ORIGINAL: oldtimer
Wouldn't that be kinda realistic, though? I mean as far as international law and the law of the sea worked at that time? I'm not an expert, but it seems to me that if GB would attack a ship of a neutral country, it would, from a legal point of view, be equal to an attack on the actual soil of the country that flags the ship. I.e. a de facto declaration of war. And whatever the ship might be carrying is irrelevant in the eyes of the law in that regard. So, surely, such an attack would not be taken very lightly by the nation being attacked.
I mean, it might deviate from the old EiA rules, but maybe it's more realistic in some sense...
I dunno, just playing devil's advocate here...
Actually the board game did take this into account when a warring nation attacks a neutrals fleet transporting corp from a nation it is at war with. This is I believe the only case in which the neutral transporting nation could actually declare war on the attacking power regardless of an enforced peace and do a DOW during a NAVAL phase. It had to be done at the time of the attack.
i.e. GB is at war with FR. SP who is Allied with FR (or both) is transporting FR corp. GB attacks the SP fleet transporting the corp. SP could then at its option Declare War on GB at that moment paying all PP cost or else let GB attack and the results are the results and peace continues for the time being between SP and GB.
It is however an issue that does need to be addressed if GB can not (or any nation) attack fleets transporting enemy corp. This I feel has a bigger negative impact on GB.
I recall there might be something similar to this in the land phase but I can't remember. My mind is getting old.
The game gives *GB* (not SP) in this case the option of attacking *without* DoW, or of immediately declaring war (Even if there is an enforced peace) then attacking
The other side ('neutral' but carrying enemy corps) would have to wait for the next DoW phase if they wanted to DoW, and would not be able to if there was an enforced peace.
The only land equivalent is the optional rule of forcible access
(e.g. if France and Au are not allied (or allied but Au denies access), and FR wants to pass through AU lands he may do so at the cost of -1pp each *turn* he forces his way into austrean areas. If FR does force access, AU may immediately declare war.
This has to happen immediately (though the chance is given each time a counter forcing access moves)
Au could DoW *in spite* of enforced peace (but may NOT DoW if he already has forces in the country he wishes to DoW - in this case if an Au garrison was in FR lands, Au could not DoW FR)
I don't remember if forcible access is included in CEiA, it was a late-comer to the game (a rule added in the erratta)