diff --git a/scripts/newplayer.lua b/scripts/newplayer.lua
index f554239a2..7fa0827ff 100644
--- a/scripts/newplayer.lua
+++ b/scripts/newplayer.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,20 @@
-function seed(r, email, race, lang)
+dofile("config.lua")
+p = require("populate")
+
+local function read_players()
+--    return {{ email = "noreply@mailinator.com", race = "dwarf",  lang = "de" }}
+    local players =  {}
+    local input = open("players.txt", "r")
+    while input do
+        local str = input:read("*line")
+        if str==nil then break end
+        local email, race, lang = str:match("([^ ]*) ([^ ]*) ([^ ]*)")
+        table.insert(players, { race = race, lang = lang, email = email })
+    end
+    return players
+end
+
+local function seed(r, email, race, lang)
     local f = faction.create(email, race, lang)
     local u = unit.create(f, r)
     u:set_skill("perception", 30)
@@ -17,7 +33,6 @@ function seed(r, email, race, lang)
     u = nil
     skills ={
     "crossbow",
-    "mining",
     "bow",
     "building",
     "trade",
@@ -32,7 +47,6 @@ function seed(r, email, race, lang)
     "sailing",
     "polearm",
     "espionage",
-    "quarrying",
     "roadwork",
     "tactics",
     "stealth",
@@ -42,6 +56,8 @@ function seed(r, email, race, lang)
     "stamina"
     }
     unit.create(f, r, 50):set_skill("entertainment", 15)
+    unit.create(f, r, 5):set_skill("mining", 30)
+    unit.create(f, r, 5):set_skill("quarrying", 30)
     for _, sk in ipairs(skills) do
         u = u or unit.create(f, r, 5)
         if u:set_skill(sk, 15)>0 then u=nil end
@@ -49,41 +65,62 @@ function seed(r, email, race, lang)
     return f
 end
 
-turn = 923
-dofile("config.lua")
-p = require("populate")
-eressea.read_game(("%d.dat"):format(turn))
-best = { score = 0, r = nil }
-limit = 30000
-sel = p.select(regions(), limit)
-for _, r in ipairs(sel) do
-    score = p.score(r)
-    if score > best.score then
-        best.r = r
-        best.score = score
+local function dump_selection(sel)
+    local best = { score = 0, r = nil }
+    local r, score
+    for _, r in ipairs(sel) do
+        score = p.score(r)
+        if score > best.score then
+            best.r = r
+            best.score = score
+        end
+        print(score, r, r.terrain)
+    end
+    return best
+end
+
+players = read_players()
+local limit = 30000
+local turn = get_turn()
+local sel
+if #players > 0 then
+    read_game(turn)
+    eressea.read_game(("%d.dat"):format(turn))
+    sel = p.select(regions(), limit)
+    if #sel > 0 then
+        local best = dump_selection(sel)
+        print("finest region, " .. best.score .. " points: " .. tostring(best.r))
     end
-    print(score, r, r.terrain)
 end
--- print(best.r, best.score)
 math.randomseed(os.time())
 
-print(#sel, limit)
-
-players = {
-{ email = "noreply@mailinator.com", race = "dwarf",  lang = "de" }
-}
-
+local newbs = {}
 for _, p in ipairs(players) do
     local index = math.random(#sel)
     local start = nil
     while not start or start.units() do
         start = sel[index]
     end
-    f = seed(start, p.email, p.race or "human", p.lang or "de")
-    print(f, start)
-    init_reports()
-    write_report(f)
+    local dupe = false
+    for f in factions() do
+        if f.email==p.email then
+            print("seed: duplicate email " .. p.email .. " already used by faction " .. tostring(f))
+            dupe = true
+            break
+        end
+    end
+    if not dupe then
+        f = seed(start, p.email, p.race or "human", p.lang or "de")
+        print("new faction ".. tostring(f) .. " starts in ".. tostring(start))
+        table.insert(newbs, f)
+    end
 end
 
-eressea.write_game(("%d.dat.new"):format(turn))
+if #newbs > 0 then
+    init_reports()
+    for _, f in ipairs(newbs) do
+        write_report(f)
+    end
+    eressea.write_game(("%d.dat.new"):format(turn))
+end