Pre WWI group builds are going to be limited to mostly three basic subject areas:figures, ships, and artillery pieces. Probably the two most popular genres here on FSM are aircraft, then armor. Not saying that folks would not be interested, but many are more apprehensive with figures and ships. Not to mention that there is less subject material out there for pre WWI aside from figures. 

Just my 2 cents on that.

I was doing figures for a while and there are so many great subjects in history to model.  Just poking around there are old locomotives kits - I bet there's quite a few train modelers around.  I have a minicraft 1803 Trevithick partially started in the stash.  But I do gravitate towards aircraft, cars and bikes (lately).

Here's a couple pre-ww1 figures -

The 24th at Isandlwana and Zulu Warrior

3rd Texas Cavalry

I'd be up for a pre-WW1 group build.

Griffin, this thought came to me just the day before yesterday. A group build for all the oddball stuff that isn't included, or rarely though of. I was thinking of engines, superheros, figures, bugs, stagecoaches, cannoes, whatever, even streight out of your mind kit bashing.

I don't know if this is what you were talking about or not. My other idea was a GB of anything. Anything you want to build, just build it.

I'm a kinda strange dog.

Griffin, i do agree, the problem is how much support they would get. As Stik points out, the most popular subject here is aircraft. And even those that are not aircraft are mostly 20th century subjects.

I know a couple of guys in the model club i belong to who only build figures, mostly 18th/19th century. There bare some stunning figure builders around. But i have noticed many nof those guys tend not to build other subjects so if they go on forums it will be onesdedicated to figures.

I am planning a British army GB for next year which will be open to subjects going back to the English civil war. While i do expect most builds to be 20th/21st century, i would like to see earlier subjects, which of course would mainly be figures. Hopefully we might have some budding figure painters out there.

I just wanted to throw that out there and see what people thought. Steve I like your ideas. Something different you know. We see the odd 19th century subject or a dinosaur here and there but not in a group build where they would get much more attention. Bish your GB idea is a good one. That would be something different as well. 

I think there was a dinosaur GB a few years back.

Maybe a figures and busts GB might raise some interest.

GBs themselves don’t get that much attention aside from the participants. How many times do you partake in one and see folks who are not part looking in and commenting upon the work? And of course the GB subject matter determines the number of interested participants. Some are lucky to get five actual participants, some are ideas that never get past the feeler stage, and some get a nice large (for here a dozen or more) group of active participating builders. Those timed with historical anniversaries can do well, but not always. Some are perennial favorites and reappear every few years under a new name and host. 

Now theoretically, somebody could cobble together an “odds and ends” group build, for subjects that do not quite fit in elsewhere. But again the host has to decide what fits in and what does not. There has to be some common thread to interest folks to partake. Weekend Madness is a great example- any subject, but one has 48 hours to get it done. The Shelf Queens/Get ‘er Done is another, finish that sidelined build, whatever it is, within the timeframe of the GB.  

Not to rain on the parade here, but the low occurance of seeing such subjects on FSM just reflects the interests of the active members here. 

Yeah as SP says you kinda have to narrow it down some. Maybe a figure GB or pirates GB or something like that. It's an interesting idea and I might be willing to sign on but it's just a little too wide open.

Group builds work when there becomes a group dynamic that moves it along, as well as a constantly involved host. Christine (Keyda1) knocked it out of the park with her C-47 GB because she ran it well, and who the heck doesn't love a C-47?

I've participated in quite a few. If the subject is anything other than really available, the GB usually quickly boils down to one or two modelers.

It's also pretty usual for people to join who realize that they have something in the stash, and it would be a good opportunity to get it out and build it. That can be limiting if the GB is say pre-dreadnaughts.

On the other hand, if you have a subject you are interested in and post a WIP, as I did not that long ago for my Viking Ship, you'll get a lot of interest and information from the folks following.

I'd sure follow a WIP of any figures, for example.

As GM suggests, if there is a subject you like, do a WiP on it. Somtimes getting away from the GB's can gather more interest than in them.

I don't think there's been a figure GB in a while. It might be worth a shot. 

I kinda like the idea of a pirate GB too, has there ever been one of those? 

One I'd really like to follow would be a Trek GB.

GMorrison

One I'd really like to follow would be a Trek GB.

 

Yes, Trek, SciFi, Star Wars (cough, cough, Bish...) 

Didn't someone do a Trek GB a while back. Now, a Star Wars GB, not had one of those in ages

Something different is alway a welcome breath of fresh air but I totally suck at figures.  It's not hard to do a GB and all you have to do is respond when people post in there.  It's not about mass involvement but getting some participation to have a fun group. 

I also forgot it's about building and creating too.

Yes there has been a Trek, SW, dinosaur, locomotive and sci-fi. I'm sure there's been more.

GB for me aren't so much about numbers as they are about getting folks to build something. For me, a WIP will wain more often than a GB build will.

Yeah, there was a Trek GB a few years ago and a generic SF GB I believe Waynic ran. I built Polar Lights 1/1000th Klingon D-7 for one of them, I think the later.

And Bish's recent SW GB which I started a Bandai A-Wing that I didn't get finished. Looking forward to the next one, I've got a 1/6th Han Solo for that.

Some time in 2020, I was thinking of hosting a Rotorcraft-V/STOL GB. 

Bruce, sounds good. I was hoping for an excuse to put my F-35B on the bench.

I think the car/truck type GBs always did well also.

modelcrazy

Bruce, sounds good. I was hoping for an excuse to put my F-35B on the bench.

 

Steve, you'll see a feeler some time next year. We'll see how the GB landscape is looking first.

Also, how about a GB that allows the modeler to create there own model? Let me explain further. Have you seen any of the work by a user name tiking? He created a type of futuristic pod racer model from spare parts. It was quite amazing. With all the spare parts, and 3D printed parts, it might be cool to see what new creations come out of it. Just a thought.

Something like this: http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/6/p/147027/1566598.aspx#1566598

Or this: http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/6/p/165319/1814407.aspx#1814407

Bruce & 68GT: Some great ideas there. I love the scratchbuilt GB idea. I was just talking to Ikar01 about some of his scratchbuilt subjects last week. And Tiking's stuff is amazing. I've been looking for an excuse to try something like that- just with five zillion kits in stash I keep putting it off.