How To Submit to Mainly 28s
This site is growing to be a more and more useful mine of information. If you have the time, please think about sharing some of the knowledge and techniques you have with others.
As Mainly 28s is a purely hobby-related site and doesn't provide me with a fixed income, I can't pay for any submissions. I will happily add any submitted reviews, articles, "how-to"s, rules or other wargames-related submissions, with full credit to you.
The Content of a Review
Reviews should be detailed, thorough, and provide a high level of insight into YOUR observations of the product. In short, a review should be more than just what an average person would post about a new (or old) kit, terrain item or figure.
The following are special requirements for specific review types:
Figure Reviews
Figure reviews must contain detailed images of the various figures in the pack or packs. Without these images the review may not contain worthwhile info for the reader. We prefer that reviews are made as complete as possible, and include pictures from all three stages of the figure's life- they can be added later to complete a review, so the review can be left open-ended and sent in after the initial "as delivered" review. Even if you only examined the parts but did not actually paint the figures yet, please include these details. This way you can pass on any experiences with assembling/cleaning the figures in question.
Reviews should include the following series of images:
As delivered (i.e. without having had any work done to it, straight out of the pack):
One image of a representative figure of the pack, scanned on a flatbed scanner next to a ruler marked in mm at a resolution of 300dpi or better. This image may be cropped a little, but should leave plenty of space around the figure. There should also be at least one additional scan of the complete content of the pack, as well as any other packs included in the review. If the pack includes duplicates, only one of each needs to be in the scan, but mention that there are duplicates in the review. Including an image of the package (if it is illustrated) is also helpful but not necessary.
Assembled (i.e. after assembly and undercoating, but before painting):
A similar set of images as the "as delivered" pictures.
A similar set of images as the "as delivered" pictures. Optional (i.e. pictures of the figures in a game-setting):
You may, if you wish, include pictures of the figures in a game-setting or a studio-style shot.
Do NOT take images from other web sites for your review unless those images are being used with their permission or the images were released for public use by the manufacturer.
Vehicle Reviews
Vehicle reviews must contain detailed images of the various parts of the vehicle in the pack or packs. Without these images the review may not contain worthwhile info for the reader. We prefer that reviews are made as complete as possible, and include pictures from all three stages of the vehicle's life- they can be added later to complete a review, so the review can be left open-ended and sent in after the initial "as delivered" review. Even if you only examined the parts but did not actually paint the vehicle yet, please include these details. This way you can pass on any experiences with assembling/cleaning the vehicle in question.
Reviews should include the following series of images:
As delivered (i.e. without having had any work done to it, straight out of the pack):
As many images as are required to show the parts included with the vehicle. A single picture with as many parts as possible in it (like the existing pictures on the other reviews here) is desirable. More detailed pictures of specific areas are also useful. Including an image of the package (if it is illustrated) is also helpful but not necessary.
Assembled (i.e. after assembly and undercoating, but before painting):
A series of images from varying angles.
Ideally there should also be at least one image from the front, left and top (if you can, also rear and right)with a ruler next to the vehicle. These images will be resized at a later date in order to be used in direct comparisons between manufacturers' offerings of the same vehicle in order to show the different proportions.
A similar set of images as the "as delivered" pictures. Optional (i.e. pictures of the figures in a game-setting):
You may, if you wish, include pictures of the vehicle in a game-setting or a studio-style shot.
Do NOT take kit images from other web sites for your review unless those images are being used with their permission or the images were released for public use by the manufacturer.
Review Specifics
Review length and layout:Reviews should cover all aspects of the model availble to the reviewer at the time of the review. In other words an "as delivered" review can't easily mention problems with assembly but an in-progress or built review should. The "rating" value(s) is/are not the point of a review. They are only a quick indicator as to how the reviewers overall impression of the kit was received.
Please use the headings in the existing Mainly 28s reviews as a template for the layout and items to be discussed in the review.
Please give adequate thought to your rating. We are looking for honest impressions in an imperfect world here. If you find yourself giving products 6s, often, then you should probably re-evaluate how you are judging the review subject. Also, if you consistently give products high ratings it is doubtful your peers will hold your reviews in too high a regard (especially if they purchase the item and find it is not perfect).
The Content of an Article or "How-to"
There are as many different "how-to"s as there are wargamers out there, and as many differing views on the hobby.
How-to's
Since how-to's are usually articles detailing how to (hence the name) do something, a picture really is worth a thousand words. Please include as many pictures as you can. As we are from different parts of the world, and don't all speak the same language (just ask an American, an English person or an Aussie about "thongs"), please try to be as generic as possible when naming objects or substances. When using a specific brand of paint, please try to give a generic name in addition to their specific brand- what colour is "vomit green"?
How To Submit a Review or Article
Submitting anything is very easy. Just type up your story in whatever text-editing programme you use (preferably as an .rtf document). Then include your text (with ratings, details, etc.) and images in a single .zip or .rar file. Finally, e-mail it to the Mainly 28s administrator.
Additional Requests:1. Please do not submit reviews that are for more than one product/kit. It is acceptable to put all the figures in a sub-range together (e.g. all the British Paratroops in a company's range), but not all British troops of that company's range. Our review system is designed to display info on ONE sub-range at a time. We welcome detailed articles on multiple items or kit comparisons, but we will publish such articles as feature articles, and not reviews.
2. Submitting a review is not a guarantee of it being published on the site, but if you follow the above guidelines there should be no reason it would not. In certain cases however we do reserve the right to not publish a review if we feel the information being represented is either biased or grossly inaccurate.
Copyright of Submissions
Authors retain their copyright to any submissions; all we require is an exclusive licence that allows us to publish the article on the Mainly 28s website (including any derivative products) and any other Mainly 28s/Phantasy Designs products, and allows us to sub-licence such rights and exploit all subsidiary rights.
We ask the corresponding author to grant this exclusive licence on behalf of all authors by reading our licence and inserting in the manuscript on submission the following statement:
"The Corresponding Author has the right to grant on behalf of all authors and does grant on behalf of all authors, an exclusive licence on a worldwide basis to Mainly 28s, and its Licensees to permit this article (if accepted) to be published on the Mainly 28s website and in any other products and to exploit all subsidiary rights."
This licence allows authors to use their own articles for their own non-commercial purposes without seeking permission from us. Only if the use is commercial do we need to know about it.
Thus authors may use their own articles for the following non commercial purposes without asking our permission (and subject only to acknowledging first publication with Mainly 28s and giving a full reference or web link, as appropriate).
- Posting a pdf of their own article on their own personal or institutional website for which no charge for access is made
- Making a reasonable number of copies for personal or non commercial professional use. This includes the contributor's own teaching purposes
- Republishing part or all of the article in a book or other publication edited by the author (except for multiple contributions in the same book or publication, for which permission needs to be sought)
- Using individual figures or tables or extracts of text (up to 250 words) in other publications published by a third party