Leo,
The trick is to figure out a progression that both puts the least amount of paint on the plane and requires the least amount of backmasking. Having to retape along complicated paint lines or paint lines that come to points or whatever can be a tedious and difficult process, to say nothing of insuring that you can seal it adequately so that you don't get bleed. The reason I shot silver first was I only had to do that once for the original paint line (white/silver demarcation). After that, it's all relative mask, so I don't have to have tape lines come to a point (hard to seal up and a mistake just waiting to happen). I hate backmasking.
I don't like having to have 3 layers of paint on the LE, but I'm pretty light so far and as long as I don't get too heavy handed with the paint, it should be fine. Still have 3 colors to go. Hope to finish up to colors this weekend. Mostly, anyway.