February? You're making announcement for a competition that's not till February? That's right let me repeat that: Genghis Con XXX February 12 - 15th, 2009, Denver Colorado. I do consider Genghis Con to the opening to the painting competition season (bit of bias there I know), but the reason I'm making this post so early is due to a MAJOR change that we will be making to the format of the painting competition. We will still be running our full line up of painting classes with such notable painters as Lili Troy and Doug Jones and hopefully a few additional guest stars. There will be some format changes to the classes as well so I'll make announcements for that as we work out the final details. For the big announcement though read on (its a bit long so hit the restroom and refresh your beverage of choice before continuing). (This is probably starting to look like SPAM to some of you, but I need to get the word out there.)

Genghis Con XXX Painting Conference and Competition

In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Genghis Con here in Denver Colorado we would like to announce a major change in the format of the painting competition. This year we will begin the move to an Open or “Chicago” System for the competition. In this type of format you are not judged against the other entries but against your own abilities. This is the format used at the MMSI show in Chicago and is often referred to as the Chicago Format or System. In place of the traditional gaming convention trophy based on category, an entry can be awarded a Certificate of Merit, Pewter, Bronze, Silver or Gold medal. Since you are being judged on your skills there is not limit to the number of medals and COMs that can be awarded. If 5 pieces are judged to be worthy of a Gold medal in the competition then they will each receive a Gold medal.

We will use the same category format and judging standards as MMSI:
Basic Level: Intended for painters of modest ability. All qualified exhibits receive Certificates of Merit. Judges make their decisions by consensus.
General Level: Intended for painters with more developed skills, who don’t feel ready to exhibit at the Advanced Level. All qualified exhibits receive Certificates of Merit or Pewter medals. Judges make their decision by consensus
Advanced Level: Intended for painters/modelers of proven abilities. Exhibits at this level are entered in one of three divisions: Open, Painters and Ordnance. All qualified exhibits receive Certificates of Merit, Bronze, Silver or Gold medals. At this level the judges make their own decisions, without discussion, and award a piece 1 – 4 points and note that on their scoring sheet. The awards committee will tally the results, not even the judges will know the results until they are announced.

Open Division: Anything goes, primarily intended for scratchbuilt and converted figures, vignettes and dioramas
Painters: Judged entirely on painting skill, although scratchbuilt and converted figures are not excluded they are treated as if they were stock commercial castings.
Ordnance: Models without figures. Figures may be included, but they will not count in the judging (well we may be modifying this a bit to suit our own tastes here in Denver).

In addition to individual medals we will be awarding Best of Show and Best Theme award. The Best Theme is different than MMSI’s again because we are unable to take advantage of allowing and exhibitor to create an overall display. For Genghis Con XXX the theme will, of course, be Mongols. So we are looking for the best single miniature, diorama or vignette featuring the Mongol warrior or life (Not Mongol Empire, just Mongols).

Please feel free to visit the MMSI website for more details of this style competition: http://www.mmsichicago.com . We will post full details of the competition on the DGA’s website at http://www.denvergamers.com later in 2008.

We cannot duplicate the system perfectly as we do not have an area that will allow an individual to display all the works they wish to display so we cannot judge an exhibitor’s display. We do have a cadre of very experienced judges and we are confident of their ability to work under the new format.


For this show we will also continue with the traditional gaming convention competitive trophy competition. Categories for 2009 will be: Master Class (previous Best of Show winners and the like), Fantasy Single (combined with pre-horse and musket historicals), Science Fiction Single (combined with horse and musket and later historicals), Vehicle Units, Non-Vehicle Units, Machines of War, Large Monster/Large Figures, Dioramas/Vignettes and Juniors.

In essence we will be offering a hybrid competition here in Denver. There is no limit to the number of entries that can be considered in the Chicago Format, there is a limit of 2 entries per category in the Trophy competition. All entries will be judged in the Chicago Format first, then entries will be arranged into the correct categories for the trophy competition and judging for that competition will proceed.

In addition to the medals, trophies, Best Convention Theme (Mongols) and Best of Show we are hoping to have manufacturers sponsor their own Best of awards (Best Reaper, Best Crocodile Games etc.) I will make announcements for these awards as manufacturers give us their support.