Season 4?

[Plynkes]

I'm not totally against some run-up. As it was the new league was announced quite a few weeks in advance of the actual start, and that was time well-spent if you used it to get a little ahead of the punishing schedule.

But starting the week the previous season finishes, that's taking it way too far.

[Captain Blood]

But starting the week the previous season finishes, that's taking it way too far.

 

I think whatever approach works for you is fine 

I'm not sure I buy the 'nobody's posting pics because they're all saving them up for the LPL' argument.
I've heard the accusation made before, but I honestly haven't ever noticed it myself.
And even if it was the case, it wouldn't bother me. You get to see the figures one way or another. I think there are plenty of LAF members who don't play in the LPL who will keep up a regular supply of new eye candy, whatever the minority of LPL participants do.

Personally, in both Seasons 1 and 2 (when I was able to compete properly) I did paint lots of new miniatures for the league - you have no choice anyway, unless you strike it lucky when it comes to the themed rounds.
But I did also pull in several teams from figures I'd already painted but had simply never got round to photographing before.
And the good news is I still have a couple of hundred figs in this category left! 

So yes, the league did make me paint new and different figures (WWII for God's sake! Cthulhu for God's sake!)
But if you're going to paint to a serious championship standard, I'm not sure it's possible to sustain this within the 10 weeks of the league itself. In fact I'm fairly sure it's not!

But there was a nice long run-up this time...

Just enjoy the end of season 3 before worrying too much about season 4 

[Uncle Mike]

Already getting groups of 5 set up for the next league. I always have a great time competing as everyone is so nice and yet the action is fierce! I'm in for season 4...any time, any place!

[Bugsda]

One thing I'll do next year is prepare a reserve team, for when I can't meet a deadline. It takes me three days to varnish and base mine

[Pil]

I've sent in reserves in several rounds but I paint a lot more than I photograph so I have large amounts of unseen models, I could've filled an entire league with it (maybe). But of course the fun is in the pressure of painting so whenever it was possible I painted something new. Sometimes I worked in advance: my round 7 entry (camo space marine assault beakies) was painted around week 1 when I was on a camo-marine spree, and I used them when I couldn't get a fresher entry in, but most of the time things were painted for the next week. It helps spread the deadlines a bit but I want to use the league to paint new stuff so that's what I try to do

[gregory privat]

I've also painted each and every entry just before the round, and half of them in just one or two days. The only exception was the krieg riders who have been finished a bit before the league after several month of work on them. My main concern have been to find miniatures that may be a good entry for the various turns. And my only problem was when I spent a week in Germany and couldn't send a new entry (which is kind of a shame : not sending a picture to a german forum because you are in germany). For next league I'll make some adaptation :

1 - I'm going to save miniatures in a special box, cleaned, eventually converted, based and primed
2 - I'll save more sets than there s rounds to still have an option.
3 - When the league is anounced, I'll paint a team that will be a "joker" team : ready to be sent at any time if I have to leave home.
4 - I'll keep painting just the sunday before the round, but for next round, so I have a week to wait for the right light and re-do pictures.

Hoppefully, this way I should avoid most of my problems.

[gamer Mac]

I decided to do all the painting during the LPL itself, starting with the week before the madness begun. Clearly a beginners mistake because I'm quite burnt out by now . The pace and length of the LPL is harsh and if you do all the painting during the league itself, it leaves little time for social activities, a girlfriend, miniature gaming or pc gaming. So if I enter next time I will do some work in advance to make sure I have some breathing space.

This was the same as me.
I said I would squirrel a few entries but to tell the honest truth it probably won't be until the next league is announced. I am too keen on peoples opinion of my stuff to hold anything back for long. As for posting other things during the league run. Have you seen some of the stuff posted out with the league, on the forum. Particularly Malamute and Druhmal (Spelling? not sure). There are loads of forum members, 1175, only 46 or 47 in the league. They are still posting regularly.
Also a lot of the stuff I post is scenery, vehicle and games, not really affected by the league.

I do agree with the comments above about the mad rush of painting being what the league is all about

[Mancha]

I did all of the painting during the LPL, but I have complete sympathy for people who realistically cannot do so and wish to paint ahead of time.

[Hammers]

You take my advice and start painting right now. You'll save yourself a fair bit of stress later if you have a few entries ready once LPL4 starts.

I certainly ain't doing that. Personally I would feel I was cheating somewhat, though no rules would have actually been broken. I'm not saying folks who do this are wrong, but I certainly wouldn't do it myself.

I think Alex's original idea ( please correct me if I am wrong, Alex) was something like what you're suggesting; to promote rapidly painted miniatures, of appealing quality, wargaming, for the use of. At the core, I dont' think that's what the, ...um..., well, call them spectators (us) really are looking for. People appreciate that they, during ten weeks, get a kick each Monday by seeing a lot of previously unpublished miniatures. That they've been produced during the previous week must be more of a satisfaction to the artist than anyone else.

BTW, cheers to your stunning output this season, Dylan. I am very glad you participated, you're an inspired guy.

[Plynkes]

Cheers, P. That's jolly nice of you. It's a shame circumstances prevented you from entering more teams, as the ones you did enter were fan-bloody-tastic in my opinion.

[stevedaccs]

January/February would be a really bad time for the league for me. I would definitely have to do all of the entries in advance for that time of year and just hope I have something to meet the themed rounds.

In this season I have painted about 75% of my entries during the league - not necessarily week by week because it takes me more than a week to do some models so I have several batches on the go at any one time and finish them off just before entry time.

I have been wary of submitting photos in the past - mainly because I am hopeless with the photography and didn't know the difference between a pixel and a pixie!. My son and I have worked on the photos for the league and that was great fun in itself so I think we will try to continue the collaboration for the future and I will probably post photos more often. I have also been uncertain about using the site's bandwith - are there any rules about that (similar to the 800 pixel thing for the league)?

For me the best part is seeing all the entries and it has been great participating so I would welcome another league (preferably not January though). Thanks very much indeed to Captain Blood for moderating - very hard work I would think.

[D@rth J@ymZ]

I'm ready any time, any place...
This year was great fun and I can't wait until next season starts
(that being said, I welcome the well deserved break from this tortuous pace!!  )
and this year's timing was just about perfect for me with a couple months lull at work.

[Bako]

IF the same timescale follows then LPL4 would start around mid January 2010.  Ideal for those dark winter evenings, although the photography might prove a bit more challenging!

And knowing the temperature in my house, much too bitey for painting. Damn these old early 20th century houses!

[dijit]

How much warning are we likely to have before it starts up? Because knowing me I'll miss the start until before its too late.

[Orctrader]

Paint your teams now for the next Season?

You take my advice and start painting right now. You'll save yourself a fair bit of stress later if you have a few entries ready once LPL4 starts.

I certainly ain't doing that. Personally I would feel I was cheating...

And yea, totally agree with Plynkes and his thoughts about pre-painting entries.  Thanks to that time pressure I put out almost as many mini's as I did for all of last year. 

ALL of my entries were painted after the announcement of the league.  THAT is what it is all about... IMHO.

This is quite an important debate - even retaining the essential fun element of the LPL.

Look at the scores of this season.  Look at the effect on competitors who were unable to post new entries each week.

And take a simple example.

Three competitors of equal ability. 
The first paints and photographs ten teams starting now.  Or already has a huge number of painted figures, never seen before.  (Might even strike lucky and manage a Bonus Team.)
The second starts painting once the next Season is announced.
The third decides to paint a new team in a week. (!)

Personally, I would prefer a degree of clarification here.  Not so much on the rules - they are simple and clear - but on the Spirit.