So I've been wondering - why, once you join a side, are you given a bounty for attacking uniformed members of the opposite faction? It is after all a war, and I don't think two factions from opposite ends are going to let each other peacefully walk by if they see each other. So why do I get a bounty for breaking some Stormcloak face with my shield, particularly if the group is wandering around in Imperial territory?

I mean, I know the bounty goes away when you kill the last person, but whats the point of getting one in the first place?

I mean hell, if you're the one man(woman) wreaking crew that decimates all Stormcloak/Imperial soldiers you come across, you'd think the Stormcloaks/Imperials would reward you for each group you destroy.

If you attack a member of the faction who isn't hostile(while there are witnesses) you always get a bounty. If you wait for them to attack or attack without witnesses on the other hand...

Well, back in my Stormcloak days, I got a 1000 gold bounty for killing the Imperial Soldiers who were hauling a Stormcloak prisoner. I had a hunch as to who reported me, so I slaughtered the Stormcloak dog and my bounty disappeared.

They probably forgot about the "attack someone first and you get a bounty" system when doing the civil war. Some Stormcloaks will probably attack you first, but that is only when you get too close. Those Stormcloak couriers come running into a town, every time I attack them, I get a bounty. But apparently, the guards can kill him all they want.

I got a bounty for killing Nazeem. Can you believe that?

Two things have pissed me off regarding this topic:
- The legates/generals at the imperial/stormcloak camps are essential. You can't kill them even if you're on the opposite side.
- Once some imperials were attacking Riften guards, I attacked the imperials as a stormcloak, instantly got a bounty and the Riften guards and imperial soldiers all turned on me. This is so immersion breaking.