Inspiration strikes again! How about a what-if M113 campaign? Rules are simple. You can use any variant of the M113, but you have to make it a what-if. This is excepting painting it in what-if colors. It can be anything from a plasma cannon to upgraded armor to whatever you have the desire to build. Will be open 1/72-1/35. I'd like to kick it off in March of 2014. Let me know what you think.

You had me at M-113!










~ Jeff

Glad to hear you like it. I'll try to keep turning out good ones.

I kept waiting for this one to appear as it's one of two of my favorite IFV's. I got tired of waiting for a JEEP Campaign, so I went ahead and did that but I have ran out of energy for another Campaign of my own.

The skies the limit on this idea! Thanks!










~ Jeff

the M113 is an awesome vehicle, used every possible way. It's hard to find a way it hasn't already been configured!
I like your idea, and I think March 2014 is free on my calendar.
-Sean H.

Sounds good, but what about lifting the what if criteria?

I'm looking to get the creative juices flowing.

Well, there were many variants of the vehicle. Is it staying an M113 Campaign only, or like would an M548 be part of it?










~ Jeff

And you had me at "what-if". I've got a couple of half-built M113s laying about. I've got a Italeri M32 that's missing about half the parts. Maybe some sort of recovery vehicle based on the two. If not that, maybe...ah heck I'll come up with something.

Would an already built OOB M113 be allowed where it's only the "what-if" component being done for the campaign?

Guys! You should know better than to ask about half built and completed kits.

It's not in true spirit of the Campaign.


Oh well. I think I'll enter a 1/18 Die-Cast Collectable then.










~ Jeff

I've gone back and forth on half built kits and just can't allow them. It just isn't fair to others starting from scratch.

I agree with Matt.

I'll leave the decisions to the Campaign Leader but I still don't think it's fair for the other members.

Jeff, partials often take more time and effort to break down and rebuild than a new, unbuilt kit.

I don't see the justification to buy a new kit when I have one unfinished already. In the case of the M113s, I have four partially built ones sitting in a box. I could see me doing a couple of what-ifs for this one.

If Matt says it's okay, I'm in. And even if he says "no", I still might be in. A lot depends on how things sit 9-months from now. But right now, if the campaign started next month, I'd probably pass before buying another M113 kit.

Well Alex, this is Matt's Campaign and whatever he goes with is his decision but I believe you should just finish them.

But I will also point out that Campaigns are normally starting out with new kits... not previously worked on ones just to get a ribbon.

It seems to me you have a habit of asking for an exception just like you did a year ago on the StuG Campaign I ran. I let yours in because I was new at it but to keep on asking in future Campaigns seems a bit much. What NEEDS to happen is for you get back on them and finish them. Yeah, it is stupid to buy a new kit just to join a Campaign when you have unfinished kits, but then why should everyone else do so that doesn't?

Think about it as I have said enough.










~ Jeff

Alex: I am not willing to make an exception, in your case. Had you started on the kit during the campaign and not posted any photos, I may be willing to make the exception. But, it is not fair to the rest of the participants to let someone, that just wants a ribbon, get a head start. We would not be able to learn anything from your build and I do not see how it would be entertaning.

I don't buy kits to join a Campaign...
I join Campaign with what I have in stash, I have dozens of kits in stash... but that's just me.

Campaigns keep coming, APC's, 88 Camp, Big Cats, just to name a few are no their 2nd or 3rd season, if you don't get to join now, maybe in a few months there's another chance.

Anyway it's the Campaign Leader's call.

I would suggest to open the Campaign to M113 & variants not just "what if's".

Matt & John,
No problem, I wasn't lookign for an exception. I didn't see Matt's post on it. I asked and you answered. As posted, I'll have to wait to see if I'll join this one or not. Good luck with it.

Jeff,
I wasn't asking for an exception. I didn't see Matt's post about partials. If I had, I wouldn't have posted to ask about it. That said, I don't see partials as automatically being some sort of shortcut or cheat, as it is often implied. It depends on the amount of work you'll have done to the kit as well as what you will have to do to modify it. know for a fact that it would be easier to start from scratch to build alot of my stuff than to recycle a partial.

I thought the spirit of the campaign was to make unusual/what-if M113s. So the emphasis would be on the deviation from the norm. I guess from now on I'll ask what the spirit is before committing.

As far as the StuG Campaign, you might want to look back. I never asked for an exception. I actually asked about a particual type of StuG and it was not allowed. I mentione dhaving the various StuG kits with some work already done to them and why I didn't see the need to buy another StuG kit while I already had some that werent' done. Using a previously started kit was an option that was offered to me. And, you'll also remember that I did two StuGs (an ausf C and a an ausf E) because I didn't want anyone to think I was takign a shortcut.

Why aren't they finished? You of all peopel should know that stuff comes up. Plans change. Real life intrudes. Heck, sometimes you just lose interest in them. And that was an opportunity to finish them. And boom, an opportunity comes up...like a campaign...and there's the opportunity/motivation to do somethign with them.

No need to air dirty laundry. I will not open this to actual vehicles. The whole purpose is to get the creative juices flowing. Anyone ever seen an 88 on an M113? How about a robotic claw?(this one is mine, don't steal it) Although, I have no idea what it could be used for. I will be adding some type of armament, as well.

BTW: I didn't plan on starting this campaign, until after I found an M113 IDF Fitter. Always wanted to see one with a three segment armature and claw.

No problem Matt. And my apologies about muddying up your thread. I just didn't care for some of the implications that were being made about me.

I'm in, hopefully I still remember about this next March. Also, would it be okay to make a what-if variant of a variant of the M113 (modifying a K200 for example)?

Maybe the armature could be used to clear debris or as a weapon (An afv that uses debris as projectiles, no need to carry ammo!)

The Italeri kit is very enexpensive, but it depends on how popular they are when you want one. EBay lists the Tamiya and Academy versions for a very reasonable price.

There is this one.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/damgaard/256328143/in/photostream/lightbox/

No one was making any implications my friend, I was just referring to the truth and the past.

Enjoy the Campaign.










~ Jeff