News from SPUK

In the first issue of Phoenix we asked you if you wanted to see
Phoenix produced on a regular bi-monthly basis. The answer to this
question has been an emphatic yes.

To date we have received feedback cards from 24.31% of our U.K.
subscribers, a very encouraging sign indeed. The closing date for
feedback acceptance is still 3 days away. However for the benefit of
this issue we have analysed the most important questions regarding
Phoenix.

Q1. Would you like to see Phoenix produced on a regular bi-monthly
basis? 

Yes 97.46% 
No 1.53% 
No opinion 1.01%

Q2. Would you subscribe to Phoenix? 

Yes 95.56% 
No 2.87% 
No opinion 1.57%

Q3. If yes would you do so on the basis of merit or because you feel
that you should support a UK oriented board game magazine

Merit 60.38% 
Support 16.67% 
No opinion 22.95%

Q4. Given that you want to receive Phoenix, would you like to do so
as (1) part of your S&T sub (2) as a separate subscription. 

Part of sub 87.19% 
Separate sub 11.44% 
No opinion 1.37%

The only question/answer that we cannot put too much credence in is
question 3 which was badly worded. So much so that we are repeating
it in this issue's feedback.

Further details on your answers will be given in the next issue of
Phoenix.

When we decided to print Normandy, Sinai and Seelowe we calculated
that we needed a 10% response from our full mailing list on the
special offer to make the operation viable. The offer has been known
to S&T subscribers (who represent 15% of our mailing list) for 3
weeks, it has a further 5 weeks to run, and to date we are only
0.63% short of our subscriber target.

This is, of course, very encouraging, however it is reaction from
the non subscribers that will make or break the operation. We are in

the process of mailing details to all the non subscribers on our
mailing list, also the offer is being publicised in three hobby
magazines. If this sort of exposure does not produce the response we
are looking for then it's back to the drawing board.

In anticipation of getting the green light, we are feedbacking a
further 12 titles for possible print over here.

The logical follow up to a successful print of older games is the
printing of new games when they come out. As a further tentative
step in the direction of near self sufficiency we are pushing ahead
with plans to print the North African Quads. You will find details
of our special offer on this game in the magazine insert.

I would like to take this opportunity to stress that the expansion
of our print programme is entirely in the hands of you, the gamers.
If the demand for less expensive games is sufficiently high we will
be more than happy to push on and print the full range of SPI
titles. The benefit to you is immediate, you save money. The benefit
to us is long term in that we will become less reliant on SPI's
ability to supply us, also we can cut loose from the problems of
currency fluctuation.

To stick to importation binds us to the eternal and/or infernal
problem of the pound sterling. Since SPUK started, the pound has
fallen from 2.40 to 1.77 against the dollar. That massive drop has
resulted in prices being steadily pushed up over the past 2 years.
By rights they should go up even further, however we intend to hold
our prices down and allow the increase in units sold to compensate
for the drop in profit.

The situation may only be temporary since one never knows just when
there will be another run on the pound.

The only long term solution we can come up with is to print over
here, however that is financially less prudent than sticking to
importation .

To state the facts boldly, if we import 200 games from SPI, we start making a profit after the first 100 have been sold.
If we print 3000 games we do not start making a profit until we have sold 1200 games. 1200 copies of a single title
may not sound much, but when one bears in mind the fact that our best selling title to date has only sold 550 units in
5 months then perhaps you can appreciate the giant step that we are trying to take.

Contrary to opinions expressed by members of the 'Green Cheese Brigade', SPUK does not have access to
unlimited funds, the hard facts are that we must sell 1200 copies of each title printed within 3 months of delivery or
forget about printing altogether.

Those are the facts and that is why I say the expansion of our print programme is in your hands entirely.

In S&T 54, SPI offered a free copy of Strike Force to all US subscribers. We have had several requests for this
game, regrettably SPI are not in a position to extend this offer to UK subscribers. We at SPUK have seen this game
and quite frankly you are not missing out on anything.


It was mentioned in Phoenix 1 that we were in the process of forming a limited company. After a certain amount of
discussion it has been decided that we should continue to trade as Simulations Publications UK thus avoiding the
confusion of a name change.

For some reason yet to be established, Moves 26, which was packed and ready to leave SPI on May 30th did not get
on board a ship until June 17th, needless to say this will not be in the hands of subscribers on time. For this I do
apologise, I am equally sorry that I cannot offer an explanation for the delay stateside.

Happily Strategy & Tactics continues to come over on schedule, issue 57 should leave our premises on Sept 20th at
the latest bar ring any problems.

Finally, details of our games orgy, revoltingly christened SPUKORGY '76, are given on the magazine insert, hope to
see you there. 

Malcolm Watson