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Hello all, i searched around on here and couldn't find a thread about which to do first (not that I looked for one very hard lol)?
I have the Necron battleforce and I am almost done with the troops but I am hesitant to build the ghost ark because I am not sure how hard it will be to paint if it is built. I wont have the paints until mid January, but my son is wanting to play.
Any help here?

It's up to what feels most comfortable to you. For most things I'd rather build or partially build then paint. I don't see the appeal in painting before building, but some manage that well and it makes sense for some more fiddly parts like painting faces.

I always partially build, then paint.

For space marines as an example, I build the torso, head and legs, and then paint it, and attach the painted arms and weapons afterwards. Another good way is to assemble the whole marine without his bolter, then add the bolter last.

I second the above sentiments.

It involves a little bit of thought before you start assembling the model. Most pieces, in my experience, can be assembled beforehand, but a few (usually weapons) are much easier to paint separately and then attach.

For something like the ghost ark, you can most likely assemble the majority of the structure before painting, but you'll probably want to paint the doomsday cannon (or the side-mounted guns) separately before you attach it.

I prefer the former because it gives it gives a better idea of highlight/shade placement than on unassembled parts.

Depends on the model, really. While it does require a bit more care in planning, thinking through the build beforehand and painting in sub-assemblies can save you a LOT of trouble down the line. I would never paint on the sprue or entirely in pieces, but it takes a very open or dense sculpt (either can mean you have easy access to all parts) to avoid a headache when it's time to switch from files and glue to paintbrush, unless I've left at least a few parts off.

Looking at the model in question, I'm sure I would have trouble painting it fully assembled. Perhaps a temporary assembly (poster tack or tiny dabs of superglue) of the more problematic parts to allow you to start playing now, but that could easily be broken down again come painting time?

Regarding the ghost ark - I would build it in subassemblies then paint it.

A lot of it depends on how much detail you are going to do, and where it is....those ribs might be a challenge if you are trying to do a lot of work on the interior sections.

If you're going for the color scheme that GW has on their site, it looks like most of it is a solid color just with a lot of green highlights. If it were me I would spray paint all the pieces black and then assemble it.

If you're worried about the details don't be. If a spot needs to be painted, trust me if you can see it you can get to it with a paintbrush.

The only time I ever paint before assembly is when I'm working with Tyranids, just because they have some of the most awkward poses and details to get to.

Heh, you definately didn't search that hard as this topic comes up every other week (or so it seems. Surely once a month at least)

 Flinty wrote:
Heh, you definately didn't search that hard as this topic comes up every other week (or so it seems. Surely once a month at least)

Heh it does....although not quite as often as "what kind of airbrush should I buy" and "how do I thin my paints"....those are almost every two or three days...

But to be fair...the OP was specifically asking about the necron ghost ark....(maybe change the title ? asking about building the ghost ark???).

I have yet to build my ghost arks, but there are a few builds for them on youtube.

this one might help....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FPOKp3QUGQ