Ship ID at night

[Mr. Redbird]

I'm patrolling off the west coast of Japan at 0130 hours on a moonless night when my radar operator informs me we have a contact bearing 110 degrees. We go to Battle Stations, rig for silent running, flood tubes 1 and 2, and ready for a surface attack. My question is this. How do you ID a ship in the pitch black of night? I had to get very close to make out the Japanese flag. I know since I was off the Japanese coast I could probably assume it was an enemy ship but we all know what assuming can result in. To close out the story. I ID's her as a medium merchant heading due south. I put one fish a midships which slowed her to a crawl and then I finished her off with 4 or 5 deck gun shells. About this time a Japanese destroyer shows up and he is pissed. I crash dive to 165 feet while the destoyer lays depth charges all around me. Eventually I was able to exit the arena.
This is a great game.