Awards will be given in three categories:

• Box Stock: A model built from a commercially available kit (it may be out of production). Your kit can be lighted and/or super-detailed, but it must be recognizable as a commercially available kit.
  
  
• Scratchbuilt: A model built primarily from scratch or kitbashed from other components.
  
  
• Diorama: Any model incorporated into a display with other models, figures, etc. that tells a story or presents a snapshot of an activity.
  
  

1) Eligibility. For the purposes of this contest, entries must be a 'hero', something the hero uses, or something the hero travels in. Yes, that's purposely vague --- the contest is intended to spark the imagination. Your descriptive text MUST provide clear reason why the entry meets the criteria.

The following definitions are provided as a general guide:

• Main character (be it a life form or a vehicle/vessel) of any story with whom the audience is expected to identify or sympathize.
• Any vehicle or vessel in which the hero does his heroic business
• Any tool, weapon or other artifact used by the hero or heroes
• Any scene in which the hero (or his vehicles/hardware) is part

Examples of eligible entries include, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, the following:

• Millenium Falcon - Han Solo and his ship are heroes of the first Star Wars trilogy. (but a stock YT-1300 transport would not be eligible, nor would Chewbacca or Lando)
• Red 5 - Luke Skywalker's X-Wing. Not Red 1, 2 , 3 or 4 though.
• USS Voyager, USS Enterprise (any) - obviously, these are hero ships. Any other starship not immediately identifiable as a hero vessel must be justified in the write-up that accompanies the submission.
  
• Shinji Akari's or Asuka's EVA Units (but not EVA 5); Rick Hunter's Valkyrie but not any 'generic' one (again, unless justified in the write up)
• Batman - but not Robin. Robin's a sidekick, and we already had a contest for those guys. Similiarly, any Batmobile would be eligible, but not Robin's or Batgirl's motorcycles.
• Ripley in the Powerloader, but not any of the cannon fodder Colonial Marines.

  For more examples and clarification, please see the Discussion Board.

  
  
  
• We have no desire to nit-pick what "is" or "isn't" science fiction, or what belongs in the contest. As long as you can plausibly describe your entry as being heroic in some fahion, we'll allow it in the contest.
  
  
• Entries can be spaceships, shuttles, fliers, mecha, submarines, automobiles, figures, prop replicas -- it doesn't matter. Entries may be constructed from any materials. They must otherwise meet the eligibility rule.
  
  
• If any doubt exists as to whether a design is eligible, Starship Modeler staff will ask for documentation proving the design meets contest criteria. All decisions of the Starship Modeler staff are final.

  2) For the purposes of this contest, Dioramas are defined as any collection of models and/or figures that tells a story, or presents a snapshot in time. Simply adding one or more figures to a model will not qualify it for this category; neither will adding a scenic base. It must be placed in an environment/context, and some sense of action or activity must be conveyed.

  3) You may enter as many models as you like. Each entry must be accompanied by a $5 entry fee. All payment must be made via PayPal, by credit card (VISA or MasterCard), check or money order for US dollars, made out to "Starship Modeler". Send payment to: Starship Modeler, 1580 S. Milwaukee Ave Suite 430, Libertyville, IL 60048 (USA).

  4) All entries must be received by midnight (CST - GMT -6.00) July 16th, 2006. Judging will take place between June 19-30, 2006. Voting will be performed online by registered members of the Starship Modeler readership, as well as the staff for Editors' Choice awards. Starship Modeler staff and relatives are not excluded from the entering the competition but cannot win any of the prizes. All judging is final. The Starship Modeler staff will determine the winner in cases of a tie.

  5) Entries must include:

• Your name
• Your postal and e-mail address
• Contest fee
• Model description, including how you built the model. Fictional historical overviews are fine, especially where they justify the entry as meeting the theme of the contest, but we'd rather hear what went into making the model. Long monographs covering every action in which the ship may have ever partcipated will be ruthlessly edited.
• At least six pictures. Three of the pictures should be a front view, top view, and side view. The remaining images are optional and can be used to show off specific details or just to shoot the model from some of its more attractive angles. If more than six pictures are sent, the Starship Modeler staff reserves the right to chose which, if any, additional images to include. You can send your submissions via eMail, or if you are unable to scan your photos, just mail them to: Starship Modeler, 1580 S. Milwaukee Ave Suite 430, Libertyville, IL 60048 (USA). Photos WILL NOT be returned unless a properly posted SASE is included. All entries will be posted, as long as they meet these Contest Rules.

  6) You can include as little, or as much, of a "back story" explaining the timeline from which your model springs. Lengthy stories will be set apart as a separate link. Please also include some descriptive text on how you built your model! Remember - this is a model contest, not a writer's symposium; tell us about the model.

  7) Do not add or subtract detail from your submissions, digitally or otherwise. i.e., do not add starry backgrounds or laser fire. All photos should depict the model, showing off its features and workmanship. We suggest you photograph the model in natural light against a plain, monochromatic background for best results. Scans should be done AT LEAST 100% (200% is better) image size, and at 72 ppi. Do not send images with greater density than 72 ppi, as it dramatically increases download time and were going to downsample them anyway.

  8) Awards will be delivered by mail and sent out within one month of completion of judging.

  9) Starship Modeler reserves the right not to post images that are deemed distasteful. We're not going to be prudish, but all images should be presented in a tasteful manner. Any hull/nose/wing art, and the like, should forswear the depiction of genitalia, for instance.

  10) In the Stock category, detail sets such as aftermarket lighting kits or decals are allowed. While such extra detail could increase your chances to win, quality and creativity of the work is still a major factor in judging.

  11) Entries can be models which were completed prior to the contest, but can not be ones that have been previously published anywhere on Starship Modeler.

  12) Starship Modeler staff reserve the right to reject any entry we feel does not meet the guidelines published here, or the underlying spirit of our contest.

  If you have any questions about these rules or other contest details, please ask us by dropping a note, or use the postal address given above.

  Contestants: make sure we have your mailing address!

  A link will bring you to the Vote Page, once it becomes active after July 16th, 2006.

These pages are intended strictly for personal use of those who appreciate the hard work, intelligence, artistry, and effort that go into making real and fictional spacecraft. This site is not intended to infringe on the intellectual properties of any copyright holders. Please address concerns, questions, and any notices we may have inadvertently missed to site administration for resolution.