I could use an update, especially in regards to playing with other commanders. I've tried looking this up, but there is so much contradictory or outdated info , especially on the main forums, that I can't make sense of it. I've basically played alone these last few months - until today with Hengest. I didn't really know what I was doing and if there are some general guidelines about bounty hunting around and with other commanders that I should have been following.
Is "kill stealing" still a thing? I thought bounties were supposed to be shared. When I BH at RE sites, I always seem to get the whole bounty, whether system security is shooting the target and whether I take the last shot, or not. I've not used a KWS so I can't be sure, but I usually get the same bounties regardless. With Hengest, I received no bounties on a couple ships that we were both attacking. Hengest got the last shot on both (that wasn't any kind of accusation - on one I started attacking another target, and on the other I accidentally boosted past the target). So is it different with NPCs and CMDRs? If Hengest was attacking a target and I joined in at took the last shot, would I have stolen the bounty?
When is accidentally shooting "friendlies" a problem? I'm sure I've accidentally shot local security ships and I no longer get a bounty and wanted status like I used to get. I can't remember if they were allied or not. But today I accidentally boosted into Hengest's line of fire and he accidentally hit me. He got a bounty and the local security started attacking him, driving him out of the system. I'm not currently allied with Hengest, if that makes a difference. Is there a difference between shooting local security, clean NPCs, and clean CMDRs, and whether they are allied or not? Should you turn off crime reporting if you are BH with another commander, or would the local security detect in anyway?
I'd also be curious if they have different rules for players in wings? For example, will accidentally shooting a wing mate not be considered a crime? And if a wing attacks a target, who gets the bounty? I can read up on these as the info is still current. And, of course, wings can always make their own rules for how to deal with the system.
Thanks.