For any of you folks who are members or have knowledge, what is it? Apparently there is a chapter local to where I live at this past weekends IPMS meeting, I was invited by several members to come and take a look. How would you describe your participation and is it something you recommend participating in?
It is a model building and armor preserving club. Many IPMS chapters are also dual AMPS chapters. The Boresight journal is worth the price of membership alone.
[#ditto]
If you are into armor, AMPS is armor only. Shows like AMPS are a gathering of Armor builders but also vendors for armor modeling and general armor historians with talks on modeling and history. I prefer AMPS shows over IPMS but that is my preference, though I will attend both. An IPMS local show are just, IMHO, about showing the models. AMPS shows are much more.
With that said, being a member of both organizations is good. I would strongly recommend you check out the AMPS web site. It will give you the flavor. If you have questions, feel free to PM.
Rounds Complete!!
If So Cal is your locale, then you’re talking about Joe Bevans and their group
http://www.amps-armor.org/ampssite/chapters/chapterInfo.aspx?CID=45
They’re one of the fastest growing chapters in the AMPS organization. Check 'em out.
This is cool, here in Syracuse we have decided to get a chapter started!!!
…they also encourage dios, vignettes and figs as well, especially if they are armor-related…
Manny is right w/one caveat: given the “armor” heritage of the club, we only focus on subjects depicting post 1899.
This may be niggling but from the rules:
Since many Artillery subjects used in the 20th Century where produced before the 1899 date this category is open to any “cannon” or “gun” using gun powder or any nitrate based propellant. Pieces using spring power or counter weights, unless plainly being military subjects built after 1899 are ineligible. Ballistae or Catapults from Roman era are ineligible .WW I bomb throwing catapults or air pressure mortars are eligible.
AND:
Category IX is limited to figures relating to either troops who crew AFVs and Ordnance, support AFV’s and Ordnance or serve alongside AFV’s and Ordnance. Therefore, any ground force troops from the 20th century may be entered. No figures from before 1899 may be entered. Figures from other branches of the armed forces may be entered if a case can be made for them supporting AFVs or Ordnance, for example, Landing Craft crews could be entered. The burden of proof is on the modeler.
It is the rules’ writers attempt to place a “backstop” on subjects and give guidance. HTH
Thanks for all the info and feedback on this group guys. I truly appreciate it all. Yes, from what you have said here, and the way it was described to me, it does sound like a group I would enjoy being a part of. Yes it is the Joe Bevans’ group. And to boot, they are only a short 15 minute drive away in a neighboring city. I would have to classify myself like Hans did elsewhere as a “military modeler”… but my completed projects of armor far out weigh the other catagories, aircraft, figures, and ships, of subjects I build.
Being involved with IPMS has really been a plus for me in my model building. The guys there are great, and a far cry from what the horror stories I heard over the years in many of the LHS. If that is an indication of the folks I will meet at the local AMPS, this should be a great place as well.
stikpusher: If you like to enter contests the systems are totally different. IPMS’s system has all models displayed by category and then are judged AGAINST each other and a gold, silver and bronze are awarded. AMP’s system establishes a point system based on several criteria…research, scratch building, build basics, etc. Each modeler starts in an ability level based on thier skill…beginner, intermediate and advanced. Each model entered is evaluated based on the execution of each criteria and given a score. The total score is added up and medals are awarded accordingly. There is no limit to the amount of golds and you move up from beginner to intermediate to advanced by being awarded a gold…make sense? Oh, and if Master Modeler is your goal (correct me here guys if I’m mistaken)…all you have to do is take Gold as an Advanced modeler THEN, achieve a little thing called “Best of Show”[;)]!
Both systems have merit, it just depends on how you like to compete. Read the contest rules on each website for more detail. Good Luck!
I don’t believe that is true, but I was under the same impression until I actually went to the AMPS contest in Atlanta earlier this year…
The entrants may not be judged against each other but there was only one gold, silver and bronze for each judged category…the only contest I know where there isn’t a limit to types of medals were the Mastercon contests that VLS used to have…
Manny: In any particular category for each skill level, there ARE unlimited Golds, Silvers and Bronzes. For instance, when I chaired the 2008 National Convention in Indiana, we had 547 entrants of which 472 scored high enough to earn Gold, Silver or Bronze recognition.
The caveat is that for any particular category, the modeller only receives the highest medal regardless of numbers of entries in that category. e.g. consider if I enter three artillery pieces, and a figure – the arty pieces all gain Silver-level scoring points and the fig gets a Gold. At the actual awards ceremony, I would get ONE silver medal (for one of the arty entries) and one Gold (for the Fig). It’s quirky but that’s just how it goes. However, the full list of medal- meriting entries is compiled. Here’s the list for the AMPS 2008 show.
As you see, there is no set limit on the number of awards – only the number of actual medals handed out. The judging teams are scoring the entries regardless of what else is entered.
The only real entry to entry competition occurs when the “best ofs” need to be judged, but that makes sense.
Yes it certainly sounds different than IPMS. But I did not join there, nor am I looking and joining AMPS for contests. I am there to become a better modeler. I love this hobby, the build, the research, etc. The contests I have participated in are incidental to being there. If it was just show and tell I would still go and actively particiapte. Seeing the work of others at levels of skill and craftsmanship I have not yet attained drives me on to reach those levels. I really enjoy talking with the builders those kits and finding out how they did what they did. Just as I also enjoy it when someone asks me how I did what I did on some kits.
Roy, I don’t doubt you one bit, and all I have to go on is my one experience in Atalanta…maybe it was a coincidence at that one show that only one Gold, one Silver and one Bronze was handed out in each category…[%-)]…
Jumping in here. I recently joined IPMS, but am very interested in armor as well (although I am about to attempt my FIRST armor build!) There does not seem to be a chapter here in Washington State. With a large military contingent up this way, any idea why not?
Chris
Hi Killjoy: I know of a few current members in the NW area – but do not believe they are in close proximity to form a chapter. All it takes for a chapter is for some guys to come together and organize. See if you can recruit some others and I’ll get you the info you need. It’s quite simple.
Thnx for the inquiry
Hey Stik!
I’m also a member of AMPS as of Orangecon last year and have attended Joe’s meetings once. Unfortunately, it is a bit of along drive for me, and also somewhat of a conflict with Hobby Day. Still, I had a blast at the meeting I did go to. It was in February and I brought in the 14 armor models I had built between Christmas and that meeting. When I mentioned that I’d built all those in onloy two months, it was amazing the reactions I got. Still, I was very junior in class and quality compared to the massively talented individuals who were there. I actually felt like a child who’s snuck into the adults’ party!
Joe’s group is a fantastic one, and extremely helpful and open to constructive suggestions, ideas and critiques. They even have a ‘judging’/training session where anyone can volunteer their models for judging and you get to hear what and how you’d get the score you’d get in an actual contest. So, if you are really interested in improving your modeling skills in armor, this group will turn you into a Master in no time!
Maybe I’ll see you at the next meeting!
All,
One last point on this topic in regards to comments by Manstein’s Revenge about medal count at the Atlanta AMPS show back in February. We used AMPS rules exclusively, and I can assure you that there was no limit set on the number of medals for each category. I was fully involved in tallying the results on Saturday night. Any chance you mistakenly understood the rule that each contestant is only awarded their highest medal in each category? That is a long standing rule. Hope this clears up any confusion.
Cheers,
Mike Reaves
Atlanta AMPS
Thanks for your response Mike…and at the risk of beating a dead horse, if what you say is true, then that means that none of my dios even ranked a bronze, regardless of what else was there (since models don’t compete against each other according to what I’ve been told)…
I’m sorry, and maybe I am a bit arrogant, but do you honestly believe that these three dios didn’t rate a medal when judged on their own merit (regardless of what was sitting next to them)?
Most people in this Forum couldn’t believe it when I got back, and there are tons of guys in here that are awesome modelers and whose opinion I value…
On top of that, a few folks that were familar with AMPS wrote: “Wow, musta been some tough cometition there!” and, “Glad I didn’t go cause if yours didn’t place I wouldn’t have had a chance–musta been some REALLY nice dios that you were up against!”
I thought that didn’t matter?—Aren’t you competing against yourself ???
After I registered, I spoke to one of the organizers later in the day who mentioned the large turnout and their concern over not having enough medals…hmmmmmmmmm…
I wasn’t gonna go here again as I have learned that contests cannot validate or invalidate your work, but since you brought it up…
Oh, and I did have three offers from three different folks who offered to buy at least one of my dios—one collector offered me in the low 4 figures for “Backhand Blow”…EVEN THOUGH IT DIDN’T PLACE…those are the facts of Atlanta, regardless of how the AMPS rules booklet reads…hope this clears up any confusion…[:D]…
Manny: those who replied to you to say “must have been tough competition” don’t understand how AMPS rules work so you can disregard those. I’m not one to second guess a judge at the contest on any given day. However, if you PM me your personal information, I can see if the show organizers have a copy of your tally sheets to confirm the scoring. Show organizers are human and mistakes can and will happen. I’m not saying this is necessarily the case but let’s eliminate that potentiality, eh?
I’ve had to mail out medals to recipients who were mistakenly left off the show announcements so it does happen occasionally.
Do you happen to have the pink scoring tally sheets yourself? If so, the score should be on the bottom of each.
Rgrds,
I hear that! Twice now at the Long Island Figure Show I’ve not been announced during awards. I checked with the guy who read them off, and there I was with a silver. I was at another local show where the announcer had to be reminded he forgot a whole class.