How do you span a decal across an assembly pattern?

I have a model with a pattern of parts, the pattern resembles a grid.

I would like to add a decal which would show the image spanning across the grid. The grid is too elaborate to attach the decal one part at a time and the realign them.

I would create the pattern as a sketch an make the grid all one part, however when I attempt to create the pattern I get many errors and it become unstable.

Is it possible to span the image across multiple parts or is there a practical workaround?