Pre-wardec warning check/message request

[SonOfAGhost]

Playing GB, US just invaded Windsor (Canada). I'm using the extended SOI and claims settings so the war happening isn't an issue. I see no reason the problem couldn't arise upon any war declaration under vanilla settings as well.

Following the US sneak attack (no prior diplomatic events/messages) I found myself the proud new owner of 7 transport squadrons in Quebec and Halifax. (I've yet to check all my ports around the world to see if there are others.) Would warships have been seized as well, or are just transports affected?

I thought it was a nice gesture of them (on Canada Day no less) to begin their war reparations even before I torch the White House again, but I don't think it was deliberate.

Recommendation: When declaring war a check should be made, and a warning issued before the wardec is implemented, to the AI/player if they have fleets in the war target's ports so they can put to sea before ending their turn.

Would land units using a passage treaty have the same problem?

[PhilThib]

Ideally, we would want a one turn delay between war declaration and actual start of hostilities, something that would be in phase with the era's spirit

[SonOfAGhost]

Ideally, we would want a one turn delay between war declaration and actual start of hostilities, something that would be in phase with the era's spirit

"If you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite"
- Winston Churchill re: whether Britain should formally declare war on Japan after being attacked.

I was busy enough playing whack-a-mole in Egypt and Burma, a fight with the US wasn't my choice, but I'm not about to turn down 35 tons of free cargo space.

The ships weren't captured in battle though, they were in my ports under a mutual supply treaty when the US attacked and were automatically captured as soon as the status changed to 'at war'. No hostilities required.

The potential for AI or player to hose themselves that way is huge. Imagine the implications of the British Home Fleet resupplying in Danzig when they declare war on Germany at the start of WWI. Who need U-boats when you can ring the Isles with Dreadnaughts uncontested? A player screws up like that they can go back a turn. If the human is playing as, say, Italy, and a UK AI does it though, the first they'll even know about it is when the Germans capture Yarmouth in 1915

[Pocus]

I'll go for a work around here, as others solution would be too difficult to implement. You can't capture (or the AI can't) ships from a nation you are at war with, if the war just erupted. Capturing ships after some clever amphibious or land operations will still work.

[Sir Garnet]

I assumed, and think most players would assume, that either units are expelled/flee from the country (to prevent mischief), or they engage in hostilities in place. Players can accommodate any sensible resolution, so I think this should be dictated by what works best for the AI.