Tactical Command
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EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
http://www.tacticalwargames.net/taccmd/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=22258		 Page 1 of 3
Author:  Dave [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:52 pm ]
Post subject:  EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
So while things are fresh in everyone's mind how about some brainstorming for next year.

1) anonymous submission

I had a few people contact me on this one, I'm hoping they'll speak up here. Given that we ran into people posting the images with names, and half the time you can recognize the painting styles anyway, are people still in favor of this?

Other submission methods would be: having people post in threads like in years past, or having people submit like they did this year except the name of the person will be listed with the entry.

2) limiting a model to one category only

In other words, if I painted a stand in Best Single Model I could not enter it into Best Battleforce as well.

3) dropping model count on the Best Battleforce category

This kind of goes hand-in-hand with 2. What do people think of making it 3 groups instead of 4 and WEs counting as 3 units instead of 4. Effectively it would be Best Formation (3 WEs or 9 infantry), people wouldn't have to paint as much, we would get more entries and it would offset not being able to use the same model in more than one category if we went with 2.

4) should we keep the Baccus, DRM, EW and MWG categories

Honestly, after the showing for them in this comp I'd be hesitant to ask Peter, Doug, Tom and Steve for support again. I'd feel bad given that those categories got 1, 3, 5 and 2 entries respectively. They're putting up a good amount of money and not getting a lot in return in my opinion. What do people think? I'd rather people agree to keep them on and paint a bunch of their models for 2012 but that's wishful thinking on my part.

What else do people want to bring up.
Author:  Vaaish [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
1. I really don't the point in anonymous submissions since it really doesn't apply to anything except the TC community. I think it's fairly common for groups to post what they are working on in their own forums which kinda defeats the point if only TC is hiding their work. Epicomp is supposed to gather a group of images that shows what's possible with epic, having who submitted the model known won't change that. I do think sending in submissions like this year is best though.

2. I can see the reasoning behind this, but it would reduce the number of submissions I think. Not opposed, but I don't think it'll be in the best interest of showing off epic.

3. I don't mind this. Epic models are cool in groups, it's part of what makes epic fun. Making it easier to show off groups can't be all bad and I think it could lead to more atmospheric images.

4. I gotta say I appreciate their support and it's good publicity for them too. I do feel bad though that there wasn't much of a showing in their categories. I think it's really up to them if they want to look at it as more publicity for their lines with the winners hopefully painting and using their products as sort of a loss leader, I guess that would be fine. However it might be more economical for them to just offer a pack or two of models instead of the large value prizes.
Author:  Apocolocyntosis [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
Can I add a 5th point of discussion?

A big change this year seemed to be that people who submitted multiple submissions to one category got their entries split so that they were not running against themselves in the qualifiers. This is a pretty significant change over 2009, as it meant the same person could have multiple entries in the final. Good/bad/discuss?

*edit: didn't mean discus ::)
Author:  fredmans [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
1) I prefer submissions over postings. It sets all the different entries on equal footing. On the anonymity issue, I have no issues.

2) I think a category limit is good (although I myself abused it). It forces people to choose category for each model. Choosing is part of competing.

3) My concern is not the size of the limit, rather the enforcement. It should be of X models' worth, no more no less. I know the current rules prohibited fewer models, but not more models. Would make for more equal submissions (not counting mad painting skills)

4) I would like a 6mm fantasy and a 6mm sci-fi category, if nothing else to try them out for next year

/Fredmans
Author:  Apocolocyntosis [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
1) Don't mind, personally i prefer not having the names there and really don't see the need to add them as personality is not the point. However, it is also fairly transparent as a significant number of entries can be recognised from style alone or previous hobby thread posts. Not sure why people feel names are needed for voting and i prefer all entries to be posted at once by an organiser.

2) Probably a good idea, but might mean you get fewer entries.

3) Please keep battle force as it is, means you do get something approaching a small battle force, not just 'a handful of random miniatures' which would spoil the effect. You could make 'best formation' a new category for this size, but one formation is, and should stay, different from an army.

4) Roll DRM/EW/MWG into one category along the lines of "other 6mm sci-fi commercial production miniatures not set in 40k universe" (with a less awful name).

fredmans wrote:
I would like a 6mm fantasy and a 6mm sci-fi category

I would like 6mm fantasy, but i fear hardly anyone will enter. :P If it is there for 2012 then I promise to enter ;)
Author:  Mephiston [ Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
If I can paint any of baccus's models and not just sci-fi, and Peter is willing to sponsor again, I promise to do something next year! I've both Romans and Celts that need finishing (or in fact moving past undercoat!).
Author:  Onyx [ Tue Jan 10, 2012 1:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
1- Definitely prefer anonymous entries. Lets keep it about the painting/modelling and not about personalities. In the past when entries were submitted in a public thread, once WMN put an entry in you could hear the collective sigh as most of us realised we couldn't paint that well. Keep it secret, keep it fun.

2- Not fussed on this really. Doesn't bother me either way.

3- Definitely not in favour of dropping the model count. It kinda sucked that the eldar entry got pulled from the battleforce category because it was some awesome painting but Epic miniatures look great in larger forces and our game is about armies and not small squads.

4- This is the odd one for me. Obviously DRM, EW etc are selling their minis to people on this forum. Why aren't they getting more entries? Rolling them up into 1 category is a solution but I'd far rather see the people who are actually buying these minis enter them and by doing so, give thanks to the great companies that support our Epic addictions!
Author:  Simulated Knave [ Tue Jan 10, 2012 3:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
Regarding 4, I think 5 entries is enough to make it worth keeping/hitting them up again. 3 might be. The other two...no. And, frankly, we'd be dicks to do it.

I really think number of entrants is even more important - five entries from one guy aren't as important as two entries from two guys, IMO. Not that this was a problem in those categories this year.
Author:  mango2 [ Tue Jan 10, 2012 4:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
I am sure that there would be alot of people like myself who think 'im never going to win so I am not going to bother entering' but if there was a random prize for each class or even 1 prize for all entries then I am sure I would submit something and others might too.

I think that would increase entries, most might get knocked out early but it would still help showcase the wide range of peoples styles and themes no matter how well (or poorly) they are painted
Author:  Spectrar Ghost [ Tue Jan 10, 2012 4:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
It's hard enough getting prizes for each category; I just can't see consolation prizes as viable.
Author:  Frosthammer [ Tue Jan 10, 2012 4:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
my 5c...

1/ prefer anonymous

2/ agree with limiting an entry to one category only

3/ maintain model count

4/ combine the other manufacturers into one category

5/ limit participants to one entry per category, encourage more categories entered instead of one category being flooded by one participant
Author:  Dave [ Tue Jan 10, 2012 4:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
Simulated Knave wrote:
Not that this was a problem in those categories this year.


DRM only had two entrants, with three entries between them.
Author:  madd0ct0r [ Tue Jan 10, 2012 4:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
could we have it promoted a little more? I actually intended to enter, and forgot three seperate times.
Author:  Dave [ Tue Jan 10, 2012 4:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
I'm not sure what else I could have done. I posted topics on TGN, TMP, DakkaDakka, Warseer and Bolter and Chainsword, CS added a banner to the main index page and the main TC topic got bumped once a month. Beyond that there's not much in the budget for promotion/advertising.
Author:  mango2 [ Tue Jan 10, 2012 4:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: EpiComp: Thoughts for Next Year
Spectrar Ghost wrote:
It's hard enough getting prizes for each category; I just can't see consolation prizes as viable.


It doesnt have to be big, a $10 voucher to one of the site sponsors would be enough. I am sure alot of people on here love browsing their websites and would like to order something, a $10 discount might swing someone into a $30+ purchase.

It doesnt have to be like winning the lotto, even a small prize can go a long way to making cheap models even cheaper :)
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