Blacked out ships

[Safe-Keeper]

Sink it. If the wreck icon is red and you gain renown, you've brought down a hostile. Otherwise, you've *******ed up.

If they turn their spotlights on you, there are two possibilities:

1. It's from a hostile nation, or
2. It's neutral, but it considers you a "renegade", read "hostile", as you've attacked a ship from the same nation less than 24 hours ago.

In general, do not engage targets until you're sure of their nationality, unless you simply can't get a good look at them. Even in enemy ports there'll be neutrals, and the game's not corteous enough to distinguish between neutrals that are off-limits and neutrals you're allowed to attack.

[AG124]

Just want to point out that not all neutral ships in GWX are lighted. Large Merchants, Large Cargoes (C3), Medium Tankers (T2), Small Merchants, Small Tankers, Troop Transports, Fishing Boats, Sialing Crafts and all modded merchants (other than the Lightship) will never be lighted, because there are no lighted versions available (the Small Merchant and Small Tanker were lighted by Anvart, but too late for GWX). Therefore, for certain classes of ships, you should always check the flag to make sure of a vessel's neutrality.

The following list of vessels should appear lighted for neutral nations, although there might be a few non-lighted ones as well:

Large Tanker (T3)
Medium Merchant (C2)
Tramp Steamer (Coastal Merchant)
Passenger Liner
Passenger/Cargo (NPTR Transport)
Motor Vessel (Small Coastal Vessel)
Tugboat
Hospital Ship [Always Neutral Anyway]

Any of these vessels, when lighted, is neutral. The Lightship can be either Allied or neutral though.

The following merchants will never be lighted, and will need closer inspection as they may be darkened neutrals:

Coastal Tanker
Fishing Boat
Fishing Boat (Cutter)
Trawler
Trawler (Deep Sea Trawler)
Sloop
Schooner
Small Tanker
Medium Tanker (T2)
Medium Tanker (Empire Celt)
Whale Factory Ship
Passenger Liner (Chatham)
Passenger Liner (Ceramic)
Passenger Liner (Cunard) [Never neutral anyway]
LST
Passenger/Cargo (Caribou)
Small Merchant
Small Merchant (Belize)
Large Cargo (C3)
Large Merchant
Victory Cargo [Never neutral]
Liberty Cargo [Never neutral]
Pyro Ammunition Freighter

To sum it up:
- Lighted=Neutral (except maybe for some Lightships)
- Darkened=Either neutral, axis or allied (Need to check)

[AVGWarhawk]

This is true I had two US cargos in convoy together. One lite up and the other was not! Sink'em anyway so you don't have too later

[Venatore]

BDU is happy and thats whats counts, and the morale of your men, so i think your doing well captain....as BDU says keep up the good work !

[AG124]

I also forgot to mention that neither of the two Depot Ships will ever be lit up either. Although I don't think there are any neutral ones anyway - maybe a couple of neutral US ones exist in the campaign but I haven't had time to check lately.