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Miniature figure painting competition

Skills and vision

Ropecon’s traditional miniature figure painting contest will once again showcase and award the most fantastic miniatures in the miniature wargaming scene. You can sign up to the contest at the Miniature Wargaming Desk on Friday or on Saturday. Signing up in advance is not available. Miniatures entered into the contest can be retrieved on Sunday before the award ceremony. 

Please note that miniatures may have to be moved during the contest. All miniatures should be secured to their bases well enough to withstand transfer without immediately falling over. 

Welcome to the contest!

Miniature Wargaming Coordinator 2019
Jaakko Siitonen
figupelit@ropecon.fi

Schedule

Sign-up and submitting miniatures at the Miniature Wargaming Desk
Fri 3 pm – Sat 3 pm 

Audience voting at the Miniature Wargaming Desk
Sat 3pm – 9 pm

Retrieval of miniatures at the Miniature Wargaming Desk
Sun 12 noon – 5 pm

Award ceremony
on Sunday (time TBA)

Categories

1. Single showcase miniature

 Main focus of judging is on viewing the miniature up close in detail.

Miniature must fit on a square or a round base (max. 40 mm across) or on an elongated cavalry base of similar dimensions. Exceptions include human scale miniatures with a larger base due to an accompanying vehicle or a mount, e.g. cavalry units by Privateer Press.

Decorating the base to complement the miniature is very much recommended, as is using proper display bases.


2. Single tabletop miniature

Main focus of judging is on viewing the miniature from a distance similar to a real gaming situation.

Miniature must fit on a square or a round base (max. 40 mm across) or on an elongated cavalry base of similar dimensions. Exceptions include human scale miniatures with a larger base due to an accompanying vehicle or a mount, e.g. cavalry units by Privateer Press.

Base of the miniature should be stylised to represent the imagined game board. Showcase or display bases are not allowed in this category.


3. Group of miniatures

In addition to technical execution and painting skills, judging is focused on the cohesion, personality and dynamics of the group as well as on the atmosphere created by having a large number of characters within the piece.

Group must consist of at least three miniatures.


4. Diorama

In addition to technical execution and painting skills, judging is focused on conveying a story through the diorama.


5. Open category

Open category is for miniatures that do not fit in any other categories. These can include miniatures such as war machines, large statues, dragons and other monstrous beings, giant robots etc.


6. Mordheim

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mordheim, Ropecon 2019 will feature a separate Mordheim category. You can sign up for this category with a single miniature or a group of miniatures. Judging is focused on the use of the Mordheim theme and how well the miniature is conveying a story, as well as on the technical execution and painting skills.


Theme category: mythology

In addition to signing up to the categories listed above, each participant may also enter one of their miniatures into the theme category. Miniatures or pieces entered into this category must have a connection to the annual theme of Ropecon, which for this year is “mythology”. In this category, judging is focused on how well the miniature or piece embodies the annual theme of Ropecon in addition to the technical execution and painting skills.


Army parade

This year Ropecon will also feature a new category for complete armies. Armies with a display base of max. 24” x 24” (61 cm x 61 cm) are eligible in this category. Armies will be set up the table on Saturday by 1 pm and audience voting in this category is open until 5 pm. After a small break to count the votes, the the army with most audience votes is declared as the winner and awarded. You can use any game system you want, but naturally an army will require more than just a group of miniatures. However, you might be able to compensate a smaller army with an especially impressive display base, for example if you want to sign up Infinity or Necromuda gangs into this category.  

Rules

Signing up

Each participant can enter one miniature or group piece in each category. One of these miniatures or pieces can then also be entered separately into the theme category. All miniatures must be painted by the participant. 

It is also possible to sign up miniatures to the contest for someone else, unless that person has already signed up for the contest themselves. When signing up for someone else, you will need to provide us with the contact information of the person who painted the miniatures. You will also need to fill in the contact information of the person retrieving the miniatures after the contest. 

Judges reserve the right to move miniatures into a different, more suitable category if they have been signed up in the wrong category.


Judging and audience voting

Judges will carefully examine miniatures signed up for each category and choose which ones will make it to the final round. Winners of each category and the overall winner of the miniature figure painting contest will be chosen out of the miniatures in this final round. The winner of the annual theme category will also receive an award. Additional honorary awards may be given out at the ceremony as well.

Attendees of Ropecon will also have a chance to vote for their favourite miniatures via audience voting. The winner of the audience vote will be rewarded separately.

If you wish so, you have a chance to receive comments and feedback about your miniatures from the judges at the Miniature Wargaming Desk before Ropecon Gala and after the award ceremony on Sunday.


Owners of the miniatures are responsible for them during the contest

Ropecon is not responsible for any theft or damages caused to the miniatures during the convention for reasons beyond the control of organisers. By signing up to the contest participants agree that miniatures will be displayed in public within glass showcases at the venue overnight. So far in the history of Ropecon not a single miniature figure has ever been stolen from the Miniature Wargaming Desk. Our staff at the desk are sure to look after each miniature as if they were their own and handle them with utmost care, treating miniatures as gently as they would handle a cute baby fruit bat burrito.

Winners of Ropecon 2018 miniature figure painting competition

Winner of overall competition
Tommi Malkki
Audience favourite, honorable mention & theme category ”life & community”
Jari Hirvikoski
Best group miniature
Tommi Malkki
Diorama
Tor-Erik Nygård
Single tabletop miniature
Tommi Malkki
Single showcase miniature
Teemu Pesonen
Honorable mention
Olli Väre

See all pieces entered into Ropecon 2018 miniature figure painting competition at our Flickr photo gallery »

Any questions?

figupelit@ropecon.fi