Hi guys, I see there are still a lot of questions.
'new kit' = un-started kit. If you removed the plastic wrap and gawked at the sprues that's okay you still haven't started the kit. If you've started removing parts from the sprues you've started, that's not okay.
We are trying to make this an even playing field as far as the starting point, if we let one person go with parts removed where do we draw the line? Does the person who didn't remove any parts but painted some on the sprue get a free pass as well?
It's always hard to make these decisions and staff spent a great deal of time behind the scenes hashing this out to make it fair for everyone.
;D
As far as the level of competition, or not wanting to compete against a better modeler let me just say this.
Last year a member won two huge prizes and gave one of them away to another member who didn't win. This could be you this time around... who knows. There may also be a few prizes that will get awarded to random people at the staffs choosing, you may be that person as well.
If you choose to enter, do it for the fun. Maybe after all the fun, you might even be lucky enough to win a prize. ;D