Switch Theme:

hardest model to assemble - what was your nightmare model?  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
  • No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
  • Times and dates in your local timezone.
  • Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
  • Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
  • Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.




Made in us
Evasive Eshin Assassin






so after trying to assemble just two nighthaunt bladegheist revenants i am actually considering switching armies.
im an older fella and my hands shake pretty bad. those bladedheist are so spindly that im ready to switch to another army simply so i dont have to put any more together.

i dont know if nighthaunt are just hard overall or not but i think i need something with a little more meat to them like orruks or ogors maybe.


any of you have any models that drove you nuts?
   
Made in gb
Joined the Military for Authentic Experience





On an Express Elevator to Hell!!

Going back a bit, my child self trying to assemble some of the old metal fantasy dragons, and doing it without pinning using dodgy super glue. You'd think you'd cracked it and then a truck would drive past outside and the thing would fall to pieces The only way to get those into a store to play and stay in one piece was using some kind of advanced stasis field tech.

A bit later on and I remember the metal Hive Tyrant quite often taking part in battles as a jumble of broken pieces on the tabletop.

More recently some of the early Infinity releases were quite tricky, again trying to superglue bits that are 2mm wide and don't fit especially well..


Epic 30K&40K! A new players guide, contributors welcome https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/751316.page
Small but perfectly formed! A Great Crusade Epic 6mm project: https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/694411.page

 
   
Made in us
Abel





Washington State

This model from Forge World is probably one of the hardest, worst models I've ever had to put together. Warped pieces, no instructions, and parts that... just did not fit.



The second worst was the old Land Speeder (cira late 90's). Unless you had clamps and a hundred rubber bands, either the entire upper body or lower chassis would separate no mater what kind of glue you used. Sawing the upper body in half and then adding plasticard would solve the problem, but...

After that... almost all of the models from Palladium Games Robotech Tactics game just made no sense at all. Pieces so small, you needed a magnifying glass and tweezers.

For the most part, the biggest hurdle to assembling models is typically lack of instructions and bad parts.

Kara Sloan shoots through Time and Design Space for a Negative Play Experience  
   
Made in us
Stealthy Warhound Titan Princeps






I sold my harlequins because I had such a hard time gluing the rear gun onto the Voidweaver.

I'm on a podcast about (video) game design:
https://anchor.fm/makethatgame

And I also stream tabletop painting/playing Mon&Thurs 8PM EST
https://twitch.tv/tableitgaming
And make YouTube videos for that sometimes!
https://www.youtube.com/@tableitgaming 
   
Made in pl
Longtime Dakkanaut




Some of the infinity models were horrible (they've improved since), anything that required lining up gun-arm, support arm and body together was a pain.

Likewise, gluing the judicators for Stormcast was a massive pain for exactly the same reason- you had to line up torso and two arms, one holding a weapon together.

But also nighthaunt spirit hosts, they have the barest hints of guiding pegs.
   
Made in gb
Dakka Veteran






Being someone who also does scale models (in various scales right down to 1/144), I can't say that I've really had a wargaming/GW model that is a "nightmare" to put together. Although the Ravenwing Nephilim Jetfighter/Dark Talon I put together (and magnetized) recently has turned out with a few gaps in the front half, however I think they are of my own doing rather than the kit as dry fitting (even with all the magnets in place) showed no significant gaps. Luckily they aren't in places that are immediately visible...

The wings on my 1990s Bloodthirster were probably the hardest part of a model I've come across, but only because I'm useless at using a pin vice to drill into metal in order to pin things together - just takes too long to drill any significant depth.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/03/05 17:07:22


 
   
Made in ca
Knight of the Inner Circle




Montreal, QC Canada

Probably a tie between the Old 6th Edition metal Dark Elf Hydra and the 6th Edition metal Steam Tank.

Never again...Unless I find them cheap on Ebay cuz I do need another of each.

Commodus Leitdorf Paints all of the Things!!
The Breaking of the Averholme: An AoS Adventure
"We have clearly reached the point where only rampant and unchecked stabbing can save us." -Black Mage 
   
Made in us
Elite Tyranid Warrior






Any number of forgeworld models that are designed in a way that doesn't fit together. Getting the spartan's prow interior and doors to line up properly was not fun.
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut





Most anything that was metal in my collection, especially if it was supposed to mounted to plastic parts.
I remember having difficulty with the arms on the old 3rd ed ravener, and that was just aligning them to know where to pin.

The worst was probably assembling the hurricane bolters for the LR crusader.
Mine had a lot of flash on the seems needed filing down, the ammo feeds were often bent slightly and wouldn't slot, the ammo hoppers were literal bricks of metal which would unbalance everything, and some parts were too small to really pin properly. You could assemble the guns only to find the frame is now slightly bent and the side plates won't go on without generous glue & kicker. Ugh.
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka





Cylenna in Warmachine. She's metal, has the dreaded, 2 arms connecting to hands on a sword hilt issue, and no shoulder definition meaning the arms just kind of want to slide off her back before the glue dries.
   
Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka





Rihgu wrote:
I sold my harlequins because I had such a hard time gluing the rear gun onto the Voidweaver.


Definitely one of the worst.

Casual gaming, mostly solo-coop these days.

 
   
Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka







I'm a little disappointed that no-one has mentioned the Thunderfire Cannon yet.

2021-4 Plog - Here we go again... - my fifth attempt at a Dakka PLOG

My Pile of Potential - updates ongoing...

Gamgee on Tau Players wrote:we all kill cats and sell our own families to the devil and eat live puppies.


 Kanluwen wrote:
This is, emphatically, why I will continue suggesting nuking Guard and starting over again. It's a legacy army that needs to be rebooted with a new focal point.

Confirmation of why no-one should listen to Kanluwen when it comes to the IG - he doesn't want the IG, he want's Kan's New Model Army...

tneva82 wrote:
You aren't even trying ty pretend for honest arqument. Open bad faith trolling.
- No reason to keep this here, unless people want to use it for something... 
   
Made in us
Blackclad Wayfarer





Philadelphia

Metal Land Raider Crusader

   
Made in gb
Lord of the Fleet






London

Yep, the old LR Crusader has to be the worst. Close second would have to be the Fire Raptor. You'd think for FW prices they could do some QC to avoid warpage.
   
Made in gb
Crazed Spirit of the Defiler




Newcastle

Metal bloodthirster was a pain. I don't miss metal

Recently I bought a load of third party ork bits to make more feral looking Snakebite boyz, but had the issue of sticking plastic arms and shoota to a resin body (requiring super glue). I dropped the whole idea after a short while and decided just to stick with the default plastics. God bless plastic, it's so much easier to work with

Hydra Dominatus 
   
Made in gb
Malicious Mandrake




The old Slaan metal mage priest. Tried for years ad tried 3 GW stores for help. Never did get it complete....


[Thumb - magepriest.jpg]
Metal Slaan Mage Priest

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2021/03/05 23:03:15


 
   
Made in de
Battlefield Tourist






Nuremberg

I remember assembling the 5e Slaan Mage Priest back in the day. Horrific! I eventually got it together and painted it, I was incredibly proud.

   
Made in pl
Longtime Dakkanaut




It was FUN! FUN I tells you! Especially using 2-part epoxy as a kid...FUN!
   
Made in us
Most Glorious Grey Seer





Everett, WA

The Forge World Storm Eagle model was enough to stop me from buying large model kits from them ever again. The model I got literally changed shape from a squared interior toward the front to a trapezoidal interior at the back. The back ramp would not fit/close properly no matter what I did. Other parts were literally shorter or wider than the identical part for the opposite side. Hot water and elbow grease can do a lot with resin but it can't fix shrinkage.



This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/03/05 23:03:02


 
   
Made in gb
Mad Gyrocopter Pilot





Northumberland

Any large metal model was really just a horrifying misery, there's something about super glue which makes me hate all life. Although weirdly, the skaven screaming bell was a doddle.

I seem to remember the older howling banshees being a pain because the spindly little arms just didn't stay stuck to the shoulders.

One and a half feet in the hobby


My Painting Log of various minis:
# Olthannon's Oscillating Orchard of Opportunity #

 
   
Made in us
Grim Dark Angels Interrogator-Chaplain






A Protoss colony world

The old '90s Space Marine Land Speeders are a real bitch to assemble. I don't know whether the bodies on all of them are warped or what, but you can hardly get them to stay together without rubber bands and a lot of patience.

I would also say the Chaos Heldrake was a pain. Getting the wings on really took some effort and thought.

My armies (re-counted and updated on 11/1/23, including modeled wargear options):
Dark Angels: ~15000 Astra Militarum: ~1200 | Adeptus Custodes: ~1900 | Imperial Knights: ~2000 | Sisters of Battle: ~3500 | Leagues of Votann: ~1200 | Tyranids: ~2600 | Stormcast Eternals: ~5000
Check out my P&M Blogs: ZergSmasher's P&M Blog | Imperial Knights blog | Board Games blog | Total models painted in 2023: 40 | Total models painted in 2024: 7 | Current main painting project: Dark Angels
 Mr_Rose wrote:
Who doesn’t love crazy mutant squawk-puppies? Eh? Nobody, that’s who.
 
   
Made in us
Most Glorious Grey Seer





Everett, WA

Skorn gave me fits to the point I made a thread about it.

https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/476538.page


 
   
Made in ie
Regular Dakkanaut





Ireland

I remember trying to make Airfix models as a kid and making an absolute mess of them, especially trying to keep the moving parts unglued. Or keeping the clear plastic components free from polystyrene cement!

Never had too much of a problem with Citadel models, but then again I actually really like pinning and drilling.
   
Made in gb
Regular Dakkanaut




Am I allowed a non GW model? Because without a shadow of a doubt the single hardest model to put together I have ever personally encountered was the Harbinger Of Menoth from warmachine.


EVERY SINGLE DAMM connection point was on the smallest possible part it could feasibly have been on.

Tried pinning, but blimey, at a few points i thought my pin drill bit was wider than the area i was trying to drill!!!!

Horriffically top heavy and fragile model.

As an honorable mention, a friend bought a tyranid heirophant from forgeworld.
I am a nid player myself, but took one look at that thing and went "nope!!!"

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/03/06 00:10:46


 
   
Made in ca
Fresh-Faced New User




For me it’s was Tau tetras. They were garbage. Forge world is total crap, the price is Rubish for the horrible quality. Like for gods sake wash the mold release off the models for me.
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut







2nd generation metal Lord of Change. :(
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut




Central California

I'll add another vote on the older Howling Banshees. Super teeny connection points. Shoulders cones, arm shoulders cones...never the same ratio/angles, etc.

I also suffered with a metal Hive tyrant and carnifex. Those two models made me buy a pin vice.

Keeping the hobby side alive!

I never forget the Dakka unit scale is binary: Units are either OP or Garbage. 
   
Made in us
Dakka Veteran





Denver, CO

 ZergSmasher wrote:
The old '90s Space Marine Land Speeders are a real bitch to assemble. I don't know whether the bodies on all of them are warped or what, but you can hardly get them to stay together without rubber bands and a lot of patience.

I would also say the Chaos Heldrake was a pain. Getting the wings on really took some effort and thought.


90s land speeders. Never again. It wasn't so bad if you were ok with it not fitting together.

Also, the plastic drop pod.

https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterpaints/
https://www.tiktok.com/@lifeafterpaints 
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka




NE Ohio, USA

While I'll certainly bitch about the (plastic) drop pod....

I nominate these two:

1) Orks - the 3rd ed metal deffcopta. All it was was a jumble of metal bitz crammed into a blister pack with no instructions, no pictures, and almost zero obvious connection points. And being all metal, unless you pinned the 9 Hells out of it, it'd routinely burst into component pieces. ^%&*.

2) The old resin/metal version of the Katyusha launcher for Flames of War (15mm WWII, Soviet rocket launcher truck).
The truck was resin.
The rocket launcher rails & supports? Metal.
So right off the bat you have two materials that dislike being bonded together....
Now add in that I've yet to see a pack of these things where each & every metal support/rail isn't twisted & bent to hell in the blister.
So, before you ever get to the joy of trying to attach this metal assemble to your resin truck body, you have to spend a crazy amount of time straightening each *&^% piece.
You finally get one finished and.... Realize you have to do this 9 more times to make an effective unit.:(

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/03/06 05:15:07


 
   
Made in gb
Snord





Barovia

+2 for metal Bloodthirster. Multiple pins and had to file down the nubs the wings were meant to attach to because they didn't fit. Massive metal blobs that had to be filed to virtually nothing and then pinned anyway. Then made good with some greenstuffing.

Honourable mention for metal Killa Kan, my first adventure in pinning.

Also anything with separate arms and gun because you don't have enough fingers to hold everything together while you line it up and wait for the glue to take.

Is no fun, is no Blinsky! 
   
 
Forum Index » Dakka Discussions
Go to: