WIP: Carnival of Chaos

The next project on my table is create a new warband for Mordheim.

I already have a Lizardmen warband that has a number of games under their belt, and it is developing nicely. But I wanted another warband to add some variety. After alot of research I landed on Carnival of Chaos (CoC). The main reason is that it isn't played very much, so it has that uniqueness that I appreciate, and the modeling aspect look really fun. There are some complaints online of it being overpowered, particularly with a Nurgle Rot. So I decided to avoid using it in my band.

It is my first venture into the Nurgle/Chaos realms of the Warhammer universe, so I am looking forward to it. Plus I will take a stab at making a custom Plague Cart. Below are some images of the miniatures that I will be forming the band with. I will update as it develops.

First I will go over the models I have and then I will post progress shots as I go.

The Carnival of Chaos box set comes with 8 models: 1 Ringmaster, 1 Brute, 1 Plaguebearer, 1 Tainted One, and 4 Brethran. Plus weapons and bases.




Nurglings are up next. I got a blister of the current models and a set of the older ones (no picture yet). 10 Nurglings in a blister with four 40mm bases (two round, two square; depending if your using them for 40k or fantasy). CoC allows these in groups of up to 5. And at a low 15cr each, they could be great for cheap swarm units.



Another Plague Bearer that I will be customizing some. I will replace the sword with a set of claws.


For the second Tainted One that will have the Nurgle Blessing of Bloated Foulness, here I found a Sorcerer model that I will be converting a bit. Change his staff into a spear and sculpt a second arm for him holding a weapon.



The warband is allowed two Brutes, notably the most fearsome melee fighter. GW does make a second Brute sculpt, but good luck finding it. I did see one on eBay, but it went for a high price. So I decided to make one using other parts. Here are some Chaos Marauder bodies that I plan on using.


Misc claws and bits to use.


Up next should be some assembled minis.

Looks like you have all the Lads/Thingies present & accounted for...HAVE FUN WITH THE BEASTY!

Hope you make that brute massive. I would recommend perhaps using an orc body to get some bulk into it. Do post pics as soon as you've got some stuff glued together

Kaptain Dedgob wrote:

Hope you make that brute massive. I would recommend perhaps using an orc body to get some bulk into it. Do post pics as soon as you've got some stuff glued together

Your right, I put the Marauder parts next to the Brute, and it is too small/short. So I need to find a bigger alternative option. I was thinking Ungor or Beastmen, but they are kinda small too.

I wanted to keep it all GW models, but I did find this fella. It is a Reaper Pathfinder Hook Mountain Ogre. He looks way cool, but I have no idea how he is scaled to my other models.


Reaper has this image on their site, but I am having a hard time telling how big it is.

He's standing on their 40mm base, so he's bigger than a Warhammer human but smaller than a Warhammer ogre from the current range. A guess but I have a few Reaper ogres. From the scale provided he looks a little under 2" tall by about 1.5 wide.

The orc torso from the orc boyz set works great for a human brute if you can get the bitz. Orc arms work best with the torso. I used 5th edition plastic chaos warrior guantlet hands, but you can also use the orc hands.

I hate to differ with Von Kurst, but I believe the Big Guy is standing on a 50mm base...I'm pretty sure that reaper doesn't use 40mm bases & those little daggers on the right side are 25mm apart for size reference.

NOTE: while I still think he's on a 50mm base, Reaper does make a metal 40mm base.
While I was at Reaper I looked up that mini; at $17.95, I hope he is as big as I think he is...otherwise it's a rip off that G.W. would be proud of.

Actually, Reaper does produce minis with 40mm plastic bases, I have two of them - and I think that ogre comes with one of those bases.

folketsfiende wrote:

Actually, Reaper does produce minis with 40mm plastic bases, I have two of them - and I think that ogre comes with one of those bases.

It very well might be the case...I've been wrong before.

My wife has been putting together a carnival band too, she's been tracking down and collecting the Rackham models for Confrontation. They have some pretty sweet models. Here's an example of one that I think she's using as her ringleader maybe?



I believe the bulk of her force will be made up of the Dwarves of Mid-Nor



Not her paint jobs, just posting in case you're looking for ideas as filler models. I think these work well.

Thank you for the feedback on the Ogre guy and alternative model ideas!

I have made some progress assembling the group. First here is one of the Brethren. Spear, knife and a quiver of arrows on his back.


Brute strongman with a big a$$ hammer. I replaced the head of the hammer that he came with with a larger one that I built. I think I may still add a few metal straps wrapping around the head of the hammer, it seems alittle plain.


Watch out for the Nurgling hoard! Here they come. I am going to be painting up the white cylinder up to be like a little platform they use in the circus. These are great little monsters!


Plague Bearer now with big claws!


I am trying to tie the models together with their basing. It will mostly be dirt with some wood planking that will tie into the plague cart. Later.

Verrrry nice indeed. Give the nurglings tiny greenstuff hats!

Top hats?

Nice start! Beware the mould lines on the plastic parts.

I've been making progress with the CoC warband. Most characters are modeled up. I've also glued rare-earth magnets into their bases, so I can try out a new method of transport.

Here the Tainted One and a Brethren are finished.


2 more Brethren and the last of them. Guy to the right I cut off his head and replaced with another head, also modeling in a clown type hat. The CoC set brethren are all very similar, and do share the same bodies. So I had to change him up, so I didn't have clones running around.


What's better then another Nurgling? Nurgling wielding fire! I converted his club into a torch.


The carnival master got more work than the rest. His sword is a plastic orc hand with a sword bit that I had laying around. The spear is an orc sword blade on a thick paper clip that drops through a plastic club hand. I have sense wrapped the spear's shaft with green stuff to add thickness. The base was carved up coffee stir sticks to look like wood planking.


Parts to go for the Plague Cart. Wheels are from the Skaven Warp Lightning Cannon. Big thanks to a friend CB for the horses! Couldn't have a cart without something to pull it. From the beginning I've been brainstorming on how to build the cart. I saw it as the center piece of my warband. I've done my google-fu for plenty of reference materials, and I have some big plans for it. With the movie The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus offering the best ideas. It will only be a matter of execution.


Next up is my second Brute. I found a great model from Tale of War line of Ron & Bones.

The Plague Cart for my Carnival of Chaos Mordheim warband is built finally. Yay! Here are some shots of it before it got a spray of primer.If you've seen the movie The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, then you will be familiar with the cart's design. Since that is my source of inspiration for the piece.



The first thing to note is that this is an extra large "cart." I am not sure of the feasibility of using it as a vehicle in the game. Many people do use rules that allow for movement and to carry guys. But due to it's size, both to get around terrain and being an extra large target, I think I may opt to use it more as scenery. It is up for debate if I can include this in my list and receive the benefits from it. Ideas are welcome.



As described before, I built the cart completely out of plasticard. The wheels are from a Scaven vehicle. I have added some nurgle rot with green stuff around the cart. I wanted some, but not too much. Like the fiction for CoC says, the town's people welcome in the Carnival only to realize their true intentions too late.



The driver is from the Dark Age range of figures. He originally held a spear and shield. Those were shaved off and his arms positioned to hold the reins for the horses.



The main characteristic of my plague cart was a fold down stage. I had seen this on a few other models people had built, but not to this scale. The whole side of the cart is hinges down to form the stage floor. Magnets keep the door shut, and fold out support lowered to help support the stage.



The interior features some green stuff drapes that carry the performance/circus theme inside. A stove and misc stuff are there. I dropped a fish in there being a repeating theme in Mordheim. A few models can fit inside with the door shut.



The back of the cart features lots of stuff stowed away. Plus some things trying to escape...

Now that is one awesome piece! One of the best plague carts out there and with the potential to be the most stunning once it is painted. Big, but also with a lot of lovely little details that show you had fun building it. And while there are many imginative people out there, your craftsmanship is at a level to actually build what you thought up - I like that.
The driver again shows your hand for digging up just the right mini for the task out of all the stuff that is out there.
I'd like to know what you will do with the harnesses of the horses' heads though. That doesn't really fit the the rest of the models imo.

That cart looks fantastic! It might be big, but the more the merrier. You've put a lot of effort into some really cool details. It will look terrific! The fold out stage is especially nice.

That's absolutely wonderful sir. Full marks!

The Carnivale Wagon is an EXCELLENT piece of craftsmanship; I love what you did with the curtain & the possessed/occupied trunk. VERY WELL DONE!

You did great job on the Plague Cart

Your plague cart is awesome,

Well done

Grimscull wrote:

Now that is one awesome piece! One of the best plague carts out there and with the potential to be the most stunning once it is painted. Big, but also with a lot of lovely little details that show you had fun building it. And while there are many imginative people out there, your craftsmanship is at a level to actually build what you thought up - I like that.
The driver again shows your hand for digging up just the right mini for the task out of all the stuff that is out there.
I'd like to know what you will do with the harnesses of the horses' heads though. That doesn't really fit the the rest of the models imo.

Thanks for the kind words. It was very fun to try my hand at a larger model (my first vehicle and largest model I've done so far.) The horses and their harnesses do bother me. I had a hard time coming up with something that looks decent and that wasn't completely a challenge to build. I kind of ended it in a compromise. Any suggestions on how I can modify to make it more realistic or in-line with the rest? What part of the harness do you think could be worked on? I have already spray primered the model, but I could work on it before I start painting.

Harness - I am not sure if we are talking about the same thing. I wasn't critiquing the wooden and leather construction the horses pull the cart with. I was talking about the leather "armor" that is only on the horses' heads, but not the rest of the animal. But come to think of it, this makes the horses look as if they were wearing a hood - just like most of your gang. So if you paint it the same color you paint the hoods of your other warbandmembers, it ought to look really nice.

Now that is truly amazing. Grandfather Nurgle must be so proud of that cart. I think it looks superb. As I was scrolling down through the pictures I noticed the hinges on what I thought was the window, Oh you should have seen my little face light up when I scrolled down to see the stage opened up! Its a fantastic piece of work and will look great when all your warband members are frolicking about on it.

I LIKE IT!!!!!

PS: How about a little nurgling peeping out from behind the curtain?

Fold out stage?

Great looking cart.