Huh? Civilian on a hunter ship?

[cassiels]

There were two hunters coming at me, no other ships anywhere because I had destroyed them.
Before boarding them I swivelgunned as many of the crew as possible.
Then I got a "Warning: killing any more civilians or domestic animals will lead to desynchronization." What civilians? They should not be on a hunter. How was I to know? Or how was I to know I shot the ship's cat?

[Downtown Brown]

It happens sometimes. I don't know what causes it, but it's rare and doesn't seem to affect much.

[Rebel]

its a pirates game it shoudnt matter if you kill civilians lol

[Iron]

I encountered the same thing. I have a theory that when you've killed the required amount of enemy crew, but when you kill one more who has his hands up, it says that he's a civilian, and that your ancestor didn't kill said civilians. That's the problem.

[cassiels]

Makes sense.
I had this again yesterday though when I sank a gunboat accompanying a regular convoy. Gunboats can't be boarded so there is no max amount of crew to be killed. I've always destroyed the two gunboats that are alongside the moneyship.
And in the war room in a fort you have to kill the surrendering commander.
I don't want a game to make me feel guilty.

[social capital]

Super late response, but I just came across this. It happens when you kill one of the soldiers climbing up from the inside of the ship onto the deck. The game considers them innocent AI until they are actually on the deck itself and in combat.

[Lain]

Have you tried to use the fury john cena dart on a civilian? You can't even fight back...