Quote: "I'd like to think I know my work a little better than they do, and so when I assure them that I gave the correct poly count"
Im not sure, but i would think you are now insulting me, come on man, all i am trying to do is make sure you achieve the best, like i always try to do.
Quote: "...thanks? I don't feel that's really anyone's place unless I had told everyone that I was just starting out, and needed all the help I could get. Whatever. I'm done.
"
And again, im just trying to help, no matter how skilled you are, there may always be something you overlook, thats why people here check.
The only reason i ever commented on the polycount was because over the years i have learned that the sub-d polycount is infact increased more when converted back to a normal object, as when in sub-d mode the faces still in fact are not really polygons, as they curve, a bit hard to explain with a headache. Having said that i am talking from 3ds max, blender may handle it differently.
Back on topic, what are you rendering this for exactly? Just out of curiosity.