Alright, so it's time to do the nominations for this year's Hall of Fame class! This will be open for about a month (ending in mid-December, probably December 14th).

The way it works is you can nominate exactly 5 people for induction into the Hall of Fame. The current members of the HoF will then vote on the nominees. Post all nominations in this thread.

The top 3 nominees (people who got the most nominations) will get 1 free "community vote" during the voting process.

Threads are up at both Gamers and Bloomilk; please only post your nomination in one of the two places, not both. Remember that you should nominate exactly 5 people, no more, no less.

As a reminder, here is the list of people who are currently in the Hall of Fame. Don't nominate these guys!

Class of 2008:
Dennis Beard aka Boris the Dwarf
Matt Francella aka Jedicartographer
Jim Fraser aka Moses2813
Eric Larson aka Engineer
Steve Leskow aka Fool
Bill Russell aka Billiv15
Shawn Sparks aka StSparks72
Jason Tanner aka Nickname
Chuck monarch aka ChuckM
Rob Watkins
Kelly Krieble aka Dr Divot
Dean Miller aka Dnemiller

Class of 2009:
Aaron Brueckman aka Lobostele
Jack Irons aka Ironlightsaber
Deri Morgan aka Fingersandteeth
Sarah Richey
Lou Vasilion aka Lou
Prien Xavier

Class of 2010:
Jason Alvey aka Darkjedi21
Mike Fryda aka Kcelser
Matt Peterson aka Mt Magus
Aaron Shockley aka Shinja
Chris West aka Mapmaker
Padraig Neuendorf aka I Kill Gungans

Class of 2011:
Ray Becker aka dvader831
Josh Derksen aka armoredgear7
Les Eller aka LESHIPPY
Daniel Stephens aka Echo
Scott Sykes aka Sithborg

Class of 2012:
Brad Phillips aka The_Celestial_Warrior
Tim Ballard aka TimmerB123
Trevor Payton aka thereisnotry
Jason Kiernan aka urbanjedi
Kerry Logan aka Kezzamachine
Chris Neal aka jedispyder
Ian Gordon aka Jester007

I'm sure I'm going to see someone else's list and feel stink for missing someone, and I might be off track on some of what people actually do, but:

Jim McNaney - hosting SHNN, good community member
David Weeks - made GenCon top 8 two years running, playtesting
Swinefeld - pillar of Bloomilk
Bronson McNellis/Ultrastar - playtesting, recently initiated a big event
Graham Bingham/Greentime - won lots of regionals, playtesting

Here are my nominations:

Jim McNaney - Tier 1 SWM organizer. A critical member of the PA/MD playgroup. Also now a long-time host of the SHNN, and a solid volunteer for GenCon (when he isn't stealing some kid's Teddy Grahams ). Add all that to an all-around awesome guy who makes the community better just by his presence. He is involved in all those important discussions when we try to figure out where the game is going or where we want it to go, and always gives valuable input. This guy should be a shoe-in to the HoF.

David Weeks - Tier 1 SWM player. Also heavily involved in v-sets, major playtester as well as designer now. 2-time top 8 player at GenCon, just won Minis Mania 2, has a few regional wins under his belt. Regular contributor to the SHNN.

Graham Bingham - Another tier 1 SWM player. Has a ton of regional wins, I believe second only to Tim. Big time playtester, and a valuable asset to the design team. Member of the Playtesting Committee. He's one of the guys who is absolutely dedicated to the game.

Swinefeld - As The_Hutts mentioned, he's one of the key pillars of Bloomilk. Great all-around contributor to the community. Current curator of Mini Manager, one of the best resources for the game.

The_Hutts - We need not forget our oversees playgroups, and as far as I can tell, The_Hutts is one of (if not the) best players of the NZ group. Won plenty of tournaments down there, proving that he's one of the elite players of the game. He's also a big contributor in pretty much all discussions on the forums, and a major squad builder.

Personally I think 5 nominations is too high. We are small group of players…a couple more years everybody will be a HOFamer. I would think that an international player should always be included in the five.

Nominations

Jim
Weeks
Hutts
Swinefeld
Bronson

Well, not everyone who gets a nomination is going to go to the next stage of voting. Last year just the top 8 nominees went on. So yeah, the list of people who get at least 1 nomination is really big (like 20 or so people got at least 1 nomination last year), but the number of people who will go to the next stage (and likewise the number who will actually get inducted) will be much smaller. I'd expect that this year's class will be smaller than in the past, because you're right, we are a small group of players and if a large percentage of the community is in the HoF is kind of loses its purpose.

Here goes:

Weeks -- One of the best players not in and I always have thought the HOF should be about players first and other things second (TOs, customizers, community ppl, etc)

TheHutts -- One of the best and brightest and always has a new idea to do something cool.

UrbanShmi -- Without her, Gencon sealed wouldn't have had any customs. Great customizer, the best squad designer around, and pretty good player to boot.

Greentime -- Graham is tons of fun, and one of the better players not in. Also if we can ever get it set up so we can video tape our matches and then add commentary then Graham is the guy I want on commentary every single time.

DarthJim -- Jim is a pillar for our community. Great TO and every event that I have heard of him running seems to have come off great. Also a great contributor by hosting the SHNN when needed and does anything needed by the community.

Darth Jim
TheHutts
Greentime
Urbanshmi
Ultrastar

Darth_Jim
Weeks
Greentime
Swinefeld
The Hutts

Weeks
TheHutts
UltraStar
Greentime
Darth Jim

Mike Giles - He heads up the playtesting, is an all around great guy.
Laura Kiernan - Great customizer, major help for GenCon 2012 with her customizing skills.
Bronson - Tennessee's main guy, playtester, phenominal event host.
Jim McNaney - Great man, great friend, great player, still going strong in PA
David Weeks - What can one really say about him that people don't already know.

P.S. I also nominate Nick Ferguson so that he and David can have an epic duel of the fates lol. But the above 5 are my nominations.

Still too many deserving people not there, and my apologies to those I can't nominate because I have to stop at 5.

David Weeks (Weeks): In every facet of the game, you see him represented. In my opinion, THE person who needs to get in this year.

Graham Bingham (Greentime): One of the game's best players, a great out-of-the-box thinker.

Graham Fyfe (TheHutts): Judging from the results from the last few years, New Zealand's finest player. He's always there in the chat on SHNN, offering views and opinions. Everyone in NZ references him; we should too.

Laura Kiernan (UrbanShmi): Behind every good man is the wife who builds his squads. Her squad building and play can stand on their own merits, and she's always present in the community when it comes to customs and helping run events. I've judged 2 regionals but I'd defer to her when it comes to rulings, that's how much I think of her game knowledge.

Eric Frost (Ruhk): I know Eric hasn't been in the forefront lately, but his past work in our community and high level of play shouldn't be forgotton. I think I said in my nominations last year I'd nominate him every year until he got in; if I didn't, I should have.

Okay, here goes:

(1) Graham Bingham - Very funny guy who can and often does supply running commentary during games (his and others when he is finished) and needles his ATL brethren with good natured jabs. Oh yeah, obviously a very good player who is always in contention for a top 4 spot.

(2) Laura Kiernan - In a game with very few women, she deserves a HOF spot just for putting up with all the guys at every event, travel time, etc. Aside from all that, she is reserved and really nice to everyone she talks with and plays against. She also made the sealed event possible at this year's GenCon and made it THE event to play in as it turned out.

(3) Jake (Chicago - Tim's good friend and travelling companion) - I always like to see and visit with Jake and play against whatever interesting squad he has concocted. He helped create the Royal Rumble format that is taking hold and was a blast at the team event this past GenCon. I also appreciate those people that stick with a game and travel to support it, support regionals, and generally seek to make the game great and continue on into the future.

(4) Matt Spry (if he is already a HOF, sorry I overlooked it) - I had met Matt at previous GenCon's but really got to talk with him a lot more this past one. A very fine player as everyone knows and a really good guy and someone that people can use to gain nice insight to the game, squads, and so on. He seems to me to be someone that like Jake, is more concerned with the future of the game than how they are perceived by others...and I like that.

(5) Bryan Hole - From Kokomo and co-owner of Gamer DMZ. Many people do not know Bryan aside from a regional standpoint as he has never placed particularly high in the Championship at GenCon, but he too cares deeply about the game and it continuing into the future. A few years back when Wizards was still making the game, Bryan decided to open a shop: (1) for a business venture, and (2) for a place to play SW minis with his friends. He has hosted many events over the last several years including one of the best and most well attended regionals...kudos my friend.

(6) Jim McNaney - A super good guy and fellow sportsmanship winner at this past GenCon (well deserved FOR SURE!) Besides all he does as a community member, Jim is a fine player and a person that never seems to begrudge you if you beat him or make excuses which is very refreshing. Everyone knows what the community and the game mean to Jim and we are better for his involvement in our game and our events, a super person.

My five:

1. David Weeks (Weeks): I agree with Jim. If only one person can get into the HoF this year, it should be David. A fantastic player, who has also done a lot for the game. Oh, and just a lot of fun to hang out with.

2. Jim McNaney (Darth Jim): Nothing to say that hasn't already been said. Jim's attitude, generous spirit, and sportsmanship speak for themselves.

3. Will Piggott (exiledgamer): Not a big part of the online community, but his contribution to our game has been huge. Will designed and is continually improving the pairing software used in almost all of our competitive events around the country. I can't really think of a more significant individual contribution to our game.

4. Graham Bingham (Greentime): Along with Weeks, easily one of the best players not currently in the HoF.

5. Don Komhyr (R5Don4): Don created the second-highest number of customs for our sealed event at GenCon (well over 100), and has really stepped up to help with the customs for next year, as well. He's also been one of the people taking charge of the community v-set project, helping to guide the discussion and keep a very diverse group on task. In short, Don's leadership and willingness to help have made him a real asset to the community.

Please rephrase that. Your husband is bigger and younger than me, and will beat me up...after strafing me first.

Based on tenure and overall contribution to the continued longevity of SWM, I hereby nominate...

Swinefeld
R5Don4
Darth_Jim
Weeks
EmperorDragon

Done

It's wierd to be making my votes from the other side of the fence this time. Am I allowed to vote here even if I'm in the Hall of Fame? If so, then here are my votes, in no particular order. If I'm not allowed to vote here, then these are just my mentions of well-deserved kudos to each of these people, without whom my SWM experience (and not only mine) would be far less enjoyable.

1. David Weeks (Weeks). Okay, this one is in a particular order. If anyone should get in this year, it should be David, IMHO. He (along with Daniel "Echo" Stephens), was the primary playtesting force behind V-Set 1, and he has been intimately involved with every V-Set since then, even serving as designer more than once. Not only that, but he's also a SWM Samurai; he's got mad skillz, which he proved by winning several Regionals, Top-8-ing more than once, and also winning the big Minis Mania II just a few weeks ago. I very easily could have been playing against David in the Championship finals at Gencon this year.

2. Jim McNaney (DarthJim). One of the coolest and funniest SWM players in the game. He's the backbone of the PA group, he's a generous and friendly guy, and also a regular host of the SHNN. He's also a solid player who is not to be taken lightly.

3. Graham Bingham (Greentime). How many regionals do you need to win before you're allowed into the HoF? IMHO, it's a toss-up between Graham and Weeks for who is the best SWM player not yet in the HoF.

4. Laura Kiernan (UrbanShmi). She's a superb squad builder and a solid player. Her contribution to prize support this year at Gencon was amazing.

5. Eric Frost (Ruhk). Not only is he Canadian (!!!), but he's also a very good friend of mine. He was my Gencon-driving-buddy for 3 years straight, and we always had a blast together. He's an excellent player, winning the first ever Ontario Regional and making the Championship Top 8 in 2009. Also as an FYI, Eric stepped up for the community in huge ways in recent years, serving as one of the main mods on this site, serving as a V-Set designer, and providing prize support for Gencon 2011.

1. Weeks - designer, playtester, swm wizard. Get him in already.
2. Eric Frost - Frost isn't in the HoF yet? Travesty. Dude has done more than most already on the HoF.
3. Jim - We need more of guys like him around.
4. Jake K- creator of the royal rumble that was a hit in the team this year. persistent regional finalist.
5. Graham Bingham - regional dominator, top 8 finalist, playtester.

In no order

1.Laura Kiernan
2.David Weeks
3.Will Pigott
4.Jim McNaney
5.Mike Giles

As long as I am playing this game my first nomination will always be Tim and Mark from through Star Wars Miniverse podcast. Without them there would be no local mini's scene and I would never have come across this game. There would be no Wisconsin regional either. And of course we wouldn't have Star Wars Miniverse.

The rest of these are in no order.

Swinefeld for his significant contributions to bloomilk and the community in general.

Weeks as arguably the best mini's player not already in.

Jake for his part in the creation and/or co-creation of the Royal Rumble and Tile Wars formats.

The Hutts not only for being perhaps New Zealand's best player but also for a tremendous presence on the forums. His humor, positivity, and general presence make the community better.

There are more deserving that I look forward to nominating next year after some of this group gets in!