kinds of mods.
This isn't a professional league. No one's getting paid for their time or efforts. It matters less than anything else should in any of your lives whether or not you get top score or bottom or anywhere in between. All that matters is that you have fun while escaping from whatever reality it is you're trying to avoid. If fun for you is fucked up neon weapons and no landscape and just the knowledge that you're the best at pwning noobs, fantastic. If it's walking around pretending you're a farmer with a scythe in a wheat field while battle ensues all around you and you die every round without inflicting a single scratch on an enemy, great. If you feel the need to measure your digidick with every internet child around you, use whatever mods or cheats or whatever else is available to you that you think is gonna help you feel good about yourself. Also, you might be an e-pedo.
Btw, I recommend
this mod I made for anyone who wants zero distractions on the battlefield and just wants to fuck shit up. High score 4ever.