How can I tell if ships are neutral or not

[jake4711]

Hi all,

Don't post very much at all and am just getting back into the game after a long hiatus. I installed the wolves of steel mod etc... and I just wanted to ask an important question. I came across merchant ships in 1940 during the happy times campaign and I noted that these ships were swedish. Because Sweden was neutral during WW2 I surfaced to continue my route... however they then began to open up on me using their deck guns. So I reloaded and shot some fish at them... A short while later I saw a red cross hospital ship, curious I saved and shot a top at it and sank it... I got no messages or indications that the ship was neutral.

I am really confused for how I should tell if a ship is neutral or not, could someone please help clarify this, I'm sure it would also be very beneficial for new players also.

Thank you.

[kapuhy]

Originally Posted by jake4711

Hi all,

Don't post very much at all and am just getting back into the game after a long hiatus. I installed the wolves of steel mod etc... and I just wanted to ask an important question. I came across merchant ships in 1940 during the happy times campaign and I noted that these ships were swedish. Because Sweden was neutral during WW2 I surfaced to continue my route... however they then began to open up on me using their deck guns. So I reloaded and shot some fish at them... A short while later I saw a red cross hospital ship, curious I saved and shot a top at it and sank it... I got no messages or indications that the ship was neutral.

I am really confused for how I should tell if a ship is neutral or not, could someone please help clarify this, I'm sure it would also be very beneficial for new players also.

Thank you.

It was just as confusing in real life too, and to make matters worse rules of who can and who cannot be attacked were constantly changed, so don't feel bad about finding it hard to tell

That said, rule of thumb is, ships sailing under neutral flag are not to be attacked, unless:

- they are armed
- they sail together with / under escort by enemy ships
- they sail without navigation lights at night

Now, with hospital ship, I'd keep a savegame from before you sank it. It's one of cases that might send you to Eastern Front and I don't mean Arctic Convoys campaign.

[Jeff-Groves]

I'd suspect the DefSide.Cfg is wrong.
Sweden remained Neutral during WWII aside from firing Anti-Air Craft guns on German planes flying over to attack Norway.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Jeff-Groves

I'd suspect the DefSide.Cfg is wrong.
Sweden remained Neutral during WWII aside from firing Anti-Air Craft guns on German planes flying over to attack Norway.

AHEM: https://www.konditori100.se/SiWW2/sww2lscs.htm so much for neutrality!

[Jeff-Groves]

Yeah. That's the Germans sinking stuff.
So much for respect of Neutrality right?

[jake4711]

Thanks for getting back to me guys, made saves before all of them just to be safe . Thank you so much for the help, I wouldn't have been able to figure it out by myself.

Good Hunting.

[les green01]

some ships has lights on inn my ship book they are 3 nations that has the same flag or close to it that hard to tell if you attack a red cross ship you better go grab your luger and put yourself down

[kapuhy]

Originally Posted by Jeff-Groves

I'd suspect the DefSide.Cfg is wrong.
Sweden remained Neutral during WWII aside from firing Anti-Air Craft guns on German planes flying over to attack Norway.

Not in this case. Vecko (and Gap if I recall this was also his work and ideas) made an effort to represent complicated neutrality rules by duplicating neutral nations. As such, there are two "Swedens" in game using the same flag: "true" Sweden that is neutral, abides by neutrality laws and player loses renown for attacking its ships, and "fake" Sweden used to represent ships breaking neutrality rules (weapons on board, no illumination, sailing in convoys or in areas prohibited to neutral traffic). The latter is treated by game as enemy nation and player gains renown for attacking its ships, despite neutral flag.

What jake4711 encountered was "fake Sweden" ship carrying contraband to England. What could be corrected in this case for more realism, is perhaps removing weapons in future TWoS updates from merchants that are in violation of neutrality rules but would not, realistically, be armed.