Matrix Games Forums

February 22, 1942

Air Storm

With Operation NEUMAN winding down the air war went nutso today. Maike and I agreed to upgrade to the latest beta patch, which fixes a strat movement bug but also turns on occupied-hex production, but in a modified way from long ago. Now HI is only on under certain conditions, but LI in on all the time. This changes the situation at Singers markedly, and makes the high-risk supply runs less necessary every turn. Supply at Singers is up to about 14,500 although it has cost me some ships. It's not to where I would start building Forts 5, and he's still bombing the AF although the major effort is still at Palembang, which hasn't put any work into FOrts in many days, but if he lets Singers keep breathing the supply situation will improve.

1) Some sub action here and there, but nothing out of the ordinary. USS Gudgeon attacks and misses a DD east of Wotje which might be an escort on the carriers retiring. The carriers were not seen today.

I-164 sinks xAK Clan Alpine trying to get into Singers. There are at least two IJN subs in shallow water south of Singers now, and only one 2-ship ASW TF.

2) A 2-DD raider TF out of Soerbaja heads to Balikpapan. It gets by a barrier patrol of:

Japanese Ships
DD Nokaze
APD Fuji
TB Chidori

Allied Ships
DD Paul Jones
DD Piet Hein

without incident, and finds a large TF unloading at Balikpapan. However, the Japanese get a lucky torpedo off, hit and sink a DD, and the survivor runs for it after one pee-wee hit on an escort. It encounters the barrier patrol again on the egress, but again runs past. A blown op for the Allies:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Balikpapan at 64,97, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Minegumo, Shell hits 1
DMS W-1
xAK Imizu Maru
xAK Asahisan Maru
xAK Maebasi Maru
xAK Mito Maru
xAK Tarayasu Maru
xAP Kokuryu Maru

Allied Ships
DD Paul Jones
DD Piet Hein, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

3) Landings begin at Kendari, which has a small garrison. This might be a worthy target for Force Z, but it's a long hike plus exposure. Have to think on this one.

Pre-Invasion action off Kendari (70,106)

12 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CL Tama
DD Asagumo
AMC Bankok Maru
DD Harusame

Amphibious Assault at Kendari (70,106)

TF 78 troops unloading over beach at Kendari, 70,106

Japanese ground losses:
144 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

4) Air battles at Palembang and Singers intense. Multiple sweeps on each, multiple large bomber strikes. A pack of mutts on CAP at Palembang do their best, but lose in a 5:1 ratio. I am out of PPs trying to upgrade air COs; found some in the mid-20s. Another thing I never worried about playing the AI.

Example of sweep. Note altitude of Zeros. The only reason I am opposing these sweeps and not retreating to Batavia is to try to protect the TBs and B-26s below so they remain a credible threat to surface TF incursion to hunt the Singers re-supply ships. With production back on at Singers this may no longer be as necessary in the next days:

Morning Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 29,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 26

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 4
Hurricane IIb Trop x 2
P-38E Lightning x 1
P-40E Warhawk x 5
F4F-3 Wildcat x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
P-38E Lightning: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed


Example of intense type of bombing seen in many places on map today. Palembang AF is about 65% damaged, although the runways are much lower, about 20%:

Morning Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
G3M2 Nell x 29
G4M1 Betty x 24
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 12

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 2
Hurricane IIb Trop x 1
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 2 damaged

Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 50

5) Japanese cavalry regiment observed crossing river SW of Magwe aimed more or less at Akyab. Bombed and strafed by AVG from Mandalay, minor loses. Allied tank unit at Chittagong ordered down yellow raod to Akyab, and a large Chinese corps is ordered there as well from Magwe. The road network on the northern Burma coast favors the Allies, and Chittagong is a large and growing supply hub too. If he wants Akyab and Cox's Bazaar he'll have to bring more than this. Pt. Blair is rapidly building out its AF and will be a credible threat to this section of coast should he try sea supply.

6) Only ground combat is Allied bombardmant at Kendari revealing this is a division landing.

Ground combat at Kendari (70,106)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 596 troops, 9 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 29

Defending force 9752 troops, 120 guns, 32 vehicles, Assault Value = 428

Assaulting units:
Kendari Garrison Battalion
Kendari Base Force

Defending units:
33rd Div /4

7) USS Sculpin, crippled by a mine strike at Hokkaido, finally tucks into her berth on the 1010 Dock at Pearl. Bravo Zulu to captian and crew for bringing this lady home safely.

February 23, 1942

"B" is for Balikpapan

1) All indications point to Japan rapidly building up this base as more than a fuel depot. Many TFs coming and going in the strait as well as strong ASW activity. The large TF engaged by Durch DDs this week show a probable large garrison defense plus base force and aircraft build-up. This turn a fleet boat just south of Davao attacks and misses a submarine tender (AS Rio de Janiero Maru) and escort. It would make sense to locate an AS at Balikpapan for fuel and AF size reasons. Subs from there would work to isolate and cancel Soerbaja's regional effectiveness. An AS at Tarakan also makes sense, trading off safety behind the lines for transit time. My bet is Balikpapan.

More tankers are seen in the strait. With Palembang, Magwe, Medan, and Soerbaja still in Allied hands as March approaches Balikpapan's fuel volumes look attractive. And with the volume of Allied subs working out of Soerbaja the need to sanitize the area can only increase.

2) Near Toboali, between Singers and Palembang, the 2-DD RN ASW TF (Four abbreeves in a row! Yes!), both ships with high ASW ratings, work over I-162 in a most satisfying manner. Forward torpedo tubes are destroyed, earning this one a trip back to a major shipyard. Manila would work, but Japan continues to squat before Clark, leaving Bataan unsupplied, very much bombed, and also unattacked. There is no good reason now to leave Luzon in Allied hands. The troop loses will be minor compared to the daily ops loss toll on 50-75 bombers, and Manila is a great prize to have for shipyard and AF reasons if only Japan can get to it. When my opponent reads this I hope he understands that the northern PI got the gift of time and he didn't need to do that. It's past ready to be plucked.

3) An R-boat is in desperately shallow and confined waters at the southern terminus of the Straits of Malacca, trying to interdict the supply flow to Singers. It shoots and misses. Marys bomb two small xAKs unloading, but they survive. Siingers' internal supply generation switches on this turn after the beta patch. It is not enough to fully supply the garrison, but it helps greatly. Supply hovers about 13,500. One air HQ has been fully evacced to Palembang, lowering the supply demand.

4) A max-range B-17 strike on Balikpapan port, looking for tankers, runs into the first Tojo CAP seen. I believe Japan gets one or two "demonstrator" Tojo units at the beginning, similar to the USA's P-38 units. I don't think Tojo R&D plus production change-over could have happened yet. If they have this is an ungood development for February 1942. The Forts get through with some damage, do some CAP damage, hit nothing.

5) Fanatical levels of AF bombing and sweeps continue at Singers and Palembang, but how many times can I say that? Apparently one more time at least. [:)]

6) 33rd Division takes Kendari. The Dutch garrison retreats.

Just caught up after a couple-week hiatus. You win some, you lose some. If nothing else, the Johnston Island foray will keep him wary. Plus, I'd say you are doing quite well in Malaya/DEI, which is more important anyway.

Speaking of the Rio de Janeiro Maru, that was one of my favorite wrecks in Truk Lagoon, with plenty of torpedos and spare periscopes still in it and not too deep.

Cheers,
CC

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

Just caught up after a couple-week hiatus. You win some, you lose some. If nothing else, the Johnston Island foray will keep him wary. Plus, I'd say you are doing quite well in Malaya/DEI, which is more important anyway.

Speaking of the Rio de Janeiro Maru, that was one of my favorite wrecks in Truk Lagoon, with plenty of torpedos and spare periscopes still in it and not too deep.

Cheers,
CC

Mike and I both got a lot out of NEUMAN. Despite my losses it was fun. A lot of planning versus what I ever had to do in an AI game. We made a deal that each of us could ask one question about what happened, a very temporary lowering of the Opsec curtain. It turns out his fear was something I never even thought of until the op was almost over--ground invasion. And he asked me why I sent my cruisers in first when I had a huge BB array.

Rio de Janeiro Maru, while a good looking ship, is not now, in the game, in water shallow enough to allow diving. [:)]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

And he asked me why I sent my cruisers in first when I had a huge BB array.

I kinda wondered that myself. However, I can see the value of softening up the target.

Rio de Janeiro Maru, while a good looking ship, is not now, in the game, in water shallow enough to allow diving. [:)]

That's a shame.

I'm debating starting a PBEM myself. However, I don't think I could promise more than 3 turns a week. To me, the two key thoughts I'd have that I wouldn't get with an AI game would be:

1) "What diabolical plan is my opponent hatching this minute?"; and
2) "What can I do to fake my opponent out?"

In an AI game it's not like your subtlety, misdirection and maskirovka can have an effect.

Cheers,
CC

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

And he asked me why I sent my cruisers in first when I had a huge BB array.

I kinda wondered that myself. However, I can see the value of softening up the target.

For me it was the speed disparity. I thought if I went BB/CA both would get there to find the base empty. With the cruisers first I had hopes of doing enough damage, through sacrifice, to slow his BBs' retreat and run them out of ammo. Might have worked too if my BBs hadn't reacted south.

I'm debating starting a PBEM myself. However, I don't think I could promise more than 3 turns a week. To me, the two key thoughts I'd have that I wouldn't get with an AI game would be:

1) "What diabolical plan is my opponent hatching this minute?"; and
2) "What can I do to fake my opponent out?"

In an AI game it's not like your subtlety, misdirection and maskirovka can have an effect.

Cheers,
CC

I think 3 turns a week is the lower limit of where the game would have continuity for each side. The biggest loss I feel from AI play is the ability to do multiple turns in a sitting, to get into the flow of the game, and to get immediate feedback on your entered move. Two-day turns would be my recco if you can only do three turns a week. You might surprise yourself though. If you don't AAR a turn can be half an hour. It varies.

Knowing there is a human brain on the other end does get you up on your toes. Mike has done a lot of things I never even thought of, especially on land. The AI would never do what he's done around Hawaii. PBEM does change your habits. But it's important to have an opponent who understands your real life limits.

February 24, 1942

Singapore Slings. And Arrows.

"To be, or not to be, that is the question:
Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer
The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,
Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them: to die, to sleep
No more; and by a sleep, to say we end
The Heart-ache, and the thousand Natural shocks
That Flesh is heir to? 'Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die to sleep,
To sleep, perchance to Dream; Aye, there's the rub,
For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,"

Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1

1) Singapore, beset by many arrows, does not yet shuffle off its mortal coil. Proving once again the usefulness of supply and Forts, it survives and deals another body blow to Japan. This time a deliberate and not a shock attack, the IJA has an HQ in the hex and a fair bit of artillery. The infantry is two full divisions, including the Guards, and numerous regiments. Whether leaving the regiments un-rebuilt is wise I don't know; Mike and I discussed this in passing after the first attack and my impression was he planned to combine. I sought to sow the seeds of doubt, however, by reminding him that once combined regiments are lost forever, and that they are excellent units for garrison duty.

The attack does knock Forts down to 3, which is a shame, but that's what they're for. Supply rests at 17,300 after the battle. I must decide if trying to rebuild is worth the supplies versus time versus fatigue versus hope of finishing given the extreme levels of air attack coming most days. Also, from the combat report it appears that the PP investment in changing COs once again pays dividends for the Allies. The Japanese engineer units are devastated. It is unclear how soon a follow-up can occur. Japan so far has been very protective of its troops. A shock attack here almost certainly would have taken down two Fort levels, but the infantry losses would have been much more severe.

Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 57658 troops, 599 guns, 352 vehicles, Assault Value = 1879

Defending force 44600 troops, 582 guns, 366 vehicles, Assault Value = 1283

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Japanese adjusted assault: 2143

Allied adjusted defense: 5867

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
7664 casualties reported
Squads: 24 destroyed, 416 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 87 disabled
Engineers: 77 destroyed, 103 disabled
Guns lost 43 (2 destroyed, 41 disabled)
Vehicles lost 17 (3 destroyed, 14 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1061 casualties reported
Squads: 45 destroyed, 173 disabled
Non Combat: 22 destroyed, 62 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 31 disabled
Guns lost 32 (12 destroyed, 20 disabled)
Vehicles lost 17 (3 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
56th Engineer Regiment
5th Division
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
56th Infantry Regiment
114th Infantry Regiment
16th Infantry Regiment
2nd Tank Regiment
12th Engineer Regiment
148th Infantry Regiment
56th Recon Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
55th Infantry Regiment
113th Infantry Regiment
24th Infantry Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
25th Army
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
20th AA Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
18th Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
56th Field Artillery Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
34th Field AA Battalion

Defending units:
1st Malay Battalion
11th Indian Division
2/17 Dogra Battalion
2nd Malay Battalion
3rd SSVF Battalion
1st Manchester Battalion
1st Hyderabad Battalion
2nd Loyal Battalion
22nd Australian Brigade
3rd Cavalry Regiment
1st Mysore Battalion
SSVF Brigade
5/14th Punjab Battalion
27th Australian Brigade
9th Indian Division
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
FMSV Brigade
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
Singapore Base Force
3rd HK&S Light AA Regiment
III Indian Corps
110th RAF Base Force
Singapore Fortress
2nd ISF Base Force
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
109th RAF Base Force
1st ISF Base Force
112th RAF Base Force
3rd Heavy AA Regiment
3rd ISF Base Force
Malayan Air Wing
111th RAF Base Force
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
Malaya Army
109th RN Base Force

BTW, this is a Singapore Sling, the signature drink at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. If one looks up "high British Empire" in the dictionary one sees a picture of the Raffles. It was everything, good and bad, inherent in the Empire.




2) Action in the Makassar Strait is thick and fast.

a) O-16 is worked over twice by APD-led ASW TFs.

b) A 3-ship TF led by CL Marblehead fights DD Uruyuke, a modern fleet destroyer, twice, sinking her in the second battle. The DD fights well, inflicting 28 system damage on Marblehead plus more on her escorts.

c) O-19 puts a fish into DD-escorted AS Rio de Janiero Maru, which was indeed headed to Balikpapan. On fire, she proceeds down the strait and is attacked by S-36, which finishes the job. The sub base at Balikpapan will have to wait, but the idea is a good one, so another AS may be detailed.

d) PTs operating at extreme fuel range complicate the tactical picture as they sail from Bandjermasin around the SE corner of Borneo. IJN surface patrols do bite and are pulled a bit south, away from the retiring Marblehead TF.

e) B-17s fly "bomber LRCAP" against Balikpapan, challenging the Tojos and bombing the port, both without results.

3) Funny how things work out. Yesterday, landings began at Kendari. Today, Banshees on Timor find they are one hex too short to reach Kendari, so they re-base to Ambon, where a tiny Dutch garrison has lived with its head down since 12/7. It has a bit of aviation support. The Banshees attack the TF at Kendari, but do not hit. Later in the phase Japan begins SNLF andings at AMBON, completely unseen in advance. Two Banshees attack the landing on their doorstep. They also miss. But with sound effects from Curly of The Three Stooges ("Whuuup, whuup, whuup!") they will beat feet back to Timor tomorrow before Ambon falls to a gust of wind.

4) Bombing at Singers shows how much Japan is relying on this to drive the supply levels down. It is unclear how long the Japanese air forces can keep up this rate of loss:

Morning Air attack on Singapore , at 50,84

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 15
G4M1 Betty x 22
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 21

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 10 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 18 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 40

5) Large Zero sweep of Soerbaja continues the pre-work at this base. The Dutch fighters are no match. Pretty soon some help will be required from Palembang and Batavia, stretching the feeble Allied CAP resources even farther. The shipyard at Soerbaja is crucial to operations in the entire region. It needs to stay viable as long as possible if the sub effort in the Makassar Strait is to continue.

February 24, 1942 (continued)

A screenshot showing the crowded situation in the Makassar Strait.

Congratulations on getting RDJ Maru! Nice prize. You get full credit for deducing where it was headed and laying your trap. [&o]
Shame on him for not routing it through the shallow water hex to the NW.

Also congrats on keeping the Singapore thorn in his side. His attack destroyed more of your AV than he lost though, so the end is starting to come. Hope he loses more time waiting for recoveries of disabled squads.

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Congratulations on getting RDJ Maru! Nice prize. You get full credit for deducing where it was headed and laying your trap. [&o]
Shame on him for not routing it through the shallow water hex to the NW.

Also congrats on keeping the Singapore thorn in his side. His attack destroyed more of your AV than he lost though, so the end is starting to come. Hope he loses more time waiting for recoveries of disabled squads.

Yes, the AS is worth 23 VP I think.

Also,. the screen shot is taken during the movie, so not all the TFs are shown. There are actually five more subs in the strait and just north of it not in the shot.

Singers' function is to buy time and kill AV. I hold out no hope it will survive. But while he fights there things in Burma are getting more built up, and Palembang is denied him. If I could get another month out of Singers I'd do a dance.

We'll hold you to that promised dance, and we want video! Never saw a moose dance before. [:D]

PS - meant to mention that I remember Singapore Slings very well from my days courting my future wife, just before University grad. One of those fruit punch concoctions with gin that are easy to drink but hit you hard and suddenly afterward. Grenadine, Cherry Heering or Cherry Brandy, cream and gin, may have been some lemonade too.

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

We'll hold you to that promised dance, and we want video! Never saw a moose dance before. [:D]

PS - meant to mention that I remember Singapore Slings very well from my days courting my future wife, just before University grad. One of those fruit punch concoctions with gin that are easy to drink but hit you hard and suddenly afterward. Grenadine, Cherry Heering or Cherry Brandy, cream and gin, may have been some lemonade too.

I used to Hustle. Me and my leisure suit. [:'(]

One Sling site I saw when looking for a picture bewails the modern versions of the drink. A true recipe, taken from the native bartender's notes when he invented it at the Raffles, demands nothing les than Cherry Heering and the local variety of pineapple, which apparently is much different than the Hawaiian variety we're used to in NA. It says most modern drinkers have never had anything close to a true Sling, even if the drink menu calls it that.

Me, I stopped drinking anything red after a bad night with sloe gin in the 1970s.

Well, OK then - next time I am in Singers I will look up said establishment and ancient bartender, or his descendents that use his secret recipe!
Never had a Piña Colada until we flew into Puerto Rico on a training mission. Made with real coconut milk and fresh pineapple juice - never had its equal since [I'm sure the local rum didn't hurt either]

Too bad young people today seem to go just for the factory-mixed shooters instead of sampling the delicious cocktails.

This is what the Wiki on Singapore Slings says:

"The Singapore Sling is a South-East Asian cocktail that was developed sometime before 1915[1] by Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender working at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel Singapore. The original recipe used gin, Cherry Heering, Bénédictine, and fresh pineapple juice, primarily from Sarawak pineapples which enhance the flavour and create a foamy top.

Most recipes substitute bottled pineapple juice for fresh juice; soda water has to be added for foam. The hotel's recipe was recreated based on the memories of former bartenders and written notes that they discovered regarding the original recipe. One of the scribbled recipes is still on display at the Raffles Hotel Museum.

Recipes published in articles about Raffles Hotel before the 1970s are significantly different from current recipes, and "Singapore Slings" drunk elsewhere in Singapore differ from the recipe used at Raffles Hotel.

The current Raffles Hotel recipe is a heavily modified version of the original, most likely changed sometime in the 1970s by Ngiam Tong Boon's nephew. Today, many of the "Singapore Slings" served at Raffles Hotel have been pre-mixed and are made using an automatic dispenser that combines alcohol and pineapple juice to pre-set volumes. They are then blended instead of shaken to create a nice, foamy top as well as to save time because of the large number of orders. However, it is still possible to request a shaken version from bartenders.

By the 1980s, the Singapore Sling was often little more than gin, bottled sweet and sour, and grenadine. With the move towards fresh juices and the re-emergence of quality products like Cherry Heering, the cocktail has again become a semblance of its former self.[2]"


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Sling

A shock attack here almost certainly would have taken down two Fort levels, but the infantry losses would have been much more severe.

Not sure about the 2 levels. Adjusted AV ratio is 2143 to 5867, even if he got a doubling that's still 1:2. But say he gets 1:1 through some fluke, that's still a 1:1 which would only drop one level - I think. I'm pretty sure that a deliberate attack fort lowering does not stack on top of an engineer induced drop; guess I'm not as sure with a shock attack but I would assume it would be the same. But I don't think a shock would have hit 1:1 unless there were some lucky randoms.

ORIGINAL: erstad

A shock attack here almost certainly would have taken down two Fort levels, but the infantry losses would have been much more severe.

Not sure about the 2 levels. Adjusted AV ratio is 2143 to 5867, even if he got a doubling that's still 1:2. But say he gets 1:1 through some fluke, that's still a 1:1 which would only drop one level - I think. I'm pretty sure that a deliberate attack fort lowering does not stack on top of an engineer induced drop; guess I'm not as sure with a shock attack but I would assume it would be the same. But I don't think a shock would have hit 1:1 unless there were some lucky randoms.

I assumed a shock also juices the engineer portion as they participate in the attack after the prelims. But you're probably right; I'm no combat algo expert. A shock would have cost us both a lot more infantry KIAs.

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

This is what the Wiki on Singapore Slings says:

"The Singapore Sling is a South-East Asian cocktail that was developed sometime before 1915[1] by Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender working at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel Singapore. The original recipe used gin, Cherry Heering, Bénédictine, and fresh pineapple juice, primarily from Sarawak pineapples which enhance the flavour and create a foamy top.

Most recipes substitute bottled pineapple juice for fresh juice; soda water has to be added for foam. The hotel's recipe was recreated based on the memories of former bartenders and written notes that they discovered regarding the original recipe. One of the scribbled recipes is still on display at the Raffles Hotel Museum.

Recipes published in articles about Raffles Hotel before the 1970s are significantly different from current recipes, and "Singapore Slings" drunk elsewhere in Singapore differ from the recipe used at Raffles Hotel.

The current Raffles Hotel recipe is a heavily modified version of the original, most likely changed sometime in the 1970s by Ngiam Tong Boon's nephew. Today, many of the "Singapore Slings" served at Raffles Hotel have been pre-mixed and are made using an automatic dispenser that combines alcohol and pineapple juice to pre-set volumes. They are then blended instead of shaken to create a nice, foamy top as well as to save time because of the large number of orders. However, it is still possible to request a shaken version from bartenders.

By the 1980s, the Singapore Sling was often little more than gin, bottled sweet and sour, and grenadine. With the move towards fresh juices and the re-emergence of quality products like Cherry Heering, the cocktail has again become a semblance of its former self.[2]"


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Sling

Having been there within the last year I can tell you there are a lot of quality versions available now.

About the siege, it looks like the Alies are holding well here. It can turn quickly when the forts go down below 2 though. If he brought enough support, including the Southern Army HQ in range, he could attack again within a week at nearly full strength.

ORIGINAL: obvert

Having been there within the last year I can tell you there are a lot of quality versions available now.

About the siege, it looks like the Alies are holding well here. It can turn quickly when the first go down below 2 though. If he brought enough support, including the Southern Army HQ in range, he could attack again within a week at nearly full strength.

That looks like a nice bar. You rarely get the high-quality paper umbrellas anymore.[:'(]

I think I've had intel that Southern Amry HQ is at JB, or maybe Mersing. I believe I got intel it was prepping for Palembang. Maybe ten days ago now. I agree that Forts 2 is a threshold. As an experiment I ordered fort building yesterday to see how much might occur with the bombing. I'll also watch supply levels. Probably a two day experiment.

February 25, 1942

A Day Like Any Day

Low-key day.

1) Ambon landings continue. CD works over two xAKs. Sinking sounds heard off-screen later in phase. At end of turn, after Allied bombardment and no IJA attack, Forts there go to 3. How lucky can you get? I don't think an SNLF is going to get it done. The Banshees are evacced less two under reapir.

2) PT TF sent around the SE tip of Borneo pays for lack of fuel on withdrawl by being slaughtered to the last boat by 3-ship surface patrol. They had done their job though in eating ops points and letting Marblehead's TF get away clean.

3) Naval Guard unit begins landing at Madjene. Now that the Celebes have been engaged Japan is moving right along, making use of the amphib bonus.

4) More supply slips into Singers. R-boat engages one xAP passing and misses. Marys bomb and strafe and one burning xAK from two days ago sinks in the harbor. Japanese aircraft losses and damage continue at high levels. Today's bill at Singers:

G3M2 Nell: 6 damaged
G3M2 Nell: 2 destroyed by flak
G4M1 Betty: 9 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 1 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 3 damaged
Ki-30 Ann: 4 damaged
Ki-30 Ann: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-32 Mary: 5 damaged

Moose,

Do you have a link to your old thread on invasion reinforcements? Google has failed me, and I'm doing some work on an OOB lister.