Neutrality in GWX

[Saldiray]

OK, it's late 42, i was cruising off northwest of Portugal and the sun had just disappeared on the horizon but there was still enough light to call it day light conditions. My watch crew sighted a few ships, when i checked out i saw 1 large tanker, 1 small cargo, 1 trawler and 1 armed trawler. The large tanker was strange, it was like its lights were on, but barely visible or something. And none of the ships (except armed trawler) were armed. I was suspicious enough so i closed in on the surface and checked the flags, nope, they weren't English, but i didn't recognize the flags. We were still close to Portugal and maybe they were Portuguese ships. But AFAIK in late 1942 there was unrestricted submarine campaign. I was thinking if they were neutral or not. That's when the armed trawler began firing shells at me.

So as i had been under fire first i fired back at the armed trawler and when it was sinking i began attacking the merchants with my 88. In the end, i sank them all but i was still suspicious, so i got to the exit menu to see the results and guess what?

4 neutrals sunk? WTH? Did i do something wrong? Maybe we shouldn't get too close to neutrals or is there something like that?

[papa_smurf]

ALWAYS check a ships nationality before attacking it! I've done what you did, only to find that i'd sunk a neutral ship. As I didn't see what nationality it was.
Also just because a ship is darkened, doesn't automatically make it a neutral ship (I think) .

(One way round this, is to get the GWX contact colour mod - saves you form sinikng neutral ships)

[Von Manteuffel]

The large tanker was strange, it was like its lights were on, but barely visible or something

I think there's your clue. Many neutrals will run with lights on and may even have spotlights trained on their flag. Darkened ships tend to be fair game. Lit ships - be very careful.

[bigboywooly]

Had you sunk any other neutral ships before that ?
Sinking a neutral ship makes you an eney of that country for 24hrs
So they will open fire on you

[Saldiray]

It was the first encounter of my patrol. I left Brest and headed directly to the northwest of Portugal, just to head west and begin my voyage to my patrol zone in the Atlantic. Then i encountered these guys. I didn't attack at first, i only attacked after the "neutral" armed trawler began firing at me. This is real odd. But now i know how it feels to meet with Reuben James in the Atlantic. :cool: