Like the subject says, check the weather when chasing a radar contact. I had picked up a radar contact south of Tokyo. It didn't seem to be going too fast so I turned around and gave chase. I am watching the nav map when my crew sights the target. Too my utter horror it is very foggy and a light cruiser is emerging from the fog!
I order back emergency when he opens fire. I then order a crash dive. After I start to dive, I order periscope depth. I figure once I go under the waves I can try and throw some torps his way. In the meantime, I have the damage control party hard at work. The hull indicator says 28%. I fire four torpedoes his way. One dives deep and the other a dud. After I fire from the bow I make a quick turn and fire some from the rear. Two hit him in the props, but that doesn't slow him down. After he escapes to the fog, I surface and follow with radar. I stalk him (he is zig-zagging) and set up another attack. I order PD and send another volley of fish his way. All of them were duds.
I let him get away and surface again. I stalk him some more with radar and again set up another attack. This time I send four torpedoes from the stern tubes. Three hit and one is a dud. Finally, the bugger is goin down.
Here's how many torps I used on him.
The mark shows first contact with radar.
Here are my battle scars.
After that encounter I decide to head back to Midway to end the patrol. I loved sending something bigger than a DD to the bottom, but next time I gotta be sure to check the weather.
