Is it time to change the 5 mini minimum rule?

[Michi]

I also don´t think 3 or 5 miniatures does mean much difference as long as we are talking usual 28mm gaming miniatures and there is still the encouragement of painting many miniatures behind it.

My feeling is that a number of people paint minis far in advance of the actual league IOT participate.

If folks "hold back" minis and save them for the League it means that they will not be posting their work on the normal forums during the year. This actually hurts the general forums, which is the real meat of the site.

However this is a good point and I feel guilty of being one of those who tried to accomplish the goal of showing NEW miniatures with every entry by painting at least some in advance (at least planning which ones to enter when, etc.). And you are absolutely right: Doing so prevents them to be shown on the other boards on LAF (and the personal blog archive where I normally publish my newest stuff). A price I am willing to pay to be part of the competition, that I otherwise could not achieve due to slow painting and daily life circumstances.

I don´t feel the need to change the rule(s), it´s still up to everybody to decide whether he/she can manage to contribute or not and you are always allowed to miss a new entry at the cost of a few bonus points. That is still a lot of encouragement to participate, I think. I look forward to many more LPLs to come - be it as a spectator or a painter if time allows!

[Hu Rhu]

Having participated once in the LPL, I did find it was a lot of pressure to complete the miniatures on time.  I didn't start painting until the competition was announced which probably added to the pressure.  However the satisfaction of completing a team, photographing them and sending them in was immense, especially when I received positive comments on my efforts (which were very middle of the road).  It would not have made any difference whether there were 3, 5 or even 8 figures in the team.

Having missed the last two years due to other pressures, I fully intend to enter this years competition.  I have selected most of the figures I want to paint (can't predict the 'special rounds') but in the spirit of the competition have not put brush to figures. I have however made a start on the scenery that I intend to use as background for the photographs.

In summary, the LPL is a fantastic way of painting up the figures you need, with an added spur of a tight time schedule but with a wonderful chance to get feedback on your work and for me most importantly has helped my painting improve. I would vote to keep the competition the way it is. 

[Silent Invader]

Having participated once in the LPL, I did find it was a lot of pressure to complete the miniatures on time.  I didn't start painting until the competition was announced which probably added to the pressure.  However the satisfaction of completing a team, photographing them and sending them in was immense, especially when I received positive comments on my efforts (which were very middle of the road).  It would not have made any difference whether there were 3, 5 or even 8 figures in the team.

Having missed the last two years due to other pressures, I fully intend to enter this years competition.  I have selected most of the figures I want to paint (can't predict the 'special rounds') but in the spirit of the competition have not put brush to figures. I have however made a start on the scenery that I intend to use as background for the photographs.

In summary, the LPL is a fantastic way of painting up the figures you need, with an added spur of a tight time schedule but with a wonderful chance to get feedback on your work and for me most importantly has helped my painting improve. I would vote to keep the competition the way it is.  

I wholeheartedly concur with Gary, as it is exactly my experience  

Except for planning to enter this year 

[khartoum2]

For me it is always a challenge to get enough figure s down however more than 5 would prove very difficult and less than 5 form a voting person as well would put too much pressure on a few figures

I think currently the level is about right

[DavyJones]

When will the next LPL start?

[Captain Blood]

We're looking at a likely schedule now.
An announcement will be made as soon as we've worked out who is available to do what in terms of running the next LPL.

[DavyJones]

Thanks for your reply Captain.

[Neldoreth]

Back in the day, it was to spur folks to paint lots of minis for their armies. I love armies. But I also like skirmish and the league doesn't support that given the hobby's expanding scope.

Can you skirmish with less than five miniatures?

The goal of the event wasn't just quality paints, it was also the marathon. The marathon was a key piece, being able to keep up the painting schedule is almost more important than well-painted figures. The evidence is in the loss of points when someone posts previously-painted figures!

To change the number of figures required would change the fundamentals behind the event.

In essence you're describing a different kind of competition really. Should we change the LPL into that kind of competition? Or maybe leave that kind of competition to other sites that already have it very well covered - cough - CMON - cough?

Thanks
n.

[Ray Rivers]

The marathon was a key piece, being able to keep up the painting schedule is almost more important than well-painted figures.

Like I say, I've competed in 2 competitions, so I know what it is all about.

And I personally believe there are folks who aren't engaged in a marathon as they have been painting miniatures for the competition for a long time before it begins. Just my feeling. Perhaps I'm totally wrong. I've got lots of minis I've never posted on the web, so maybe that is a more accurate description.

As for skirmish minis, I'm seeing more and more stuff at the 40mm scale. Try painting 70 40mm miniatures for the LPL. I'm also seeing more and more highly detailed miniatures at 28mm, especially in plastic... which is what I call the "hobby's expanding scope."

But I am repeating myself here.

I guess some folks think I'm attacking something or another. I'm not.

[HerbyF]

I don't have any problem with painting 5 figures as opposed to 3. Where I have a problem keeping up is with getting a proper photo submitted. I entered one year and had fun even though I ended up at almost the bottom, a few spots up. But every year I set up figures to paint. I paint them but don't enter the league. Just too much trouble posting photos. I do the same thing with the army painters challenge, I paint but never get the photos posted. I think the current format is just fine.

[Ray Rivers]

I think we can probably "bin" this thread.

No reason to have LPL 11 cluttered up with it here.