diff --git a/src/common/gamecode/randenc.c b/src/common/gamecode/randenc.c
index 24d281b4d..801dbcb87 100644
--- a/src/common/gamecode/randenc.c
+++ b/src/common/gamecode/randenc.c
@@ -175,9 +175,9 @@ improve_all(faction * f, skill_t sk, int weeks)
 	region *r;
 	unit *u;
 	int n = 0;
-	region *last = f->last?f->last:lastregion(f);
+	region *last = lastregion(f);
 
-	for (r = f->first?f->first:firstregion(f); r != last; r = r->next) {
+	for (r = firstregion(f); r != last; r = r->next) {
 		for (u = r->units; u; u = u->next) {
 			if (u->faction == f && has_skill(u, sk)) {
 				for (n=0;n!=weeks;++n) {
diff --git a/src/common/gamecode/report.c b/src/common/gamecode/report.c
index 3593c0a77..16e67e3c8 100644
--- a/src/common/gamecode/report.c
+++ b/src/common/gamecode/report.c
@@ -1584,7 +1584,7 @@ order_template(FILE * F, faction * f)
 {
   region *r;
   plane *pl;
-  region *last = f->last?f->last:lastregion(f);
+  region *last = lastregion(f);
 
   rps_nowrap(F, "");
   rnl(F);
@@ -1605,7 +1605,7 @@ order_template(FILE * F, faction * f)
   rps_nowrap(F, buf);
   rnl(F);
 
-  for (r = f->first?f->first:firstregion(f); r != last; r = r->next) {
+  for (r = firstregion(f); r != last; r = r->next) {
     unit *u;
 
     int dh = 0;
@@ -1989,7 +1989,7 @@ report(FILE *F, faction * f, const faction_list * addresses,
 	int dh;
 	int anyunits;
 	const struct region *r;
-  region * last = f->last?f->last:lastregion(f);
+  region * last = lastregion(f);
 	building *b;
 	ship *sh;
 	unit *u;
@@ -2230,7 +2230,7 @@ report(FILE *F, faction * f, const faction_list * addresses,
 
 	anyunits = 0;
 
-  for (r=f->first?f->first:firstregion(f);r!=last;r=r->next) {
+  for (r=firstregion(f);r!=last;r=r->next) {
 		boolean unit_in_region = false;
 		boolean durchgezogen_in_region = false;
 		int turm_sieht_region = false;
@@ -2598,9 +2598,9 @@ static void
 prepare_report(faction * f)
 {
   region * r;
-  region * end = f->last?f->last:lastregion(f);
+  region * end = lastregion(f);
   seen_init();
-  for (r = f->first?f->first:firstregion(f); r != end; r = r->next) {
+  for (r = firstregion(f); r != end; r = r->next) {
 		attrib *ru;
 		unit * u;
 		plane * p = rplane(r);
@@ -2691,35 +2691,16 @@ write_reports(faction * f, time_t ltime)
   boolean gotit = false;
   faction_list * addresses;
   char zTime[64];
-  static boolean dir_exists = false;
-
-#ifdef HAVE_STAT
-  stat_type st;
-  if (!dir_exists && stat(reportpath(), &st)==-1) {
-    errno = 0;
-    makedir(reportpath(), 0700);
-    dir_exists = true;
-  }
-#else
-  if (!dir_exists) {
-    if (makedir(reportpath(), 0700)!=0) {
-      if (errno!=EEXIST) {
-        perror("could not create reportpath");
-        return -1;
-    }
-    dir_exists = true;
-  }
-#endif
 
   strftime(zTime, sizeof(zTime), "%A, %d. %B %Y, %H:%M", localtime(&ltime));
-  printf("Reports für %s: \r", factionname(f));
+  printf("Reports for %s: \r", factionname(f));
   fflush(stdout);
   prepare_report(f);
   addresses = get_addresses(f);
 
   /* NR schreiben: */
   if (!nonr && (f->options & REPORT_NR)) {
-    fprintf(stdout, "Reports für %s: NR\r", factionname(f));
+    fprintf(stdout, "Reports for %s: NR\r", factionname(f));
     fflush(stdout);
 
     sprintf(buf, "%s/%d-%s.nr", reportpath(), turn, factionid(f));
@@ -2733,7 +2714,7 @@ write_reports(faction * f, time_t ltime)
   }
   /* CR schreiben: */
   if (!nocr && (f->options & REPORT_CR || f->age<3)) {
-    fprintf(stdout, "Reports für %s: CR\r", factionname(f));
+    fprintf(stdout, "Reports for %s: CR\r", factionname(f));
     fflush(stdout);
 
     sprintf(buf, "%s/%d-%s.cr", reportpath(), turn, factionid(f));
@@ -2747,7 +2728,7 @@ write_reports(faction * f, time_t ltime)
   }
   /* ZV schreiben: */
   if (f->options & REPORT_ZV) {
-    fprintf(stdout, "Reports für %s: ZV\r", factionname(f));
+    fprintf(stdout, "Reports for %s: ZV\r", factionname(f));
     fflush(stdout);
 
     sprintf(buf, "%s/%d-%s.txt", reportpath(), turn, factionid(f));
@@ -2758,16 +2739,36 @@ write_reports(faction * f, time_t ltime)
       if (status!=0) return status; /* catch errors */
     }
   }
+  fprintf(stdout, "Reports for %s: DONE\n", factionname(f));
 
   if (!gotit) {
-    log_error(("no report for faction %s!\n", factionid(f)));
+    log_error(("No report for faction %s!\n", factionid(f)));
   }
   freelist(addresses);
-  putc('\n', stdout);
 
   return 0;
 }
 
+int
+init_reports(void)
+{
+  update_intervals();
+
+#ifdef HAVE_STAT
+  {
+    stat_type st;
+    if (stat(reportpath(), &st)==0) return 0;
+  }
+#endif
+  if (makedir(reportpath(), 0700)!=0) {
+    if (errno!=EEXIST) {
+      perror("could not create reportpath");
+      return -1;
+    }
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
 int
 reports(void)
 {
@@ -2777,17 +2778,12 @@ reports(void)
   const char * str;
   int retval = 0;
 
-	nmr_warnings();
-
-	BAT = openbatch();
-
-	printf("\n");
-
+  nmr_warnings();
 	report_donations();
 	remove_empty_units();
-  log_printf("Updating region intervals\n");
-  update_intervals();
-	for (f = factions; f; f = f->next) {
+
+  BAT = openbatch();
+  for (f = factions; f; f = f->next) {
     int error = write_reports(f, ltime);
     if (error) retval = error;
 
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/eressea.c b/src/common/kernel/eressea.c
index 2f648ab0a..ebed24e78 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/eressea.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/eressea.c
@@ -572,9 +572,9 @@ count_skill(faction * f, skill_t sk)
   int n = 0;
   region *r;
   unit *u;
-  region *last = f->last?f->last:lastregion(f);
+  region *last = lastregion(f);
   
-  for (r =f->first?f->first:firstregion(f); r != last; r = r->next) {
+  for (r =firstregion(f); r != last; r = r->next) {
 	for (u = r->units; u; u = u->next) {
 	  if (u->faction == f && has_skill(u, sk)) {
 		if (!is_familiar(u)) n += u->number;
@@ -2044,6 +2044,7 @@ check_leuchtturm(region * r, faction * f)
 region *
 lastregion (faction * f)
 {
+#ifdef SMART_INTERVALS
 	region *r = f->last;
 	if (r==NULL && f->units!=NULL) {
 		for (r = f->units->region; r; r = r->next) {
@@ -2075,13 +2076,16 @@ lastregion (faction * f)
 		}
 	}
 	return f->last;
+#else
+  return NULL;
+#endif
 }
 
 void
 update_intervals(void)
 {
+#ifdef SMART_INTERVALS
   region *r;
-
   for (r = regions; r; r = r->next) {
     plane * p = rplane(r);
     attrib *ru;
@@ -2126,11 +2130,13 @@ update_intervals(void)
       }
     }
   }
+#endif
 }
 
 region *
 firstregion (faction * f)
 {
+#ifdef SMART_INTERVALS
 	region *r;
 	if (f->first || !f->units)
 		return f->first;
@@ -2160,6 +2166,9 @@ firstregion (faction * f)
 		}
 	}
 	return f->first = regions;
+#else
+  return regions;
+#endif
 }
 
 void ** blk_list[1024];
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/faction.h b/src/common/kernel/faction.h
index 9e3a4a39d..873f0db17 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/faction.h
+++ b/src/common/kernel/faction.h
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ extern "C" {
 struct player;
 struct alliance;
 
+#undef SMART_INTERVALS /* define to speed up finding the interval of regions that a faction is in */
+
 #ifdef SHORTPWDS
 typedef struct shortpwd {
   struct shortpwd * next;
@@ -42,8 +44,10 @@ typedef struct faction {
 	struct faction *nexthash;
 
 	struct player *owner;
+#ifdef SMART_INTERVALS
 	struct region *first;
 	struct region *last;
+#endif
 	int no;
 	int subscription;
 	unsigned int flags;
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/karma.c b/src/common/kernel/karma.c
index 065d9f1be..baa1eaffb 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/karma.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/karma.c
@@ -562,7 +562,8 @@ jihad_attacks(void)
 	ally *sf, **sfp;
 
 	for(f=factions; f; f=f->next) if(fspecial(f, FS_JIHAD)) {
-		for(r=f->first; r != f->last; r = r->next) if(rand()%1000 <= 1) {
+    region * last = lastregion(f);
+		for (r=firstregion(f); r != last; r = r->next) if (rand()%1000 <= 1) {
 			boolean doit = false;
 
 			for(u=r->units; u; u=u->next) if(jihad(f, u->race)) {
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/movement.c b/src/common/kernel/movement.c
index e6fc8b761..81fb60d31 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/movement.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/movement.c
@@ -505,8 +505,10 @@ travelthru(const unit * u, region * r)
   /* the first and last region of the faction gets reset, because travelthrough
    * could be in regions that are located before the [first, last] interval,
    * and recalculation is needed */
+#ifdef SMART_INTERVALS
   u->faction->first = 0;
   u->faction->last = 0;
+#endif
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/reports.c b/src/common/kernel/reports.c
index a299f47d9..653d1745d 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/reports.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/reports.c
@@ -867,12 +867,12 @@ faction_list *
 get_addresses(faction * f)
 {
 /* "TODO: travelthru" */
-  region *r, *last = f->last?f->last:lastregion(f);
+  region *r, *last = lastregion(f);
   const faction * lastf = NULL;
   faction_list * flist = calloc(1, sizeof(faction_list));
   flist->data = f;
 
-  for (r=f->first?f->first:firstregion(f);r!=last;r=r->next) {
+  for (r=firstregion(f);r!=last;r=r->next) {
     const unit * u = r->units;
     const seen_region * sr = find_seen(r);
 
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/reports.h b/src/common/kernel/reports.h
index e1617a79c..65badca70 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/reports.h
+++ b/src/common/kernel/reports.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ extern void spunit(struct strlist ** SP, const struct faction * f, const struct
 
 extern int reports(void);
 extern int write_reports(struct faction * f, time_t ltime);
+extern int init_reports(void);
 
 extern const struct unit *ucansee(const struct faction *f, const struct unit *u, const struct unit *x);
 
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/unit.c b/src/common/kernel/unit.c
index d6ef0e171..d3be31d68 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/unit.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/unit.c
@@ -665,8 +665,10 @@ move_unit(unit * u, region * r, unit ** ulist)
 	} else
 		addlist(ulist, u);
 
+#ifdef SMART_INTERVALS
 	u->faction->first = 0;
 	u->faction->last = 0;
+#endif
 	u->region = r;
 	/* keine automatische hp reduzierung bei bewegung */
 	/* if (maxhp>0) u->hp = u->hp * unit_max_hp(u) / maxhp; */
diff --git a/src/eressea/lua/eressea.cpp b/src/eressea/lua/eressea.cpp
index aa121334b..0aadf3c43 100644
--- a/src/eressea/lua/eressea.cpp
+++ b/src/eressea/lua/eressea.cpp
@@ -196,6 +196,13 @@ lua_writereport(faction * f)
   return write_reports(f, ltime);
 }
 
+int
+lua_writereports(void)
+{
+  init_reports();
+  return reports();
+}
+
 void
 bind_eressea(lua_State * L)
 {
@@ -205,7 +212,8 @@ bind_eressea(lua_State * L)
     def("read_game", &read_game),
     def("write_game", &write_game),
     def("write_passwords", &writepasswd),
-    def("write_reports", &reports),
+    def("init_reports", &init_reports),
+    def("write_reports", &lua_writereports),
     def("write_report", &lua_writereport),
     def("init_summary", &init_summary),
     def("write_summary", &write_summary),