Ok, so writing that it is Uplay not steam was obviously missed. None the less found on page 11 on this 15 page thread you kindly created I found that Uplay does have built in command line arguments to be added (could not find it last night). So added "-eac_launcher", the shortcut talk obviously lead me off down a garden path that was not correct, as seemed to not work.
Having read the 209 comments before mine & your reply, I do not recall (easily missed in 15 pages though) that the EasyAntiCheat_x64.dll needs to be re-acquired for every patch. So that is good to know (sorry if it was obvious to everyone else!)
And if anyone tries to use these cheats in multiplayer they need to take a long walk off a short plank.
Sorry I seemed to get your goat, while it seems simple to you I am sure, it obviously is not simple to others. Which is why we all appreciate the effort you put in (& I spent 3+ hours googling, checking, rechecking, trying work arounds, changing sys files etc before posting last night to try to avoid you getting angry, oh well, sorry it didnt work
).
None the less Your work truly is appreciated (especially finding the thread in which you & some others discuss the lack of merits of the CH staff) just wish I had not posted to have saved you the ire!
EDIT; FOUND CAUSE;
If you have multiple HDD's it would seem UPlay likes to install more than 1 version of the game. E.G. I have 4 HDD's on the one where I directed Uplay to install this game (E:) I have the game installation folders & everything, INCLUDING "EasyAntiCheat" under the game's main folder.
Unbeknown to me is that Uplay ALSO maintains a second full installation of the game within the Uplay launcher folder (on D:), this second installation also has "EasyAntiCheat" sub folder within it. Over-writing this second location .dll resolved the issue.
I do not know why the f*ck Uplay has 2 installations of the game, but it would seem that was the cause of the issue (followed all instructions, just didnt know about Uplays ridiculous double installation, as all shortcuts linked to E:) .
Sorry for the trouble, god I hate Uplay.