Not much to report this time, but please read the comments below if you intend to use the bank in the future. More than thirty new sets of rules have been received this month which is again excellent but the Essen-expanded wants list awaits your attention.
1) SAEs. Last month easily represented the largest demand on the rules bank and over seventy rulesets were distributed. However, a sizeable minority did not send an SAE which adds to my costs. Additionally, this is not a fun job. I don't mind doing it but if you want rules, please send a big envelope with generous postage OR stamps OR IRCs. Thankyou.
2) Mammon. Several enterprising capitalists ask why I don't charge for the rules bank. My reply is that I don't want to and will not as long as I have access to cheap copies and SAEs (subtle reminder). My time I can't cost out but I'm out for big karma points so no charges for the forseeable future. OK?
3) Big Orders. I've had a few of these and while I appreciate that they will be more frequent from first time users, please try and spread out requests in ones or twos if possible. I am much more likely to feel motivated to send you three sets than fifteen as one admittedly grateful subber requested. I know you aren't going to play them all at once.
Right, enough admin. I thought it might be a good idea to list the new acquisitions in a sort of 'just arrived' list: Millionenspiel, Okolopoly, Murphy, Regatta, Rancher, Gespenster, Inkognito, Alladin's Erbe, Xerxes, Wabanti, Hecht, Kapt'n & Pirat, Flieg Dumbo Flieg, Simulator, Tempo, Top Job, Ballon Rennen, Pagode, Wind & Wetter, Robin Hood, Weltenbummler, Sieben Weltwunders, Minister, 1849 - American Goldrush, Unternehmen Erdgas, Gerd Muller & Sohn, Boomtown and Around the World in 80 Tage.
Thanks are again due to the depositors: Arnold, Bloomfield, Carver, Dagger, Green, Hankey, Jefferies, Mellor, Moon, Parr, Ruck, Scherer-Hoock, Trask, Valkyser and Webley. Apologies to anyone I've forgotten. Thanks to Mr Parr for the beer (a big Sapporo). There's a man who understands about hobby services.
Withdrawals by Messrs. Arnold, Clifford, Gedeon, Gray, Green (you two should start a bus company), Hankey, Harrington, Jefferies, Moon, Oakes, Parr, Ruck and Scherer-Hoock.
The idea behind the rules bank is to provide, for the cost of an SAE, photocopied English rules to anyone who needs a set. I figure that if there is a central resource to store and distribute rules (me) it will be useful to people like myself who actually want to play these games. If I haven't got the rules you are after, I will do my best to track down a set for you. If all else fails, I will add your request to the list for the next issue. The service can also be used to find old English game rules that you may be missing.
If anyone feels able to do short translations from German or French (they are often just a page or two), please let me know so that I can co-ordinate efforts. I have been surprised by the response so far but we can always do with more help. If you have any of the English rules on the list, please send them to me as soon as possible and let me know if you need any rules copied. Simply tell me the title and publisher of the game, enclose an SAE and I will see what I can do.