For being neutral you first need a situation of at least 2 sides competing/fighting each other.
In case of a block war you're neutral, if you don't choose a side to fight with or the other side to fight against. If you attack a target, cos it's on one side you're NOT neutral. You're just neutral, if you choose a target, cos of the roids. You attack all sides and don't help any side against another.
So in Planetarion you can be neutral. But you're just neutral to the sides in the situation of competition/war.
You're still neutral, when you retal. You're attacking the opponent, cos he attacked you, not for being on a special side.
(not attacking ne1 doesn't mean being neutral but pacifist
)