Group Builds Going Forward

[PaulBradley]

While I can sympathise, Chris, the whole ethos of Group Building is that we're all in it together. If we allow GBs to linger on until everyone is done, we'll end up with a lot - if not all! - GBs just lingering on to a slow death. I personally have come to terms with my DNFs and will often finish them at a later date to add to my Workbench Window. My other DNFs are, in my mind, probably deserving of that status and will end up in the bin. It's an individual thing, but I do feel the GB ethos really doesn't suit non-ends and a tidy conclusion is my personal preference.

But I'm also not for closing a GB strictly at midnight on the prearranged end date - a little slack to allow some to finish up their builds is a good thing, and something I've taken advantage of often.

[PaulBradley]

I've had a look at the calendar and have rearranged things so that by overlapping by a week, we can have an additional two GBs in 2023. That would make a total of 10 GBs plus our two Blitzbaus. Would that be acceptable to the majority?

[DavidWomby]

Fine with me, Paul.

David

[jssel]

Think it works for me.

[JohnRatzenberger]

The slight overlaps help open the calendar. We have tun into the next year before. Good work.

[PaulBradley]

Resurrecting this thread, as I'm thinking about GBs for next year. So how do you guys view how things have gone over the first two-thirds of this year? COmments and thoughts welcome.

[iggie]

Participation and completions seem better to me than previously; the effort to take part in any particular GB isn't being diluted by too many conflicting choices

[wokka]

We've had some interesting GB's and participation has been good but they did seem in the first part of the year as if itwas a continuous train with no stops between. Your original idea of not overlapping builds I think is still worth looking at.

[AndrewR]

We have 2 Blitzes and 10 GBs this year, which I think is probably about our limit. Participation has been pretty good in most of them. Personally, I think we should maybe only have 8 next year, plus 2 Blitzes. This would give us less overlap.

[jssel]

I think there has been good participation in both the GB’s and Blitz’s. August Blitz is normally light due, I think, to being a
Summer month. In regards to GB’s it is all about subject matter which this year has been a little something for everyone.

Unless there is justification, continue on the present schedule.

[PaulBradley]

Some very interesting points, with a split between keeping 10 GBs and cutting to 8 GBs. I, too, have been encouraged by the better rates of participation and completion, which would seem to suggest that the current schedule is working for more people. Nevertheless, I'd be interested to hear what others think as well.

As Jeff says, we've had a nice mix of subjects this year and hopefully we can keep that going into next year. So please also get your thinking caps on for potential subjects for 2024 - we already have 5 good potentials but more ideas would be helpful! Please go ahead and start a thread in the GB chat area if you come up with a potential 'goodun'.

[Stuart]

.. So please also get your thinking caps on for potential subjects for 2024 - we already have 5 good potentials but more ideas would be helpful! Please go ahead and start a thread in the GB chat area if you come up with a potential 'goodun'.

Or, just ignore all the other ideas and come and build a C-130 instead

[PaulBradley]

Well, with the interest shown so far that is on the shortlist!

[JohnRatzenberger]

10 nominated GB plus 2 Blitz.

Remember for calendar & everything else, a Blitz is just a single modeller and 24 hours. The calendar only shows the “period” and need not impact GB scheduling.

We should not shy away from longer, historical GB if interest is there. Since it is *our* GB we can do it any time and are not bound by historical dates - we get in the year is close enough.

Sometimes I feel we are trying to impress others. These are our GB and the only ones we need to make happy is us.

[PaulBradley]

We should not shy away from longer, historical GB if interest is there. Since it is *our* GB we can do it any time and are not bound by historical dates - we get in the year is close enough.

Sometimes I feel we are trying to impress others. These are our GB and the only ones we need to make happy is us.

To your first point - yes, but we need to find the right ones. For example, we did a D-day GB on both the 70th and 75th anniversaries - do we really want to do another? I think we need to think a bit further outside the box, something different.

To your second point - I don't see that, but I agree that we need continue to be our own forum. I do see that others are bringing out their own versions of the Blitzbau - it is said that 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery'.....