Assist police by attacking a bountied sand ninja=arrest

[Zeal]

A sand ninja jounin ran into Clownsteady and was in a brawl with the mercenarys along with the police. I dediced to join in on the claim of the 5000 bounty, but upon "attacking unprovoked" the sand ninja, I got a 500 bounty aswell as the police turned on me, telling me i was under arrest.

[Abek]

Yeah, violence is now illegal in Kenshi. I watched a mercenary and a cop attack a bandit in Clownsteady. The mercenary's AOE swing nicked the cop (500 bounty) massive Cop vs. Mercenary fight. This bounty system turned all the police into raging pricks. Clownsteady now alternates between a police and mercenary state.

[Zeal]

Yeah, violence is now illegal in Kenshi. I watched a mercenary and a cop attack a bandit in Clownsteady. The mercenary's AOE swing nicked the cop (500 bounty) massive Cop vs. Mercenary fight. This bounty system turned all the police into raging pricks. Clownsteady now alternates between a police and mercenary state.

You know, people mention that "accidently hit" thing, but I have never had that happen. I can swing a fragment axe around at a bandit swarmed by other units all i want and it never hits anyone but the bandit. I think there is something else there going on, and people are confusing it for "accidently hitting them". Because AOE hits are based on whether or not you have an aggression flag against someone.

Either that or i've just been consistently lucky in defying the system. It has always been based off that aggression flag, and I don't recall that ever changing. I just think something else is happening that's tripping that flag.

[swillo]

I think that it has to do with the relations between the factions. If you are friendly with the faction then you will not hit them with a AOE. I have noticed that before I pick a side in a fight both sides can show as neutral. If I select one of the sides from a distance then when I reach the fight I will be fighting with one and against the other.
But if I make an attack from close range and swing before the system designates who is friend and foe, then I can hit everyone in range.
That is when the police and others will turn on me.

Have seen the same thing happen between police and caravan guards.

[Athrasis]

If I select one of the sides from a distance then when I reach the fight I will be fighting with one and against the other.
But if I make an attack from close range and swing before the system designates who is friend and foe, then I can hit everyone in range.
.

As far as I can tell it is like Swillo said. I've played around with it a bit to check and so far this holds true.