News from SPUK

Alhough only two months old, our UK print programme has already
undergone revision. Initially we split the production between two
printers. The maps went to a fine quality printer in Stockport whilst
the frontsheets, rules and charts etc. were given to a small printer in
Wigan. The maps went to the Stockport people because we were determined
to maintain the high quality attained with Sinai, Seelowe and Normandy
by these self same people last July. In a bid to keep unit costs down we
put the balance of the work out to the Wigan outfit who had given very
keen prices and who had handled the frontsheet, rules book and charts
for the Outreach game to our satisfaction. Whilst the components for the
Sniper, Starsoldier, Mech War '77 and Dreadnought games were acceptable,
we felt that a higher quality of reproduction was called for on the
frontsheets and improvement could be made on the binding and trimming of
the rules books. Since the bully boys in Wigan were unable to make the
requested improvements we went back to the Stockport printers who, after
several rethinks, quoted prices that we could go for. Starting with
Sorcerer they will handle all the components for our games except the
counters which we will continue to bring in from the States.

This move will put up the unit cost of production, however the extra
quality should justify the expenditure. This cost will not be passed on
to you nor will the latest increase in Inland Postal Rates. The Overseas
Postal Surcharges have been revised due to the large increase in foreign
postal rates.

Production of Patrol and Starforce was set originally for late June with
delivery to be effected July 10th. Unfortunately, the negatives for
these two games have not yet arrived from the States and it looks like
being late July before our stocks are to hand.

Fulda Gap was scheduled for production late May to be delivered to us
June 10th. Regrettably, SPI have fallen behind with their own production
schedule and negatives for this are not with us at the time of writing
(June 21st). This one looks like being late July as well. Hopefully, we
will get back on schedule for WWIII and Panzer '44.

Prior to the production of a title in the UK we deliberately run down
stocks of the imported version to the point where we go out of stock 2-3
weeks before taking delivery of our home produce. This is done, amongst
other reasons, to allow our stockists to clear out their stocks of
imported games before going on to the UK printed games thus avoiding
confusion on prices etc. Under these circumstances, it is inevitable
that some of you will order a game, receive an Out of Stock Notice, then
be sent a UK game when they come available. Since you will, in most
cases, have paid more than the Special Offer price, you will quite
rightly feel aggrieved at having been kept waiting for the game and
having paid more than was necessary. In such a case, please write to us
without delay giving full details of your order so that we may issue a
Credit Note for the appropriate amount.

It is not only SPI that are experiencing difficulty in meeting
schedules. Our very own Philmar were due to bring out two games,
Seastrike and Decline & Fall, in mid-April. Their delivery date went
back to mid-May, then mid-June and the latest we heard it will now be
mid-July before they are available. Apparently, one of their
sub-contractors has failed to come through with some of the game's
components.

Since we are on the subject of schedules, S&T 61 which was a couple of
days late in leaving SPI, got caught in a two day strike in New York.
Whilst this on its own would not have stopped us from meeting our
posting deadline, the two week delay suffered at the hands of
strikebound Liverpool Docks certainly did. The clerical staff at the
Docks downed pens and paperclips and left our much needed shipment
stranded in a container which was equally stranded in a park full of
very stranded containers. The shipment arrived 9.30am, May 31 st and all
the subscription issues were in the hands of the Post Office by 4.00pm
the same day. All out of stock items in that shipment were in the post
by June 2nd and the staff of SPUK took a well-earned Bank Holiday
recovering from their exertions.

Moves 32 is due to be delivered today and should be two days behind
schedule at most. This issue was late leaving the States due to SPl's
annual stocktake. Anyone who has been involved in a stocktake will
appreciate the upheaval experienced during such an operation and I
personally feel SPI did very well to keep so close to our timetable.

Despite the perfectly valid reasons given above for delays experienced
in posting S&T and Moves lately, it is becoming apparent that SPl's
printers are not getting the issues to SPI as quickly as was first
hoped. Whether this has been caused by pressure of work at the printers
or by a readjustment of the S&T and Moves timetable, I do not know. What
I do know is that if this trend continues I will be obliged to readjust
my own timetable which may mean dropping back our posting date by one or
two weeks.

The new GDW games announced in Issue 7, 'Citadel' and 'Bataille de la
Moscowa', have still not arrived at this point in time. GDW's UK agents
are unable to give us either a firm availability date or price on these.
Also expected from GDW are 'Pearl Harbour' (WWII Pacific) and
'Pharsalus' (Caesar and Pompey Roman Civil War). Availability date and
prices were, once again, not forthcoming from GDW's agents.

Response to the Autumn Games Orgy has been the best ever. After only two
weeks over two-thirds of the places have been snapped up and it looks
like we may get a full house this time round. If you are considering
coming to the Orgy and have not yet booked I suggest that you phone
first to ensure that there is room for you.

Due to administrative and stock level problems we have been obliged to
take a long hard look at our spare parts service. Whilst there is an
obvious need for this facility we have found that too much time and too
many part games are being tied up to allow its continuation at the
previous low cost. We have therefore revised the price schedule for
spare parts as detailed on page 14.

A subscriber, on returning his Issue 7 feedback card, asked why we
wasted so much space on the card by allowing sufficient boxes for 96
answers. Why did we not leave more space at the foot of the card for
customer comments? So why did we waste so much space? The answer is
quite simply that we did not see the wood for the trees. The criticism
is valid, constructive and has been acted on with effect from this
issue,

Please, when sending in your feedback card, do not put customer queries
on it as these cards are separated from all accompanying correspondence
for collation and any such queries become very anonymous. If you have
any queries, send them on a separate piece of paper with a
self-addressed, stamped envelope.

New games now in stock are 'Battlefleet Mars', 'The Conquerors', 'WWI
Module' and 'War Between The States'. 'War In The Pacific' and 'Air War
'78' are expected in stock late August.

Finally, I understand that 'The Ring Trilogy' and 'Lord of the Rings'
have been temporarily dropped from SPl's schedule due to copyright
difficulties.