Does anyone else have strong feelings about this? I suggested it only because 8 units is a pretty good minimum for most EA formations and I think we'd see more entries at this number than at 16.

For the battleforce entries, I perferred the 2007 rules (8 units, WE count as 2).

As regards the first bit: strictly speaking, the work on the model should be made by the competitor; but this can be defined better:
1) we always assume (and I believe this is the case) that all entries are painted by the person who entered them. Painting is the basis of all categories except for the conversion one, so that's simple enough.
2) the conversion competition is a tough nut. If someone sculpts a model entirely from scratch, would that be a conversion? Not quite, but we usually accept it as such. If someone were to cast that sculpt, would that count? This is Apocolocyntosis' question. I suppose yes. If someone cast a model off a sculpt, but then gave it to someone else, and this someone else painted and entered it, would it count? Strictly speaking, no, because the conversion (which is what is judged in the conversion competition) is not her or his own work. But it's not easy to determine what is what. The case indicated here is a further extrapolation of this case - part of a conversion fabricated by a third party! Good grief! Is there a lawyer in the house?  
The conversion competition includes all models entered in any category, nominally; the ones which are not conversions but standard commercial models are obviously not considered for this category. As for all the remaining variety (conversions, part swaps, sculpts, part sculpts, scratchbuilds, prototypes etc.) - that is up to the discretion of the judges. The are usually three of the senior (i.e. older, or senile, and experienced, or downright dull, and regular, i.e. nerd-like) members of Epicomp - the pool of judges for Epicomp usually includes Cybershadow, Warmaster Nice, Nealhunt and myself; that means excluding our own models from this prize, something I personally consider painful, even though I have no hope of winning this. In other words - the decision is left to these wise, old men. But if you wish for a more direct answer - if the sculpted part does not constitute the entire conversion work done to the model, then it would probably not matter at all and would be eligible. Thus if someone sculpted a new Warlord Titan head and that was the only change to the model, this should not be eligible for the conversion prize unless it were your own work. If the head AND the weapons and details to the legs were all changed, and the head were made by someone else, that would be ok.
Clear as mud, I suppose...

Is it more impressive to have a green stuff sculpt of Abaddon or a 3d modelled version in 6mm? I honestly don't know.

I myself had not submitted any models yet (still thinking I had previously changed the deadline) - as a consequence, and as it might appear I am taking personal advantage of this, I will now not enter them.

Once again, sorry for the dire mess.