Interesting.
Now, correct me if I am wrong - the exploit is a game feature that is used in the manner not intended by developers, correct? Still, it is a game feature. The game mechanics allow you to something. There is no game rule that you are not allowed to such thing. I dare to ask - why such use of the game feature should be penalized.
Sometimes the "exploit" turns into widely used method, sometimes it is regarded "bad" and disallowed either by setting the rule, or by change in game mechanics. But sometimes such feature is adopted as it is regarded useful or interesting from the tactical point of view; possibly with some tweaks. Need examples? See chains of transfers in Strat 2.0, and withdrawals from the battle in Strat 2.0. Technically both could be regarded as "exploits", one was replaced by sophisticated speed/cargo/transport requirements, the other still remains as viable option.
New "exploits" come up all the time. Nothing can be done about it, as Strat is still under construction. In fact community learns about them quite quickly, it is a small world after all. Now it is devs job to decide - should such feature be removed, changed into a new system or left either in original or altered form. There are known exploits - such as tweaking with night time - that can be used by anyone. The devs have ability to do something about it, if they find it necessary.
Night time is a tool originally intended to be used as protection against having fights in the time that is inconvenient for defender. I cannot imagine less inconvenient situation than just before the attack. Moreover - there is a simple remedy to it: if change of the night time is effective, say, 8 h after it is set, and there is a cool - down period after such change, any sudden change would require foreseeing abilities of Delphic Sibyl and could be painful for defender if used wrongly. However, until such change is made by devs (that apparently are reluctant to change the rules on that commonly known "exploit" for whatever reason they may have), it still is a game feature.
The greatest issue are the exploits that are known to the community. The longer certain feature stays in Strat, the more commonly it is used. In the result such feature ceases to be an "exploit", it simply becomes a regular feature. Considering that devs do not share their plans as to the future game mechanics' changes too often (although that changed a bit recently), it is really hard to say if certain action is "ok" or "not ok", until the rule is set by the almighty devs, or such feature is altered, removed or replaced with something new. Need example? See enormous loots in Strat 2.0. Was it bug? Or was it intended action of devs to speed up the game and see/test more battles in shorter time? I have no idea but I suspect the latter. All in all - it resulted in surprising tactical and strategical decisions of players.
EDIT: There is a difference between the "cheat" and the "exploit" - the first is clearly not allowed, the second, well, you cannot know for sure.
