Lena Rivera
Deciding whether to paint or assemble your Necrons first is a common dilemma for Warhammer 40,000 hobbyists. Painting before assembly allows for easier access to intricate details and reduces the risk of damaging the paint job during construction, especially with Necrons’ complex designs and fine lines. However, assembling first can provide a better sense of the model’s overall look and pose, making it easier to plan color schemes and weathering effects. Ultimately, the choice depends on your personal preference, painting skill level, and the specific Necron models you’re working with. Consider starting with a test model to see which approach feels more efficient and enjoyable for your workflow.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ease of Painting | Painting before assembly allows better access to details, reducing risk of missing spots or smudging. |
| Assembly Convenience | Assembling first can make handling and painting larger sub-assemblies easier, especially for complex models like Necron constructs. |
| Priming Efficiency | Priming assembled models can save time but may require more masking or careful spraying to avoid overspray on adjacent parts. |
| Detail Preservation | Painting before assembly ensures small details (e.g., glyphs, weapons) are not obscured by glue or hard-to-reach angles. |
| Posing Flexibility | Assembling first allows for dynamic poses, but painting beforehand may limit adjustments due to glued parts. |
| Time Investment | Painting first can be slower due to individual piece handling, while assembling first streamlines the process for batch painting. |
| Risk of Damage | Assembled models are more prone to accidental damage during painting, especially if handled frequently. |
| Community Preference | Opinions vary; some prefer painting first for precision, while others assemble first for practicality. |
| Model Complexity | Necrons, with their intricate designs, often benefit from painting before assembly to highlight details. |
| Personal Preference | Ultimately depends on individual workflow, patience, and desired outcome. |
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What You'll Learn
- Pros of Painting First: Easier to reach details, avoids paint chipping during assembly
- Pros of Assembling First: Better pose planning, ensures proper fit and stability
- Time Efficiency: Painting first saves time if batch painting; assembling first streamlines unit cohesion
- Aesthetic Impact: Painted models look complete sooner; assembled models show scale and dynamics faster
- Personal Preference: Choose based on your workflow, patience, and desired end result
Pros of Painting First: Easier to reach details, avoids paint chipping during assembly
Painting your Necrons before assembly offers a tactical advantage: precision. Miniature details like the intricate hieroglyphics on a Necron Warrior’s chest or the delicate struts of a Canoptek Scarab become far easier to paint when unencumbered by surrounding components. Assembled models create hard-to-reach nooks and crannies that even the finest brushes struggle to access. Painting first allows you to meticulously layer colors, apply washes, and add highlights without the frustration of accidentally smudging adjacent areas. Think of it as painting a canvas before framing it – you have complete control over every stroke.
Pro Tip: Use a damp brush to gently remove excess paint from areas where parts will eventually join. This minimizes the risk of paint buildup interfering with a snug fit during assembly.
The assembly process, even with the utmost care, can be a minefield for freshly painted miniatures. Fitting pieces together often requires pressure, twisting, and adjustments, all of which can chip or scratch delicate paint jobs. Painting first eliminates this risk entirely. Imagine spending hours perfecting the iridescent sheen on a Necron Overlord’s gauss blaster, only to have it marred by a misplaced thumb during assembly. By painting beforehand, you safeguard your hard work and ensure your Necrons march into battle with pristine, unblemished armor.
Caution: While painting first minimizes chipping, it doesn’t eliminate the need for careful assembly. Use a small amount of glue and apply it precisely to avoid excess seeping onto painted surfaces.
Consider the long-term durability of your Necron army. Paint chipping during assembly isn’t just an aesthetic issue; it weakens the bond between the paint and the miniature, making it more susceptible to further damage during gameplay and storage. Painting first creates a more robust foundation for your paint job, ensuring your Necrons withstand the rigors of tabletop battles for years to come.
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Pros of Assembling First: Better pose planning, ensures proper fit and stability
Assembling your Necrons before painting offers a distinct advantage in achieving dynamic and cohesive poses. With the entire model in front of you, you can experiment with limb positioning, weapon angles, and overall stance to create a visually striking figure. This hands-on approach allows for a more intuitive understanding of the model's proportions and movement, ensuring your Necron warrior looks ready for battle, not like a static display piece. Imagine trying to paint a model with a raised arm holding a weapon, only to realize after painting that the arm doesn't quite reach the desired position due to limited poseability during assembly. Assembling first prevents such frustrations.
Example: Consider the Necron Warrior's iconic gauss rifle. Assembling the model first lets you test different firing stances, ensuring the rifle aligns perfectly with the warrior's grip and doesn't clip through other body parts.
The "dry fit" stage during assembly is crucial for ensuring a seamless and stable final product. Before committing to glue, carefully fit the pieces together to identify any potential gaps or misalignments. This step is especially important for Necrons, whose intricate armor plates and weaponry demand precise alignment. A poorly fitting joint can compromise the model's structural integrity, leading to breakage during gameplay or handling. By assembling first, you can address these issues before paint obscures the problem areas, allowing for adjustments and ensuring a sturdy, battle-ready Necron.
Caution: Avoid forcing pieces together. If a joint feels tight, gently sand the connecting surfaces for a smoother fit.
While painting before assembly might seem like a time-saver, it can lead to awkward paint chipping and limited access to intricate details. Assembling first provides a complete canvas, allowing you to paint seamlessly across joints and crevices. This approach results in a more professional finish, especially when using techniques like drybrushing or layering, which rely on smooth transitions between surfaces. Takeaway: Assembling first prioritizes both the structural integrity and aesthetic appeal of your Necron models, ensuring they are both visually impressive and ready for the tabletop battlefield.
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Time Efficiency: Painting first saves time if batch painting; assembling first streamlines unit cohesion
Batch painting Necrons before assembly can significantly reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks. By priming and basecoating multiple models at once, you minimize the handling of individual components, which are often small and fiddly. For example, applying a uniform base layer of silver or gold to a squad of Warriors in one go allows you to focus on detail work later without constantly switching between models. This method is particularly efficient for large armies, where consistency in color schemes is key. However, this approach requires careful planning to avoid overspray or masking delicate areas, such as the fine details on Necron heads or weapons.
Conversely, assembling Necrons first streamlines the process of creating visually cohesive units. Necron models often feature modular designs, allowing for dynamic poses and weapon configurations. By assembling the models first, you can ensure that each unit aligns aesthetically, with consistent poses and weapon loadouts. This is especially useful for squads like Lychguard or Immortals, where uniformity enhances the tabletop impact. Assembling first also eliminates the risk of paint chipping during construction, as joints and connections remain unpainted until the model is fully built.
The choice between painting or assembling first ultimately hinges on your workflow preferences and project scale. If you’re working on a large batch of similar models, painting first can save hours of individual handling. For instance, painting 20 Warriors in one batch is far quicker than painting each after assembly. However, if you prioritize unit cohesion and pose variation, assembling first ensures a polished, unified look. Consider testing both methods on a small squad to determine which aligns better with your goals.
Practical tips can further optimize your approach. If painting first, use a spray adhesive or handling tool to secure models during batch painting, reducing the risk of smudges. If assembling first, dry-fit components to plan poses and ensure a seamless fit before gluing. For mixed approaches, consider partially assembling models (e.g., attaching limbs but leaving weapons separate) to balance efficiency and detail work. Regardless of your choice, consistency in your process will yield the best results for your Necron army.
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Aesthetic Impact: Painted models look complete sooner; assembled models show scale and dynamics faster
The decision to paint or assemble your Necrons first hinges on the immediate visual payoff you seek. Painting models first delivers a striking, finished appearance almost instantly. A single layer of base coat transforms raw plastic into a cohesive army, even if details remain unrefined. This approach satisfies the urge to see progress quickly, making it ideal for hobbyists who thrive on visual milestones. Conversely, assembling models first reveals their true scale and dynamic poses, offering a tangible sense of the army’s presence on the tabletop. This method prioritizes structural impact over color, appealing to those who value spatial arrangement and movement in their miniatures.
Consider the practical workflow implications. Painting before assembly allows access to every surface, ensuring no detail is obscured by glued parts. This is particularly beneficial for Necrons, whose intricate geometric designs and fine lines demand precision. However, handling unassembled pieces risks chipping paint during later construction. Assembling first streamlines the painting process by creating larger, more stable canvases, but reaching recessed areas becomes a challenge. For example, painting a Necron Warrior’s gauss flayer after assembly may require awkward brush angles or airbrushing techniques to avoid smudging adjacent areas.
Aesthetic priorities dictate the optimal starting point. If showcasing a visually unified force is your goal, begin with painting. A squad of Necrons in consistent colors, even at a basic level, conveys cohesion and readiness for battle. On the other hand, if demonstrating the army’s tactical diversity and grandeur is key, assemble first. Seeing a Canoptek Spyder towering over a phalanx of Warriors provides immediate context for their roles and relationships on the battlefield. This approach emphasizes storytelling through composition rather than color.
Balancing both aspects requires a hybrid strategy. Start by assembling larger models or squads to grasp their spatial impact, then shift focus to painting smaller units for quick visual wins. For instance, build and prime a Necron Overlord to establish scale, then paint five Warriors to completion. This method alternates between structural and chromatic satisfaction, keeping the hobby experience varied and engaging. Remember, neither approach is inherently superior—the choice depends on whether you want to see your Necrons as a living army or a gallery of finished art pieces sooner.
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Personal Preference: Choose based on your workflow, patience, and desired end result
Your workflow is the backbone of your hobby experience. If you’re someone who thrives on seeing quick, tangible progress, assembling first might be your best bet. Snap together a squad of Necrons in an hour, and you’ve got a visual milestone. Painting first, however, requires patience—layering base coats, highlights, and details can take days, especially for intricate models like the Canoptek Scarab or the Overlord. Consider your tolerance for delayed gratification: do you want a fully assembled army to prime and paint in batches, or does the idea of handling finished, painted miniatures during assembly appeal to you?
Patience plays a dual role here. Painting before assembly allows you to reach tight crevices and recessed areas with ease. For example, applying a metallic base coat to a Necron Warrior’s gauss flayer is simpler when the weapon isn’t yet attached to the arm. However, this method demands precision—you’ll need to avoid chipping paint during assembly, which can be frustrating if you’re prone to fumbling with small parts. Conversely, assembling first lets you focus on construction without worrying about damaging painted surfaces, but you’ll need steady hands and possibly fine brushes to paint details post-assembly.
The desired end result is your North Star. If you’re aiming for a tabletop-ready army with a cohesive color scheme, assembling first allows you to batch paint squads efficiently. Prime 10 Warriors at once, apply base colors, and move on to the next unit. This method is ideal for gamers who prioritize speed and uniformity. However, if you’re a display painter seeking flawless, competition-level miniatures, painting first is non-negotiable. Imagine trying to edge highlight a Cryptek’s cloak after it’s glued to the base—nearly impossible without risking smudges.
Here’s a practical tip: test both methods on a single model. Paint a Necron Immortal fully before assembly, then assemble another and paint it afterward. Compare the time investment, ease of access to details, and final appearance. This trial run will reveal which process aligns with your natural rhythm. For instance, if you find yourself cursing while trying to paint between assembled legs, assembling first might be your calling. Conversely, if the thought of painting 20 identical models in one sitting feels tedious, consider painting in sub-assemblies—arms, bodies, and heads separately—before gluing them together.
Ultimately, the choice boils down to your hobbying style. Are you a methodical planner who enjoys the precision of painting unassembled parts, or a results-driven builder who wants to see squads take shape quickly? Neither approach is inherently superior; it’s about matching the process to your goals and temperament. Remember, the Necron range is vast, from the delicate Orikan the Diviner to the bulky Monolith—your decision might even vary by model. Flexibility is key, and over time, you’ll develop a hybrid approach that maximizes both efficiency and enjoyment.
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Frequently asked questions
It’s generally recommended to assemble your Necrons first, especially if the models have intricate details or recessed areas that are harder to paint once assembled. Assembling first ensures better access to all surfaces for painting.
Painting before assembling can result in missed details or uneven coverage, particularly in hard-to-reach areas like joints or recessed armor plates. Assembling first allows for smoother, more consistent paint application.
If you’re working with very large models or sub-assemblies (e.g., separate limbs or weapons), painting before assembling can be more manageable. However, for standard Necron infantry, assembling first is usually the better option.
